You've finally moved in! It's a time of excitement and relief, but it can also be a stressful time. All your belongings are unpacked, the boxes have been taken away, and now you're left with all this new space to clean. While it may seem intimidating at first glance, there are plenty of things that you should do after moving into a new home to make sure that you don't end up living in filth. Of course, you could always hire a professional Northern Virginia Cleaning Company to handle the dirt and grime on your behalf.
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In this blog post, we will list 26 things for those who just moved into their new home or apartment to keep on top of in order to keep it clean and tidy.
1. Clean out your closets
Cleaning out your closets is the very first thing that you should do after moving in. You want to get rid of all those clothes that don't fit or make you feel beautiful, and if they are still in good condition, you can donate them to someone who needs it more than you do.
After cleaning out your closet, rearrange all of your clothing so that everything has a proper place to go when you put it away. This will help keep the clutter down in the future too!
If there is still room left in your closets after putting all of your clothes back in, you can use it for shoe storage or hang any other clothing that doesn't require a drawer or hanger.
Keep the space clean by putting everything back in order after wearing it and make sure not to pile too many things on top of each other so nothing gets wrinkled!
2. Sweep or vacuum floors
Sweeping or vacuuming your floors is one of the most important things that you can do after moving into a new home because it gets rid of all those loose crumbs and dirt particles.
If there are any stains on the floor, use cleaners to get them out before sweeping or hosing down the area! This will also make sure not to spread the stains around.
If you have any carpets, it is recommended to vacuum them at least once or twice a week in order to keep your carpet fibers healthy and looking nice. It will also help get rid of allergens that tend to collect on rugs throughout the home!
3. Wash windows inside and outside
After moving in, the windows will most likely be very dirty on the inside and outside. You can use a squeegee or just some paper towels with water to get them sparkling again!
If you don't clean your windows often enough, they may start to fog up from all of that dirt buildup which makes it really hard to see outside!
It's also a good idea to clean the window sills so that nothing is left behind. Use some high-quality wood cleaner and give it a scrub before wiping everything down with paper towels or rags. This will ensure you have an even finish on your windows, making them look beautiful again after they were dirty from being moved into.
4. Wash walls inside and outside (if possible)
The walls of your home will also get dirty from moving in, and you want to make sure that they stay clean because if left alone for too long the dirt could become permanent.
Before you use any cleaners or rags on the walls, be sure to test it out in a small area first! Some paints may not react well with different kinds of cleaners so it can be helpful to test out a small section before moving on with the rest of the walls.
After you have tested your cleaner, use either some paper towels or rags to wipe down each wall in order to get rid of all that dirt and grime. This will ensure that there is no residue left behind from any cleaners or rags.
5. Remove old wallpaper
You may have old wallpaper on the walls of your home that needs to be removed before you can paint over it. Thankfully, removing wallpaper is not as hard as many people think!
Start by placing a putty knife under each section of paper in order to lift up an edge and then use your hands or another tool to pull off more sections. You can also use a steamer to help get the stubborn spots off that are not coming up easily.
Once you have removed as much of the paper as possible, spray down each section with water mixed with dish soap and wipe it all down before rinsing any extra soap away! This will ensure that your walls stay clean after adding new wallpaper or paint.
6. Dust the top of your furniture
After moving your furniture into a new home, it is probably full of some dirt and grime that was on the trucks or in storage.
You can use an all-purpose cleaner to wipe everything down before using either paper towels or rags to get rid of any leftover residue. Once you have wiped off each piece of furniture, give them a final polish with a high-quality wood polisher to keep them looking their best!
Moving into a new home is hard on all of your furniture, so it's important that you clean everything thoroughly. Before going ahead and adding any decorations or moving in the rest of your things, make sure each piece looks nice again after being moved around so much.
7. Clean out kitchen cabinets
It is important to clean out your cabinets before you start cooking anything in the kitchen. When you are moving into a new space, it's always nice to have everything looking shiny and brand-new! This will make your home feel more comfortable for both yourself and any guests who may be coming over soon after moving in.
If there are any items in your cabinets that are no longer being used, feel free to throw them away! If they have been sitting around for a long time and you're not sure if you will ever use it again at least get rid of the packaging so that it is out of the way.
8. Wash sheets and pillows
After moving your sheets and pillows into a new home, it's always nice to give them all a thorough wash! If you have any extra blankets or bedding that has not been washed yet, this is also the perfect time to get rid of anything old or dirty. Make sure everything looks brand-new after being moved in before placing any of your personal items back on the bed.
The last thing you want after moving is to find out that your favorite blanket has a hole in it or there are stains all over one side! Give everything an extra clean before using it again so that you don't have any issues with keeping yourself or others comfortable at night.
9. Polish hardwood floors
Moving into a new home can be hard on your floors as well, so it's important to clean them thoroughly. Polish the wood once you have given everything else a nice wipe down and make sure there are no leftover marks from any cleaners that were used before moving in! Polish will help bring out the color of each board and keep those looking nice for a long time after moving in.
