Spring Cleaning or Spring Selling? Why Decluttering is Just an Excuse to Move

Springtime in Portland, OR… the season of renewal, fresh starts, and the annual tradition of pretending you’re going to declutter your house instead of just buying a new one.

Let’s be honest: you don’t need a Pinterest-perfect, minimalist living room. You need an escape from that questionable design choice you made five years ago when you were trying to find new things to do during the Covid lockdowns. That “modern industrial” look you tried?  It’s aged about as well as gas station sushi.  The DIY shiplap wall? Great in theory, until you realized you have zero carpentry skills.

And don’t even get me started on that neon accent wall you swore would “add personality.”  Spoiler alert: It added stress.

So let’s call this whole “spring cleaning” thing what it really is: the first step in staging your house so you can GTFO and start over.

Good News: The Market’s Ready for You

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to list your house, here it is: mortgage rates have come down (check out the latest here).  Buyers who’ve been hibernating all winter are waking up, and guess what? They’re ready to throw some cash at a home that isn’t covered in clutter and regret.

Portland’s real estate market is heating up faster than your neighbor’s compost pile in August. Homes that are clean, staged, and priced right are moving fast.  And if your place has been “lived in” a little too hard, no worries, I’ve got some great listing strategies that don’t involve you spending a fortune on fixes.

Signs It’s Time to Sell (Instead of “Declutter”)

✅ You have a junk drawer that has evolved into a junk ROOM.
Congratulations, you now own a storage unit with a kitchen attached. Might be time to upgrade to a house with actual storage solutions.

✅ You’re rearranging furniture like it’s a game of Tetris.
If you’ve moved the couch three times in the last month to “make the room feel bigger,” maybe you just need a bigger house. Or at least one with an actual floor plan that doesn’t make you want to cry.

✅ Your closet looks like an archaeological dig.
If you’ve rediscovered clothes from the early 2000s that could qualify for the Smithsonian, it’s not you, it’s the house. You need a bigger (or at least better) one.

✅ Your home décor choices haunt you.
That bold wallpaper? The funky backsplash? The open shelving that seemed like a great idea? If your house reminds you of your worst DIY phase, it’s time to move on.

Stop Organizing, Start Packing

Look, you could spend weeks trying to declutter, label bins, and Marie Kondo your way into a slightly more tolerable living space.  Or, you could list your house and start fresh somewhere that doesn’t feel like a storage facility for your bad decisions.

Portland’s market is shifting, rates are lower, and buyers are hungry for homes that don’t scream “hoarder chic.”  If you’re even thinking about making a move, let’s talk strategy before you waste another weekend trying to organize that garage that will never actually fit your car.  Download my seller guide for free HERE

Hit me up, and let’s make this the easiest “spring cleaning” you’ve ever done—by selling your house instead!

-That 1 Realtor Guy