When you finish your move, you’re going to be exhausted. You’ll just want to unpack and enjoy your new home. But you can’t. You still have to clean your old place for the new owners or tenants.
If you can, we’d recommend just hiring a cleaning service. Moving is so time-consuming that you don’t need the extra commitment. But, if you don’t want to hire a service, you can make the process easier by tidying in advance.
Before you move, follow these steps:
- Organize your Stuff
- Clean Scuffs Off All Visible Walls
- Replace Faded Switch and Outlet Covers
- Clean the Oven and Fume Hood
- Clean the Fridge
- Dish Wash Light Fixtures
- Take Care of the Exterior
- Replace Broken Objects
- Clean Cupboards as you Pack
This will help the movers work faster. Get everything off the floor and within easy reach so it’s easier for your friends, family, or movers to pick up. Throw out anything you don’t use, since there’s no reason to pay to move it.
You can’t fully clean your walls until after you move out, but you can get a head start. Go around and clean all the visible scuffs with a magic eraser.
This is a quick and cheap fix that makes the whole house look fresh. Don’t bother cleaning old plastic- you can buy new covers for only cents, and it will make the place look completely refreshed for the new tenants!
This task is gross, difficult, and absolutely completely necessary. You may want to set aside a day for it, a week or two in advance. Buy a quality oven cleaner and follow the directions.
Take all of the food out of your fridge, throw out everything you don’t want, and wipe down the surfaces in the fridge. You may also want to deodorize using baking soda.
Don’t do work that a machine can do for you! Weeks before your move, start doing loads of your light fixtures in the dishwasher. This will save you a few hours of scrubbing after your moving day.
You can handle lawn work a couple of days before the move. Spiff up your lawn, wash your walls, and clean up any clutter.
Go around the house and see what works. Replace all burned-out light bulbs and broken doorknobs.
A good way to save time is to wipe out your cupboards as you pack them up. Just keep a washcloth and a spray bottle with you, and it won’t even feel like extra work.
Completing this list when you’ve sold your home is simply a nice thing to do for the new owners, but completing this list when you’ve been renting the space is necessary. Without leaving the place in perfect condition, you’re likely to lose your security deposit or worse, be fined for further cleaning procedures.
Do your cleaning in advance and avoid the extra hassle and stress come moving day!
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