Move-In Cleaning Checklist: What to Clean Before Unpacking
Moving Into a New Home? Clean These Areas Before You Unpack
Moving day is exciting, exhausting and one of the best opportunities you'll ever have to thoroughly clean a home. Before boxes and furniture fill the rooms, many surfaces are completely accessible.
Start With the Kitchen
Inspect counters, sinks, cabinet surfaces, drawers, appliance areas, floors, and fixtures. If you're planning to clean inside appliances or cabinets, doing it before groceries, cookware, and dishes arrive is much easier.
Check the Bathrooms Carefully
Even when a home appears clean, bathrooms deserve a closer inspection. Look at the shower or tub, toilet, sink, vanity, fixtures, mirrors, floors, trim, and accessible surfaces.
Take Advantage of Empty Floors
Without beds, sofas, tables, and boxes in the way, vacuuming and mopping can be much more efficient. Pay attention to corners and edges that will become difficult to access once furniture arrives.
Look at Baseboards, Doors and Trim
These details are easy to overlook during a quick cleaning but become more noticeable in an empty house.
Check Closets
It's much easier to clean closet shelves and floors before they're filled with clothing and storage containers.
Make Your Own Priority Checklist
Walk through the empty property before cleaning begins. Take pictures or make notes about areas that concern you most. Professional move-in cleaning can then focus available labor time on those priorities. A clean starting point won't make unpacking your boxes any more fun but it can make your new house feel like your home much faster.