Polishing hardwood floors is not an easy task but it's important to get them looking shiny and new again before you start putting down any rugs or furniture on top of them! This will ensure that your home looks complete once all of the work has been finished.
10. Dust furniture, appliances, and the air conditioner filter
Moving into a new home can be hard on all of your appliances, so it's important to clean them thoroughly. This will help keep any dirt or dust from being blown around the house after you have just moved in and are trying to get everything set up at once! You should also use this time to check if anything needs replacing before putting any of your personal items in the space.
After you have finished dusting everything down, give it a final polish with some high-quality wax to keep them looking their best and help prevent any marks from showing up after moving furniture around! When bringing appliances into a new home they need just as much care and attention as other things so make sure they look shiny and new once you've finished setting up the home.
11. Clean the kitchen sink
After all of the other cleaning has been finished, it's time to turn your attention to one of the most important appliances in any home: the kitchen sink! Make sure that you give this a nice clean and polish before using it for anything else.
It can be easy to forget about places like sinks when moving into a new space but they need just as much love and attention as everything else! After you've finished taking care of all the appliances, make sure that your sink looks its best before placing any other items on top of it.
12. Clean oven and stovetop
Just like with a kitchen sink, stoves need a good cleaning after moving into a new home! Make sure to give both the oven and stovetop a nice scrub down before using them for anything else.
This is one of those chores that can be really time-consuming, but it's important! There will usually always be some kind of mess leftover from moving into any space so now would also be an excellent time to clean out all cabinets as well.
13. Refrigerator coils/filter
In order to avoid any issues with your refrigerator after moving, make sure that you give it a deep clean as well! Be sure to check the coils and filter before placing anything inside of it.
After giving everything else in the kitchen a complete wash down, go ahead and give this appliance a nice scrub too. It's important not only for the freshness of the food but for safety reasons as well.
14. Dishwasher interior and exterior
A dishwasher can be a lifesaver after moving, so make sure to give it an extra good scrub down! Be sure to pay close attention to the interior and exterior of this appliance before placing anything inside.
It's important to do these things for all appliances but especially ones that handle food like your washer or oven because you don't want to get sick after moving into a new place.
15. The window sills
There's nothing worse than dirty window sills so be sure to give these a good scrub down as well! This way you won't have to worry about any extra dirt or dust being blown around the house after all of your hard work has been completed. This will keep them looking nice and clean for a long time.
16. Indoor and outdoor light bulbs
This is a great time to change any light bulbs in the home that you need to replace. This will not only make sure that your house looks perfect but it's also important for safety reasons!
17. The light switch covers
It's always a good idea to double-check that your light switch covers are clean before using them. This will help ensure everything looks nice and is easy to see once the lighting has been set up in each room!
18. The door handles and knobs
After all of the appliances and light switches have been taken care of it's time to move on to other items like door handles. These can get dirty after moving in so be sure that you're giving them a good scrub down before using anything else!
19. Vacuum all carpets and rugs including corners
If you have a vacuum with a rotating brush, use it to give your rugs and carpets a good going-over. You don't want any dust or dirt that has been left behind to attract new messes as you start using the space. You need to remove the dirty water from your carpets and rugs, but you also need to inspect for any stains that may have been left behind.
20. Empty out trash cans outside of the house
It is important to clean out all trash cans outside of the house, empty them out and give them a good scrub down. This way you won't have any issues with bugs or unhygienic situations in your new home!
21. Wipe down kitchen counters with disinfectant wipes
When wiping down the counters, pay attention to any crumbs that may be lying around. It's likely your new place will come with a dishwasher and you'll want to make sure it stays clear of food particles while running its cycle. Use a single-use sponge and a disinfectant wipe to clean the counters and avoid cross-contamination.
22. Sweep away any cobwebs hanging around corners and doorways
Cobwebs and dirt can be found anywhere so it's important to give them a good clean as well. This way you ensure that there aren't any insects or bugs hanging around your new home! Make sure to thoroughly erase any cobwebs hanging around corners and doorways.
23. Check your windows and screens for holes or tears
If there's a hole in your window screen it will definitely be letting in insects so make sure to give these a good inspection as well because they can be very hard to get rid of. Sometimes there might even be a hole in your windows so it's important that you check these as well!
24. Take care of small repairs such as fixing leaky faucets
If you find any loose or broken faucets in your new home, make sure to take care of these small repairs before moving in. You don't want anything like this happening while you're trying to get settled and unpacked because it can be a huge inconvenience!
25. Check over items plugged into outlets for frayed cords
It's important to check over any appliances or electronic devices that are plugged in, making sure there aren't any frayed cords that could be a fire hazard. This way you can avoid having accidents happen while moving into your new home!
26. Looking under furniture and along floorboards for signs of pests
Finally, it is time to look under your furniture and along the floors to make sure there aren't any signs of pests. This way you can be sure that everything is clean and ready for use!
Make your new home feel like a place you can call home by making it clean and welcoming. With the help of this moving checklist, you will be able to make sure your new home is clean and ready for your family. You'll feel more at peace knowing that all items are accounted for after unpacking!
Contact MyProMovers at (703) 310-7333 if you need help in moving and rearranging your furniture.