I Started 12 Spring Projects | irl Spring Cleaning & Overwhelm 🌷🧺

Rita Slanina

1 day ago

🧺 0:00 Slow Reset Day Intro | When the House Feels Heavy

Some weeks, the house feels like it’s breathing normally.

Other weeks, it feels like the walls are gently leaning inward whispering, “You forgot about that pile.”

This week? Leaning walls.

I’ve been distracted. A little overwhelmed. A little disregulated. A little “why is everything harder than it should be?”

And instead of pretending that spring cleaning always feels fresh and exciting… I wanted to show what it looks like when you’re behind, stressed, and still trying to move forward anyway.

Because here’s the thing:

You can reset your home without having your entire life figured out.

That’s the vibe of today.

☕ 1:18 Starting in the Kitchen | Spring Cleaning Motivation When You Feel Behind

We start in the kitchen. Because the kitchen is the emotional headquarters of the house.

Also because the sink is still clogged. 🙃

Yes. Still.

There is something humbling about doing a “whole house tidy” while actively working around a sink that refuses to cooperate. It builds character. Or patience. Or both.

Instead of digging my heels in and being mad about it, I’ve shifted systems.

Paper plates.
Paper cups.
Temporary survival mode.

Is it glamorous? No.
Is it practical? Yes.
Is it saving my sanity? Also yes.

Sometimes a spring reset isn’t about scrubbing harder. It’s about adjusting systems when old ones stop working.

That’s a big theme in this season for me.

🛏️ 5:15 Making the Bed | Reset Energy in the Bedroom

The bed is always the emotional anchor.

When the bed is made, I feel 27 percent more capable. That’s not a scientific number, but it’s accurate.

This week we also:

• Finished painting the bedroom walls fresh white
• Smoothed out the energy
• Opened the windows
• Let the room breathe again

Fresh white paint does something to a space. It’s like telling the walls, “We’re starting over. Let’s calm down.”

And even if other projects sit half-finished… the bedroom feels intentional.

That counts.

🎨 6:11 Foyer Tidy | Catch-All Chaos & Visual Clutter

Our foyer had become the unofficial landing strip for:

• Shoes
• Random tools
• “I’ll deal with it later” items
• Things that belong somewhere but no one knows where

Visual clutter is sneaky. It doesn’t shout. It hums in the background and drains your mental energy.

So I tackled it quickly.

Not perfectly. Just enough to breathe.

If you have an entry point in your home that becomes a catch-all, you’re not alone. It’s basically a universal law of physics.

The goal isn’t perfection.

The goal is reducing the hum.

🚪 10:42 Clogged Sink & New Seeds | Working Around What’s Not Working

Let’s circle back to the sink. Because she is still the villain of this storyline.

When something in the home isn’t functioning, it can feel like the entire house is broken.

But here’s the reframe:

Instead of obsessing over what’s stuck, shift momentum elsewhere.

So I planted seeds.
Tended to the hydroponic garden.
Adjusted the kitchen system.
Kept moving.

Spring homemaking isn’t about control.

It’s about adaptability.

🐔 13:48 Chicken Intermission | Egg Laying Hour & The Dojo Shuffle

Egg laying hour commenced.

Which means I was politely but firmly evicted from the Chicken Workout Dojo. 🐓

If you know, you know.

So instead of forcing productivity, I pivoted.

Moved the credenza.
Tested a new layout.
Discovered my beloved Greek clay pillar was cracked at the base.

Tragic.

I love that thing like it’s a family heirloom and I cannot explain why.

Instead of tossing it, I turned the broken side toward the wall and reassigned it as a plant stand.

We adapt.
We reposition.
We keep moving.

Kind of like this entire week.

☘️ St. Patrick’s Day Decor | Decorating When You Don’t Feel Festive

I did decorate for St. Patrick’s Day.

Little green touches.
Subtle clovers.
A nod to the season.

Did I feel wildly festive?

No.

But I’ve learned something about seasonal decorating:

You don’t decorate because you’re already joyful.
You decorate because rhythm creates stability.

When life feels chaotic, seasonal anchors help.

It doesn’t have to be big.
It just has to be intentional.

🥗 Treat Yourself Lunch | Salmon Salad with Garlic Aioli 🤍

Midday reset.

I needed something that felt like I cared about myself.

So I made a salmon salad with garlic aioli.

Not because it was complicated.
But because it felt grounding.

Here’s the garlic aioli recipe I use:

Simple Garlic Aioli Sauce Recipe 🧄

Ingredients:
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1–2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt to taste
• Optional: pinch of paprika or cracked pepper

Instructions:

Mince garlic finely.
Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
Let sit 10–15 minutes for flavors to deepen.
Drizzle over salmon, salads, roasted veggies, or use as a dip.

It takes five minutes.
It feels elevated.
It says, “We’re not spiraling today.”

