House Cleaning Your New Home: Moving Checklist
While you may be tempted to move in as soon as possible, your moving checklist should include dedicating some time to house cleaning. Take full advantage of your fresh start while your new house or apartment is completely empty; you will likely never have the opportunity to clean your home again while it’s void of all of your belongings.
Start with the bathroom
Since you will be spending a day or so in your new home house cleaning, you may want to begin in the bathroom. Previous residents surely cleaned the bathroom, but there is no harm in scrubbing away your own way as this room can be one of the more germ-filled places in the house.
A quick and easy way to instantaneously freshen the bathroom is to replace the toilet seat and cover, especially since toilet seats are inexpensive and easy to install. Be sure to clean behind the toilet and, if possible, pull the vanity/sink away from the wall to do the same. Thoroughly clean the shelves inside of the medicine cabinet while they’re empty, as this is a place that was likely missed by whoever last cleaned it.
Get the kitchen clean
Now that you have a bathroom that is safe to use and germ-free, move onto the kitchen. Begin by removing all the stove-top parts, including grates and knobs, and take the shelves and drawers out of the refrigerator. In a large tub filled with soap and water, let these parts soak while you clean the easy surfaces of kitchen appliances, counter tops and inside of the refrigerator.
Most ovens have a self-cleaning feature; turn it on, although you will have to scrub the oven glass to remove all the grease and food residue that has built up. Be sure to pull all the kitchen appliances away from the wall, especially the oven and the refrigerator, and thoroughly clean behind them.
Decluttering for a Move: What to Get Rid of and Where to Begin
One of the best ways to ensure a stress-free move is to declutter your home. Decluttering is also a great way to honor the memories you made in your old home before starting a new chapter. Even if you don’t think your home is very cluttered, chances are you have at least a handful of things lying around that you could do without. The closer you look, the more you’ll find
There’s no shame in realizing that your home has become a storage unit for broken, surplus, and expired stuff—it happens to everyone. You think you know how much stuff you have until it comes time to move it all to a new home. Suddenly, you’re surrounded by items you didn’t know you had or have never seen before. It’s as if your belongings multiplied when you weren’t looking!
The best time to get rid of all the excess is when you are preparing for a move. Getting rid of items you don’t want or need will save you valuable time, money, and effort. Decluttering before you move means you won’t spend time packing up things you no longer want or need. You’ll use fewer boxes, take up less space on the moving truck, and require fewer movers to help you get everything to your new home.
Decluttering for a Move: Room-by-Room Checklist
The following checklists are organized by room to help you tackle the challenge of decluttering in a systematic way. The time it takes to declutter each room will vary by household, but we recommend spending about one week per room as a rule of thumb.
Kitchen
In the kitchen, you’ll want to get rid of anything that is broken, mismatched, surplus or simply never used. This includes:
Expired food
Sauce packets
Small appliances
Kitchen tools and utensils
Cookware
Plastic containers and lids
Water bottles and coffee tumblers
Old cookbooks
Move Out Cleaning – DIY or Hire It Out?
When you vacate a rental, it is usually expected to be clean. Each property manager or rental agency has its own requirements, and if you don’t meet them, you can be subject to fines or security deposit deductions. With all the hard work and hassle that come with vacating a unit and moving, sometimes the last thing you want to do is clean it. However, the costs of professional cleaning crews can be a budget buster.
What Are the Expectations?
First and foremost, fully understand what the expectations are. Some places conduct a professional cleaning between residents regardless of the unit’s condition; in this case, a few hours of your own time may be sufficient. Others will conduct a “white glove inspection” and expect the unit to be immediately ready for new residents. In this scenario, a professional company will likely do a more thorough cleaning so that you pass the final inspection. Before hiring a cleaning crew or committing your own time, ask your property manager/agency for clarification. Ask specifically what will be checked and how clean it needs to be. Consult your lease for details and even ask neighbors what they’ve heard and seen with other residents moving out.
What Is Your Timeline?
