Black and white movies kept you captivated with cliffhangers. Would the beautiful heroine fall from the cliff or be saved by the hero? Maybe it’s not quite as exciting to find out what has happened to Queen of Clutter and her faithful friend, Terri, but I bet you’ve been wondering.

I know you skeptics were thinking that after two successful cleanings, we wouldn’t have the perseverance to continue. Well, you were wrong. Terri and I have worked twice more at each home, for a total of six co-cleaning visits over a period of several months. Here’s a recap of two of our sessions; you’ll have to stay tuned to see how our tale continues:

Our next workday at Terri’s was prep time for dinner guests. Before we started, Terri showed me a puzzle borrowed from the library for her granddaughter, missing two pieces. I announced, “Maybe we’ll find them while we’re cleaning.” Terri told me I could stop cleaning when we found both puzzle pieces within a minute, as we moved an end table to relocate her antique sewing desk. Of course, I didn’t take her at her word. Instead, I hammered picture hangers into the backs of three photo frames, a task I found satisfying; it was also something I’d done many times before. After hanging the photos, I also nailed into place a plastic corner guard protecting the wall between her living room and hallway. Terri told me it had been partially falling off for ten years. As I hammered, Terri lovingly cleaned the picture windows. We also found a better place for her dog crate, creating more living space while allowing the dog a great view of the outdoors.

At my house, I have to say that Queen of Clutter truly earns her name in the craft room that has never been used for crafts…well, not yet. It’s the room with all the craft items plus anything I want to keep away from my two cats or anything I just don’t know what to do with and haven’t taken into the basement for storage…yet. So, the craft room will take several workdays to turn it into a room worthy of its name. It was too crowded to work inside, so we toted boxes or armfuls of clutter into a more spacious room, where we went through items one by one. We found things I’d lost for over a year: my 3-hole punch, several sticky lint rollers, and the pull tops I’d been looking for to give to the Ronald McDonald House. We also unearthed the plastic crimpers for making turnovers that I couldn’t make myself give away after no longer being able to eat gluten. What a wonderful coincidence that Terri had been looking for a way to make homemade empanadas for her husband who had fallen in love with them on a trip to Argentina. She was glad to take them, and I was glad they had found their new home.

Each time when we finish, we always say how much fun we had…yes, while cleaning windows or tackling the minutia of clutter. So make a commitment to help a friend. You’ll find enjoyment, a few puzzle pieces, and maybe an empanada crimper, if you’re lucky.

More tips for a successful co-cleaning session:

1.     Set an intention about what to clean, but be willing to change, if needed.
2.     Keep a light and humorous attitude.
3.     Be open to find other chores to complete that you might find as you work.
4.     Be honest with your friend about your preferences.
5.     Gift your friend with your “clutter,” but only if she wants it!
And stay tuned for more in the Queen of Clutter series. To be continued…

Thanks again to Nancy Browning for her guest blog. (I was visiting our new twins grandsons in California.) See Nancy's gluten-free recipes and blog at: Gluten-Free and Grateful.