Let’s face it, decluttering isn’t exactly what we’d call a fun task. It’s one of those chores that tend to get pushed aside, only to leave us feeling overwhelmed when the mess piles up. But what if we could turn this daunting task into a fun family game?
Transforming decluttering into a game not only makes the process enjoyable, but it also teaches kids the importance of tidiness and organization. So, without further ado, here are 14 ways to make decluttering a family game.
1. The 10-Minute Tidy Up
Set a timer for 10 minutes and challenge everyone to clean up as much as they can before the timer goes off. The person who cleans up the most items wins. This game brings out the competitive spirit in your family members, making them more motivated to tidy up their spaces.
This game works best when you break it down into categories, such as toys, clothes, or books. This way, you don’t just end up moving the clutter from one place to another. You can also use this game to teach kids about time management and the importance of doing tasks promptly.
2. The Treasure Hunt
Turn decluttering into a treasure hunt by hiding small prizes in the clutter. The person who finds the most treasures while cleaning up wins. This game makes decluttering exciting, as everyone will be eager to find the hidden treasures.
Remember to hide the prizes in places that really need decluttering. Also, make sure the treasures are worthwhile – they don’t have to be expensive, but they should be things your family members will genuinely enjoy. This could be anything from a favorite snack to a voucher for extra TV time.
3. The Sorting Game
Create different categories (like clothes, books, toys, etc.) and challenge everyone to sort the clutter into these categories. The person who sorts the most items correctly wins. This game not only makes decluttering fun but also teaches kids about categorization and organization.
To make the game more challenging, you can add subcategories. For example, within the “clothes” category, you could have subcategories like “winter clothes” and “summer clothes”. This will encourage your family to think more deeply about what they’re decluttering, and it will make the final clean-up easier.
4. The Donation Challenge
Challenge everyone to find as many items as they can to donate. The person who finds the most items to donate wins. This game not only helps declutter your home but also teaches kids about the importance of giving to others.
Make sure to explain why donating is important and where the donated items will go. This will help your kids understand that their old toys or clothes can bring joy to someone else, and it will make them more willing to part with their things.
5. The Trash Bag Challenge
Give everyone a trash bag and challenge them to fill it up with items that need to be thrown away. The person who fills up their bag the fastest wins. This game is a quick and effective way to declutter your home.
While this game is fun, it’s also a great opportunity to talk about the environment and the importance of reducing waste. Encourage your family to think twice before throwing something away, and discuss ways to reuse or recycle items instead.
6. The Color-Coded Clean Up
Assign each family member a color and challenge them to find items of that color to put away. The person who puts away the most items of their assigned color wins. This game adds a colorful twist to the decluttering process.
You can also use this game to teach kids about colors. For younger kids, you can stick to basic colors, while for older kids, you can use more complex colors like turquoise or mauve. This game combines learning with fun, making decluttering a more enjoyable process.
7. The Room-by-Room Race
Assign each family member a room and challenge them to declutter it as quickly as possible. The person who finishes their room first wins. This game makes decluttering a race against the clock.
To ensure fair play, make sure the rooms are approximately equal in terms of the amount of clutter. You can also make the game more challenging by adding criteria, such as “all books must be arranged alphabetically” or “all clothes must be folded neatly”.
8. The Musical Clean Up
Play some music while you clean, and when the music stops, everyone must freeze. The person who cleaned up the most items before the music stopped wins. This game adds a musical twist to the decluttering process.
Choose upbeat, energetic music to keep everyone motivated. You can also use this game to introduce your kids to different genres of music. Just remember to keep the volume at a reasonable level so as not to disturb your neighbors.
9. The Mystery Item
Choose a mystery item and challenge everyone to find it while they’re decluttering. The person who finds the mystery item wins. This game adds an element of surprise to the decluttering process.
The mystery item can be anything, but it should be something that’s been lost or forgotten about. This game is not only fun but also helps you find lost items. Just remember not to choose something too small or difficult to find, as this could frustrate your kids.
10. The Theme Clean Up
Choose a theme (like superheroes, princesses, animals, etc.) and challenge everyone to find items related to that theme to put away. The person who puts away the most items related to the theme wins. This game makes decluttering a themed adventure.
You can change the theme every time you play, keeping the game fresh and exciting. You can also use this game to teach your kids about different themes. For example, if the theme is “animals”, you can talk about different types of animals and their habitats.
11. The Clutter Bingo
Create a bingo card with different items to declutter. The person who completes a line on their bingo card first wins. This game turns decluttering into a fun game of bingo.
You can make the bingo cards more challenging by adding specific items, like “a red sock” or “a book with a blue cover”. This will encourage your kids to pay more attention to their clutter, and it will make the game more exciting.
12. The Scavenger Hunt
Create a list of items to find and put away. The person who finds and puts away all the items on their list first wins. This game turns decluttering into a scavenger hunt.
You can make the list more challenging by adding specific items, like “a toy car” or “a green book”. This will make your family really look at their clutter, and it will make the game more exciting.
13. The Decluttering Olympics
Create different decluttering events, like the “fastest to fill a trash bag” or the “best sorter”. Award points for each event, and the person with the most points at the end of the game wins. This game turns decluttering into a series of exciting competitions.
You can make the events as creative as you like, and you can even have a medal ceremony at the end. This game is not only fun but also encourages teamwork and sportsmanship.
15. The Guessing Game
Before you start decluttering, have each person guess how many items they think they’ll put away. The person who guesses closest to their actual number wins. This game adds an element of prediction to the decluttering process.
This game is not only fun but also helps your family become more aware of their clutter. It can also be a good opportunity to discuss the difference between need and want, and the importance of not accumulating unnecessary items.
