• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Mothering
    • Encouragement
    • Babies and Toddlers
    • Teens
    • Family Life
    • Favorite Toys
  • Hearth and Home
  • Wellness
    • Finding Joy
    • Personal Growth
    • Overcoming Hardships
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Salads
    • Main Dishes
    • Cookies
    • Desserts
    • Simple Celebrations
  • 40 Bags In 40 Days
  • Book Love
    • Historical Fiction
    • Memoirs
    • Children’s Books
    • Other Favorites
  • About
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

Clover Lane

Home » Blog » Spring Cleaning 101 (Or Pretend to Sell This House)

Spring Cleaning 101 (Or Pretend to Sell This House)

by Sarah Turner Clover Lane, Homemaking Systems, House Love

Share
Pin
Tweet
Email
Print

Thought I’d repost this since I started my spring cleaning method this week!

Here’s how I spring clean:

1. I buy a notebook.

I make a heading for each room. Even closets.

I imagine that I’m a potential buyer of this house. You know…PRETEND!…and see the room through someone else’s eyes.

I stand in each room and look around and see all the imperfections.

2. Then I write down what needs to be done if I were to put it up for sale. Every single thing.

Yes, this is scary.

But it works.

For example, in my master bath, the shower really needs to be recaulked because some of it is peeling off and it looks messy. One of the towel bars is coming out of the walls. (Hmmm, someone swinging perhaps?) And I think the closet in my bath needs to have some reorganization…bigger plastic bins for medicine and so forth are in order. It looks messy.

I write that all down. Numbered.

And proceed to the next room.

EVERY SINGLE ROOM.

No matter how small OR big, I write down what needs to be done.

That’s my Master List for the year.

I go through it once or twice a year, and sometimes it doesn’t get all done, but that’s OK.

Because when it’s written down I know it will be, eventually.

I came up with this method when I had to show our past two houses in order to move. I learned this: It’s super super annoying to have to do all those little things you procrastinated for years, for SOMEONE ELSE! My houses never looked so good as when they were ready to be put on the market. This really annoyed me.

But this way, I don’t feel overwhelmed about all the little repairs and improvements that need to be done, because I know I’m working on them-they are accounted for and on a list.

3.When my list in my handy dandy notebook is done, I carry it with me to the first room, when I’m ready to get to the “cleaning” part. This way, I can write down what I need, the measurements, and so forth, and put all that on a separate sheet in the notebook. I can go to the store with my list, maybe 3 rooms out, and get everything I need, without making constant errand runs. If I need a new curtain, or organization bins, I have the measurements right there.

4.Then I scrub like I’m showing the place.

Sometimes, I know I will get just one room done a day. Or maybe even one a week. I set a realistic goal for myself so I won’t burn out and I can still keep up with my daily happenings.

I relegate to a separate page, those BIG projects…painting a leaky ceiling, finding a new chair for the den, so I don’t get too slowed down. This list can also serve as a “to-do list” through out the year if I can’t get it all done right away.

Share
Pin
Tweet
Email
Print

February 19, 2020 · 5 Comments

Follow by Email

Previous Post: « Encouragement For The Week-Be Brave
Next Post: 40 Bags in 40 Days™ How To Create a Calm, Decluttered Master Bedroom »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. Janie says

    February 19, 2020 at 9:00 pm

    My husband and I are getting ready to list our first house, and man oh man, I am SO OVER making the house nice for someone else!!! I think I will employ this method right after we move into our new house. And then I will slowly work my way down the list to make the house nice for US! 🙂

    Reply
    • Michele says

      February 20, 2020 at 12:52 am

      Ditto! We are doing the same. Getting ready for a sale is daunting! Good luck to you!

      Reply
  2. Susan says

    February 19, 2020 at 9:00 pm

    I absolutely LOVE this idea! With the sun shining brightly today, it is giving me hope of spring! Right now, my house has just TOO MUCH STUFF! If I recall correctly, you did a 40 days/40 bags purge for Lent a few years ago. I plan on doing that this year!! I can't believe Lent starts in a week! Thanks for your continued inspiration!!

    Reply
  3. Caitlin says

    February 20, 2020 at 12:25 am

    I love this idea!! I'm definitely trying this out this year!

    Reply
  4. MIchelle says

    February 20, 2020 at 3:54 am

    My kids are grown and on their own. I am doing the Swedish Death Cleaning so they won't have to get rid of things I don't use or need anymore. I read in my AARP magazine that you should not leave it to your children to get rid of your stuff (JUNK) after you are gone. A lot of my friends houses are bulging with things they don't need or use. They absolutely will not get rid of their junk. I am also making of list of things that need to be taken care.

    I love your blog and your ideas for getting rid of things.

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

Welcome to Clover Lane. I write about my love of motherhood, ordinary days, and simple living.  You can learn more about me here.

Follow by Email

21 years of our best-loved, most-used quality toys!

Topics

Archives

Amazon Affiliate Disclaimer

Clover Lane is participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Read my disclosure.

Favorite Books

Favorite Children’s Books

Favorite Parenting Books

Amazon Native Ads

Clothing Ad

Amazon Kids

  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Disclosure

Copyright © 2022 · Memories on Clover Lane · All Rights Reserved
Please do not duplicate anything on this blog without written permission from the author.
Disclosure: Amazon affiliate links used.