I’ll also include a printable recipe card below for easy saving.

And tell me: how do you treat yourself at lunch when the week feels chaotic?

🩰 Ballet Break | Foam in the Toe Box & Daily Rituals

Music paused.

I needed to talk about something oddly specific: foam in ballet shoes.

I do a little ballet most evenings to strengthen my ankles and tendons. It’s grounding. It’s quiet. It’s mine.

But dancing without padding in the toe box?
Absolutely not.

So I showed my little foam hack.

Small rituals matter.

They create control when the big things feel messy.

🧹 20:10 Cabinet Declutter | When the Sink Is Out & You’re Not Doing 24/7 Dishes

With the sink still clogged, the dish cabinets were spiraling.

And I refuse to spend 24 hours a day scrubbing dishes out of stubbornness.

So I decluttered.
Reorganized.
Swapped in paper products temporarily.
Reduced the load.

Sometimes the most mature thing you can do in homemaking is admit:

“This system is not working right now.”

And then change it.

No guilt.
No shame.
Just adjustment.

🤍 24:48 Reset Reflections | Letting Go of Old Systems

This episode wasn’t the most satisfying.

We started projects.
Didn’t finish some.
Rearranged things.
Talked through chaos.

But that’s real life.

Spring cleaning doesn’t always look like dramatic before-and-afters.

Sometimes it looks like:

• Moving one piece of furniture
• Decluttering one shelf
• Making one intentional meal
• Admitting you’re overwhelmed
• And still showing up

That’s a reset too.

How to Reset Your Home When You Feel Overwhelmed 🌷

If your home feels chaotic right now, here’s a gentle spring reset checklist:

✔️ Make the Bed

Instant grounding.

✔️ Clear One Surface

Not the whole room. One surface.

✔️ Adjust a Broken System

Sink clogged? Change dish habits.
Laundry piling up? Simplify the wardrobe.

✔️ Add One Seasonal Touch

Fresh flowers.
Greenery.
A small decoration.

✔️ Eat Something Intentional

Fuel affects mood.

✔️ Move Your Body

Even five minutes.

Progress is momentum.
Momentum is relief.

Real-Life Spring Cleaning Is Not Always Aesthetic

You’re allowed to:

• Feel behind
• Feel distracted
• Feel stressed
• Still decorate
• Still tidy
• Still try

Your home does not need perfection.

It needs presence.

Watch the Full Spring Cleaning Reset Video 🎥

If you haven’t yet, you can watch the full “Spring Cleaning + Project Overwhelm” video here and clean alongside me.

Inside the video you’ll see:
• Kitchen reset with a clogged sink workaround
• Bedroom painting refresh
• Foyer declutter
• Chicken dojo shuffle
• St. Patrick’s Day decorating
• Cabinet organization
• Salmon lunch reset
• Ballet foam hack

It’s cozy. It’s honest. It’s not perfectly wrapped up.

And maybe that’s the point.

Final Thoughts on Spring Homemaking

Spring is usually marketed as fresh starts and productivity and perfectly labeled bins.

But sometimes spring is just:

Trying again.
Rearranging.
Not quitting.
Breathing through it.

If your house feels loud this week, you’re not alone.

We’ll keep moving.
One surface at a time. 🤍

If this resonated with you, leave a comment below:

Are you in a “fresh start” week or a “walls are leaning inward” week?

And if you’re resetting with me, I’m glad you’re here.

Now excuse me while I go check on that sink.

ADULTING is OVERRATED // WORK + LEISURE // MY WEEK…

Isn’t it funny how one minute you can be slaying your week, and the next minute you feel like you’re running around in circles getting absolutely nothing done?

Today’s post is a quick reminder that we can get tons of things done all week, and not realize it. It may seem repetitive, redundant, or even boring. But, we can’t forget that we are making progress each day. We are making great strides and we need to remember just to enjoy the ride and sometimes, give ourselves a little pat on the back now and then!

A Cozy Productive Spring Day at Home 🌿🐓 | Cleaning, Gardening & Homemade Tortillas

Some days start with a simple plan and end up turning into a full-blown productive spring reset day at home. That’s exactly what happened here.

What began as a quick trip to grab a few supplies for the chickens slowly turned into one of those deeply satisfying days where the house gets a little cleaner, the yard gets a little prettier, and a new recipe unexpectedly becomes a win.

If you’ve been craving spring cleaning motivation, homemaking inspiration, cozy day-in-the-life content, or easy homemade recipes, you’re in the right place. Grab a coffee and come spend a productive spring day with me.

Starting the Day with the Chickens 🐓

The day began with a quick chicken supply run. If you’ve ever kept backyard chickens, you know they run the household schedule whether you agree to it or not.

Fresh feed, new bedding pads, and a few coop upgrades were first on the list. The plan was simple: drop everything off and tidy the coop area a bit.

