Every successful move starts with a helpful moving checklist. And every checklist should include a thorough cleaning of both your old and new homes!
Here is your ultimate moving cleaning checklist to help you leave the new tenants with a fresh start, and to help you settle into your nice, new, clean home.
Moving Tips for Cleaning Before Leaving Your Old Home
One of the best moving tips that any Chicago moving company can provide to their clients is to thoroughly clean their old home using a moving cleaning checklist before they move. It might seem like an annoying or unnecessary task, but it’ll help both you and the incoming residents.
Why cleaning before moving out is important
You want to move into a nice, clean home—and the new tenants of your old place want the same thing. Leaving your old house, condo, or apartment fresh and move-in ready is a kind and thoughtful thing to do for the next residents.
Additionally, thoroughly cleaning the place you’re moving out of will help ensure that you don’t accidentally leave anything behind. It’s easy to miss items that have fallen into the nooks and crannies of your closets, cabinets, and drawers. A deep clean will reveal that balled-up hoodie behind your closet’s hanging clothes and the potato masher that’s stuck at the back of your kitchen drawer.
How to Do a Deep Clean Before Moving
Most people don’t love cleaning, but when you’re equipped with a handy moving cleaning checklist, the chore can go more quickly.
One of the best ways to clean your old home is to start on the top floor and work your way down. Go room to room on each level—and don’t cut any corners! Start by dusting the ceilings and walls before vacuuming the baseboards and floors.
As your moving date approaches, be sure to give yourself plenty of time to do laundry. After all, you don’t want to move dirty clothes or bed linens into your new home! Similarly, you don’t want to bring dirty or dusty furniture into your new place.
Dust and wipe down your chairs, couches, and tables before moving day. Your move crew will carefully wrap your items in blankets and shrink wrap to protect them during transport, and there’s no need to have them move dirty items when they could move fresh and clean items into your new dwelling.
Keep in mind that help is available if you need it. If you’re not sure how to clean specific items like your area rugs or upholstered furniture, look into professional cleaners who specialize in pre-move projects. They can give you a hand and make sure your home is move-out ready!
Moving Cleaning Checklist for the Move Into Your New Home
Since not everyone will be as proactive as you are in cleaning your old home before you move out, it’s possible that your new place will need a deep clean before you move in. It might take a little extra time, but cleaning your new place before you get settled can benefit you in the long run.
Reasons to clean your new home before moving in
Cleaning your new place has a variety of benefits. First, you get a fresh start in your new home without having to worry about the previous residents’ leftover dirt or dust. Second, it can help prevent allergy flareups if you or your family is sensitive to anything that might’ve been left behind by your predecessors.
Third, deeply cleaning your new home can make painting easier if you choose to change the wall colors. Dust and wipe down the walls before applying the first coat of paint to avoid trapping dust underneath. You’ll end up with a beautiful paint job and a nice, clean dwelling.
Tips for Cleaning Your New Home
It’s a lot easier to clean empty rooms than rooms full of furniture and boxes. If you have access to your new place prior to your actual move day, get in there and start cleaning early. If you can’t clean before moving in, no problem—you just might have to move around some of your belongings to make sure you can wipe down walls and floor areas that will be hidden by your furniture and rugs.
Once you’re ready to roll those sleeves up, follow this moving cleaning checklist:
- Sweep, dust, and vacuum the ceilings in each room.
- Then, sweep, dust, and vacuum each room’s walls.
- Turn your attention to the kickboards and floors.
- Dust and vacuum the closets.
- Make sure the kitchen counters, cabinets, and appliances are clean and ready for you to stock them.
After those steps, you’ll be ready to bring in the nice and clean furniture, clothing, linens, and kitchenware that you prepared prior to leaving your old home.
Room-By-Room Moving Cleaning Checklist
To clean is to prepare for your move. You don’t want to bring your old home’s dirt or dust into your new place, and you don’t want a previous tenant’s dirt or dust to get all over your belongings at your new place.
Although each home is unique, the moving cleaning checklist below covers the basics for most dwellings. Happy cleaning!
General Home
- Dust ceilings, walls, and kickboards.
- Wipe down light fixtures and ceiling fan blades.
- Clean windows, frames, and windowsills.
- Disinfect doorknobs and light switches.
- Vacuum and wipe down all floors.
- Clean your lampshades with a dust rag or lint roller.
Kitchen
- Furniture
- Wipe down the table, chairs, and stools.
- Pack up shelved items on baker’s racks and hutches, then clean each shelf.
- Appliances
- Empty and sanitize the refrigerator.
- Scrape off any ice from inside the freezer.
- Run your oven’s self-cleaning cycle.
- Santize your sink and use a cleaning tab in the garbage disposal.
- Empty your dishwasher and run a fresh cycle with a cleaning tab.
- Cabinets
- Empty all items. Eat any leftover food, or donate unopened boxed or canned foods.
- Wash your pots and pans.
- Carefully pack up your glasses, plates, bowls, and silverware.
- Dispose of the old shelf paper and wipe down the inside of each cabinet.
- Scrub the outside of each cabinet.
- Sanitize all countertops.
- Take out the garbage and recycling.
Bathroom
- Scrub the bathtub and shower walls.
- Sanitize the toilet.
- Use glass cleaner on the mirror.
- Wipe down the vanity cabinet.
- Launder all towels and linens.
Bedrooms
- Wash all bed linens.
- Vacuum your mattress.
- Empty out your storage bed, dressers, and closets. Donate, sell, or dispose of what you don’t want or need.
- Wipe down all furniture.
- Dust and vacuum the closets.
- Deep clean your carpets and area rugs.
- Launder all clothing and linens.
Living Room
- Dust, vacuum, and treat the floor. The best method will depend on whether you have hardwood, carpet, tile, or another surface.
- Deep clean your rugs and upholstered furniture.
- Dust all electronics, like your TV, game consoles, and stereo.
- Wipe down your entertainment center, coffee table, and any other hard surfaces.
Dining Room
- Wipe down your tables and chairs.
- Remove table leaves for easy cleaning and moving.
- Clean and carefully pack the contents of your China cabinet.
Outdoor Areas
- Cut away any overgrowth in your yard.
- Sweep paved surfaces like the walkway and patio.
- Pack up your patio furniture and grill.
- Carefully box up your potted plants.
Tips to Find the Best Cleaning Supplies for Your Move
In order to effectively clean your old and new homes, you’ll need the right cleaning supplies on your moving cleaning checklist. Make sure you have plenty of rags, sponges, and scrub brushes at the ready. And here’s a pro tip: old towels or clothing that you decided not to keep during your move often make great rags!
Whenever possible, use nontoxic and eco-friendly cleaning products. These tend to be safer for your family, pets, and the environment than harsh chemicals. Additionally, since some traditional cleaners can scratch or damage surfaces like floors and appliance casing, using natural products can help you keep your home in great condition.
You Handle Your Moving Cleaning Checklist, and the Best Movers in Chicago Will Handle the Heavy Lifting!
From conquering your moving cleaning checklist to transferring your utilities to your new address—and everything in between—you have more than enough on your plate as you prepare for your move. Let Move-tastic! provide you with the stress-free moving experience that you deserve.
Contact us today for a custom moving estimate!