Move-out cleanings typically need to be done once the unit is completely empty and can take up to a full day (depending on how big and dirty the unit is). As such, your moving timeline may play into your decision. If you have the hours to put toward cleaning your old unit before moving into your new one, the DIY route may be worth the cost savings versus a cleaning crew. If the moving truck comes one day and you have to be in your new town and new apartment in very short order, hiring it out can save you precious hours. The old adage, “Do you have time or money?” certainly applies here. If you have the hours in your moving timeline to get it done, consider DIYing to save the cost.
What Is Your Access to Cleaning Supplies?
Take into account how inconvenient it is to hold onto your cleaning supplies. If you’re moving across town, keeping back various supplies isn’t that big of a deal. But if you’re moving out of state or across the country, those things may get packed into a moving truck before you have a chance to do the final cleaning. Hiring a crew will allow you to transport, use up and/or give away cleaning supplies before your big move. If you need to do the cleaning yourself, keep back a few disposable items and ask friends or neighbors to borrow heavy-duty items like vacuums, mops, brooms and steam cleaners.
Do You Like to Clean?
Lastly, consider how much you enjoy the hard and dirty work of deep cleaning. The cleanliness expectations certainly come into play here. If your unit just needs to be “generally clean,” a quick dusting and vacuum is easy enough for most people to handle. However, if the inspection goes under the oven, inside refrigerators and to stovetop burner plates, blinds, landscaping and light fixtures, be sure you’re up for the task. Professional cleaning crews typically have the supplies, equipment and know-how for tackling common inspection “hot spots,” but if you love (or at least don’t mind!) tackling dust, dirt, grease and grime, doing it yourself will save you a good chunk of change!
Moving home checklist
You’ve found your dream home, exchanged contracts and sorted your mortgage. All that’s left to do is move in. That’s the easy part, isn’t it?
Well, there are lots of things you might not have accounted for – from finding the fuse box in your new home to letting your broadband supplier know you’re moving.
Confirm the date of your move
First things first, you’ll need to get your moving date officially confirmed by your conveyancers and the house sellers. If you’re renting, you may be able to spread moving out and moving in across several days. This way, you can get into your new home and get any work done, like cleaning carpets and painting, without the stress of moving in at the same time.
Give notice to your landlord (if you’re renting)
If you’re renting, you’ll need to let your landlord know the exact date you’re moving out. Hopefully this will coincide with the end of your lease, as this avoids paying for both rent and your mortgage at the same time.
Contact your utility suppliers
Let all of your utility suppliers know that you’re planning to move out – electricity, gas, phone and broadband suppliers will all need to know when you’re leaving the property. Chances are, you’ll be moving your phone and broadband across to your new property. Give your supplier as much notice as possible, as moving service may take several weeks.
Get quotes on your removal costs
When it comes to removals, it all depends on what’s practical for your budget and the size of your property. If you’re moving into a small property, or if cost is a large factor, it’ll probably be cheaper to rent a van and get a few friends to help. However, that can easily add to the stress of moving day, so make sure it’s right for you.
Moving: the new fall cleaning? Tips to de-clutter before your move
With school starting, you may find yourself with more time on your hands as your kids are gone most of the day. While moving in can be a big job, it can also be an opportunity to start fresh, as well as a welcomed opportunity to go through everything you have used during summer and pack it away for next year
Hold a Garage Sale
Fall can be a great opportunity to hold a garage sale. Not only will you ensure that your old belongings are put to use, you can also make some money to put towards your upcoming move. Holding a garage sale in the fall can also be a great idea, because many families remain in the city during the weekends instead of going to the lake or cottage. For some helpful tips on holding a garage sale, check out some tips for holding a successful garage sale.
Donate items to goodwill
For items that you haven’t been able to get rid of at a garage sale, consider donating to your local salvation army or goodwill store. While you may not make any money on the items, they can be put to good use by someone else. It is important to stress that fact that items that are to be donated need to be in good shape. Don’t donate items that are falling apart or are dirty, as they may get thrown out anyways.
Place items online
While people around your area may not need items that you are wanting to sell (for instance, a pair of sandals) people in other time zones may jump at the opportunity
Start a Facebook group
You can start a Facebook group with people that you know, and list items that you are looking to get rid of. This is handy as you know the people in the group, and it can be easy to sell and deliver items to people who buy them.