5 Tips to Leave Your Home Move-In Ready
Once you move out of your home, the real finishing work can begin — especially if you’re leaving a rental. You might do some cleaning in advance, but you’ll need to perform a more thorough job once you get everything out.
The moving process can be tough on a house. You might end up with scratches and dents that you didn’t expect.
When packing up and moving out, try these five tips to smooth out the rough spots and help make sure your house is move-in ready for the next occupants.
1. Patch as You Go
As you start to clear items from the room, you may notice signs of damage that you didn’t expect. For example, nail holes from pictures are standard, but large gouges are not.
If you worry that you will run out of time, it’s not difficult to patch as you go. Fixing a hole in the wall calls for a few inexpensive, easy-to-use tools.
If you don’t have time to make repairs, take a picture of it on your phone. You’ll be able to find it easier later.
2. Clean as You Pack
Packing tends to reveal a lot of dust, dirt, and grime in the empty spaces. If you’re not planning to hire professional cleaners after you vacate, it’s a good idea to clean as you go.
Aim to get the room empty. Once your belongings are out, move from ceiling to floor. A decent vacuum with a HEPA filter and brush attachment will make light work of dust and cobwebs.
Plan to give the windows and floors an extra scrub. If they are particularly dirty, consider hiring a professional to wash them after you move.
3. Deep-Clean Kitchen and Bathrooms
You’re probably used to cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms. However, getting them perfectly spotless is a different matter.
Deep-cleaning a kitchen can take several hours, with extra time to let appliances cool down and air out. You’ll probably need to scrub the cabinets, pantry, and under the sink — in ways you haven’t before.
Pull out the appliances and look for damage behind them. You might need to schedule an inspection if there are signs of electrical problems or water damage.
4. Avoid Rushing the Move
Moving always feels like it takes too long, but rushing can make things worse. If you’re in a big hurry to get this step done, you’re more likely to make mistakes.
Those mistakes might be easy to patch after the fact, or not. Pushing too hard to get large appliances out the door could ruin the door.
Instead, recognize that you need the time. Then you can do a better job.
5. Look for Signs of Damage
Once everything is out the door, you should do a once-through to look for leftover items or signs of damage.
It’s common to see floor scuffs, dents in walls or doors, and occasionally broken fixtures. Make a plan to fix them before you hand over the keys to the next person.
Moving Help
Getting your old home into its best condition can take days after the move, but it’s worth it. Contact us to find out how you can remove stress and complication from your upcoming move.