by Leslee Stewart
On your mark. Get set. CLEAN!
Housework doesn’t rank very high on my list of favorite things to do. But recently I was introduced to a new online tool that combines cleaning with competition. And that equals a lot of fun.
Fly Lady Bingo
Fly Lady Bingo is a facebook-based game that helps you quickly knock out daily chores 
while playing bingo with other FlyLady fans online. For those unfamiliar with The FlyLady, she is a de-clutter queen who has built an empire on motivating people to get rid of their junk and turn housekeeping into an easy extension of daily life. Check out her website, www.flylady.net for more information about her methods.
To play Fly Lady Bingo, first you need to “like” Fly Lady Bingo on facebook. Once you do this, you’ll notice there are two types of bingo games played on the site: 15x6 and 7x7.
A 15x6 game means you make a list of six chores you need to do. At the top or bottom of the hour, a “caller” will announce a game on the site and will call out a random number (#3). You then set your timer for 15 minutes and do whatever chore you have as #3 on your list (clean kitchen). Every 15 minutes, the caller will select another number and you continue to do your corresponding chore. After the first three numbers are completed, a 15 minute break is called (FlyLady encourages breaks when cleaning – gotta love that!). The game resumes until all numbers, 1-6, have been called. A 15x6 game typically takes two hours to complete. If you made it through the whole game, post/yell 'Bingo!' when you're done. You've won yourself some progress and a cleaner home with a little fun in the mix.
The 7x7 game works exactly the same, only you make a list of seven chores and you have seven minutes to complete each one, with a new number being called out every seven minutes. This game is better for lighter chores like dusting one room, paying bills, or starting a load of laundry.
The participant dialogue during the game is fun, too. Many players share whatever task they're working on at that time. One lady was using her 15 minutes to PUPA the family room (that’s Pick Up and Put Away – lots of acronyms are used in Fly Lady Bingo.) Another player was menu planning. And participants are from all over the world, which adds to the uniqueness of the game.
I’ll be honest that I was a little intimidated by Fly Lady Bingo when I first checked it out. Between the fast pace and the acronyms, I wasn’t sure I could keep up. But the game’s facebook page has detailed instructions on how to play and what acronyms stand for (see the site's "notes" tab). Plus I found the players and callers friendly and welcoming. After asking a few questions and reading through the instructions a few times, I felt more confident to give it a try.
Fly Lady Bingo is a great tool to use especially when you’re not feeling motivated to clean – it’s quick, it keeps you focused, and it gets the job done. So sign up, make your list, and get your house a little cleaner today. BINGO!
Leslee Stewart oversees communications for GFC Beautiful. She is a wife, stay-at-home mom of two boys and former communications executive. She openly admits she owns too many throw pillows, loves junky old furniture and can sing all the parts of Bohemian Rhapsody.