The 27-Fling Boogie
The 27-Fling Boogie is an invention of Marla Cilley over at FlyLady.net. The FlyLady is full of tips and tricks to get your house in order and keep it that way. Lots of good information, and much of it has been helpful to me.
One of the most fun and effective things is the 27-Fling Boogie.
As I recall it, once you’ve decided which “zone” of your house is going to get your attention, you–very quickly–identify 27 things to throw away and 27 things to give away. Put them in bags or boxes or whatever, and get them out of the house.
Right into the garbage can. Right into the trunk of the car.
The purpose of moving them immediately is to prevent the inevitable second guessing that occurs if you keep the box or bag long enough that you take another look. If you’re anything like me, you will re-think your decision. Hey! I might need that sometime. If the bag is already in the garbage can and the box is already in the car, ready to go to Goodwill or wherever, they are probably going to stay there.
It seems simple, doesn’t it? Hardly worth a whole bog post.
The thing is, there is something about the number 27. Maybe it’s the rhythm of it. Maybe it’s the magical quality of being a perfect cube (3 cubed). Maybe it’s that it’s a high enough number that you have to really stretch to find enough items to meet the goal–so you steel yourself to get rid of that sequined purse that you have never used. “27” keeps you at it when you think it’s time to stop for cake.
The “boogie” plays into this, too. It has a connotation of fast and fun. As does “fling,” really. The idea is to get moving. Don’t stop to think. Fling!
After a while, in subsequent iterations, you’re not going to find 27 things in a particular zone. That’s when you expand the boogie to the whole house, I guess. (Actually, the way it’s described on the FlyLady website now does apply to the whole house. It may be my faulty memory that makes me think it was originally applied to zones. I did do quite well culling my bookshelves, though, when I 27-fling boogied through my office. Whatever works, right?)
And on my next boogie, I’m going to cube it a little further. 27 things to throw away, 27 things to give away, and 27 things for a garage sale.
Boogie down!
