Mt Vernon

The historic estate and gardens of our first president, George Washington. But beyond that it is a mentality. One in which I am trying to apply.
Many years ago, Mindy gave me a book The New Messies Handbook. Because we Messies stick together and try to help each other out. I know I read the book cover to cover back in the day and certain things worked for me. The other day I glanced over at the bookshelf and saw the book staring out at me. I retrieved it from the shelf and thumbed through it, read sections. The chapter that stuck out to me the most on my flip through was Mt Vernon. To maintain the estate of Mt Vernon the housekeeping team starts in one spot and systematically moves through the room until it is complete. When the day is over they put their supplies away and began where the left of on the following day. When they have made their way through the house they begin again. Day after day.
In the handbook I have been instructed to start somewhere, preferably the front door and work through the room, thoroughly cleaning everything along the way. The bin at the door would be completely gone through, throwing away what is broken or destroyed, donating what may be of use to another or put in its proper place in an organized manner if it is to stay in the house. All clutter is in danger of disposal.
These thoughts are roaming around my brain. I want to put them into action but I am struggling with getting started.
My husband has been busting his butt cleaning up the outside of the home. It is looking great. He would love for me to actually begin Mt Vernonizing our home. It would thrill him.
Why am I struggling so much with doing it? I feel like I am set-up to fail. There are not proper places for everything to go. And it seems like the time line is not enough time to get done what needs to be done. Time line? Oh yes, it is next Friday, when my husband has set up an appraisal for our home and property. He feels like everything about our home and life will be under scrutiny and be either the thumbs up or down for getting the appraisal we need to build our new garage.
I do feel order is necessary. I do want my house to be functional. I do want a garage. But at the moment I am feeling so overwhelmed. I am angry that I should be forced to do this during an already busy week. I am frustrated that there is so much to do. I am frustrated that I struggle with housekeeping. Just when I was trying to get a basic weekly routine under control, I am to take on the complete house. Even if I take one room a day for the next week I don't feel like I have the time, energy, resources or capabilities to do it.
My fight or flight mentality has me wanting to run far far away to a place where I do not need to clean. But the reality is something needs to be done. And it won't get done if I do run away. Too bad I don't have the housekeeping team of Mt Vernon to help.