clutter is my middle name.....

Unlike my Mother....I'm not a fan of continuous house cleaning...Mother loved it...I do not. 

Part of that is because I like to have things...lots of them.  And I also have a lot of different interest. 

I like to sew simple things for my granddaughters. So I have sewing machine, fabric and ribbons...lots. 

I like to paint a little on the crafty side.  So I have painting supplies, canvases and the such.

I like to make jewelry.  So I have tons of beads, wire, tools, etc.

I like to read...therefore I have magazines and books.

I like to grow certain plants.  So I have houseplants that require attention.  Deck plants and those in the yard as well.   But I don't like yardwork...

I like to exercise, well, the THOUGHT of exercise.  I buy exercise videos and equipment, pedometers, yes that is plural. and Ipods...plural as well. 

I have a weakness for office supplies...I get a rush walking in a Staples! 

With all of these varied interest...well, it requires STUFF and I have some of all of it!

Then to add into the mix the mountain of paper, bills, newspapers, and mail in general....it's a mess.

My dear daughter is 29 years old.  She is the ultimate in organization and cleaning.  She and her husband live about 1 1/4 hour away.  He was fishing this weekend at Myrtle Beach, so she said she was coming to spend it with me and we were going to do a PROJECT.  Well folks, I know "Mrs. Clean's" projects.  She doesn't mean something fun...she means "Mama...we are going to clean your house"!  Often times when she would come to help out, she and I would play a TIMING game and see if we could accomplish the tasks in a certain time-frame.  Again I say....She is the ultimate in cleaning.  I think my Mother's desire for house cleaning skipped a generation and hit Melissa full force.  She has always been this way...even as a small child!  I have a lady that cleans for me every Friday...but only on the main floor...living room, kitchen, dinning, foyer...etc.  The upstairs is my domain (bedrooms, bath, sitting room and landing)...and a cluttered mess.

So we commenced to cleaning on Friday night...all the way through till today after church.  She has a philosophy that less is more.  Clothing for example.  If an item has not been worn in a season, out it goes.  She went through my closet, me trying on clothes, and the decision being made if it was a keeper or not.  We cleared 80 hangers of clothing.  Seriously.  Bagged up 12 large, huge, trash bags into the bed of the truck and drove to the Salvation Army, about 45 minutes away, to donate them.

She kept saying don't you feel freedom!!!  And you know...I actually did.  I felt like a new person! I felt like I was watching an episode of Clean House.  You know, where they fight to keep their stuff and then finally relinquish the item and all of a sudden they start getting rid of everything!  That's how I felt!  We ended up taking a nap...well she did, and while she was sleeping I went through and bagged up a whole lot of things on my own!  It was nothing short of amazing!

This weekend, we focused primarily on Kent's and my bedroom.  By the way, she went through "his" closet too and did the same!  And he responded the same way I did!  Fussed at first, then joined in!  She went all the way to even numbering the soles of the sock matches so when washed...they would be easily matched!!!

We both are amazed at how we feel today.  She has gone back home and I have continued to clean and finish our bedroom.   As she left, she reminded us that being she is a teacher, she has the summer off and she will be back!  Another project, another time. 

Thanks Melissa...you're amazing!  Thank you so much!!!