But the chickens had other ideas.

Apparently there was an egg-laying traffic jam happening inside the coop, and the moment I stepped in, the hens decided production would immediately halt. So I was politely (but firmly) kicked out of what I like to call the Chicken Workout Dojo.

When the chickens say the office is closed, the office is closed.

So rather than disturb the egg-laying union negotiations, I pivoted to the next project.

A Simple Front Yard Spring Refresh 🌼

Spring always gives me the urge to refresh the outside of the house, even if it’s just with small changes.

This year’s big goal is to install pavers along the front of the house, with a row of flowers planted just in front of them. It’s not a massive landscaping overhaul, but sometimes those small improvements create the biggest impact.

And honestly, part of living creatively is learning to work within your means.

Home projects don’t have to happen all at once. Sometimes it’s one small improvement at a time. Fortunately, pavers are relatively affordable, and after doing the math it looks like this will only require one Home Depot trip when the time comes.

For now, the focus was simply cleaning up the front entry area and adding a few spring touches. Even small improvements can make the house feel fresh again.

Spring Cleaning the Office ✨

After the outdoor refresh, the next stop was the office.

This room has slowly been turning into a little spring cleaning project zone, especially since new blinds are on the way. Before those arrive, I wanted to tackle a few things:

• Removing the old drapes
• Painting the window trim white
• Cleaning the windows inside and out
• Decluttering the space

It’s amazing how much lighter a room feels after simply washing the windows and brightening the trim. Natural light instantly makes everything feel more open.

Of course, mid-project the room looked like complete chaos… but that’s the nature of spring cleaning. The transformation always looks a little messy before it looks magical.

While waiting for the paint to dry, it was time for a completely different kind of experiment.

Attempting Homemade Tortillas (Again) 🌮

If you watched my croissant experiment last week, you know I was riding a wave of baking confidence.

Those croissants came out shockingly perfect, and after sharing them with neighbors and eating them all week, I felt brave enough to try another challenge: homemade tortillas.

For this attempt, I followed a recipe from the YouTube channel Cooking Con Claudia, which breaks down the tortilla process beautifully.

If you’d like to try the recipe yourself, here are the videos I referenced:

Tortilla Tutorial:
https://www.youtube.com/@CookingConClaudia

Tortilla Short Version:
https://www.youtube.com/@CookingConClaudia/shorts

And surprisingly… they worked.

Actually, they worked really well.

The only adjustment I’d make next time is cooking them for slightly less time because the edges became a bit crispy once they cooled. But overall, the flavor and texture were fantastic.

It’s amazing how a single small cooking win can completely change your confidence in the kitchen.

A Quick Post Office Run 📬

Of course, no productive day is complete without a random errand in the middle of everything.

A quick trip to the post office later, it was back home and time to start dinner prep.

Easy Cauliflower Mac & Cheese Casserole 🥦🧀

Since the cooking momentum was already going strong, I decided to prep a cauliflower mac and cheese casserole for the weekend.

This recipe came from Woman’s Day Magazine, and once I gathered the ingredients, I realized something wonderful.

It’s basically a throw-everything-in-one-pot kind of meal.

One-pot casseroles are one of my favorite kitchen tricks because they help reduce the dreaded pile of dishes that somehow appears in the sink every single day.

Seriously… there are only two people in my house, yet sometimes it looks like eight people live here judging by the laundry and dishes.

For this version, I made a couple small adjustments:

• Added a little habanero for heat 🌶️
• Used garbanzo bean pasta instead of traditional pasta

Regular pasta doesn’t sit well with me, so alternative pastas are always my go-to.

Another helpful tip when cooking casseroles: don’t stress too much about ingredient order. Unlike delicate recipes like croissants or bread, casseroles are very forgiving.

You can usually mix things together in whatever order works for you, and it will still come out delicious.

Ending the Day with a Simple Home Reset 🏡

By the time the casserole came out of the oven, the house smelled incredible.

Before calling it a night, I finished the day with a small bedroom reset and quick vacuum. Nothing dramatic, just a little tidy-up so tomorrow starts with a calm space instead of chaos.

Those tiny resets might not look like big accomplishments on paper, but they slowly make life feel lighter and more manageable.

And honestly, that’s the real secret behind productive days at home.

It’s not about doing everything perfectly.

It’s about stacking small wins.

A clean window.
A new recipe.
A refreshed front yard.
A tidy room.

Little improvements add up over time.

Watch the Full Video 🎬

My Favorite Kitchen & Home Products 🛍️

You can find many of the items used in this video in my Amazon storefront:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/shop/ritaslanina

Thanks for spending part of your day here. Whether you’re spring cleaning, cooking, gardening, or simply trying to keep up with everyday life, remember that small progress is still progress.

And sometimes the most productive days are the ones that weren’t planned at all. 🌿