Moving into a new home is exciting, but there is one step that is easy to overlook: cleaning the space before your boxes arrive.
Once furniture is in place and every room is filled, some areas become much harder to reach. Cleaning an empty home gives you a chance to start fresh and address surfaces that may have accumulated dust, dirt, or residue before you begin settling in.
If you are moving soon, here are the areas worth prioritizing before you unpack.
Why Clean Before You Unpack?
A new home may look clean without every surface having been thoroughly cleaned.
The previous occupants, contractors, movers, or everyday activity may have left behind dust and dirt on floors, cabinets, countertops, bathrooms, and other surfaces. The CDC recommends regularly cleaning surfaces in the home and paying particular attention to frequently touched areas such as doorknobs, light switches, and countertops.
Cleaning before unpacking also has a practical advantage: an empty room is easier to access.
Instead of moving boxes from one corner to another just to clean underneath them, you can have the space cleaned before your belongings arrive.
What Should You Clean Before Moving In?
1. Kitchen Surfaces and Cabinets
The kitchen deserves special attention before you start storing food, dishes, and appliances.
Clean accessible countertops, cabinet surfaces, sinks, and other appropriate surfaces. If the refrigerator or other appliances are staying with the home, clean the areas that you can safely access according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Starting with an empty kitchen makes it much easier to clean before your belongings take up valuable counter and cabinet space.
2. Bathrooms
Bathrooms are another priority because they contain frequently used surfaces that are exposed to moisture and regular contact.
Pay attention to sinks, countertops, tubs or showers, toilets, floors, mirrors, and other accessible surfaces.
The goal is not to make the home sterile. In most household situations, the CDC says regular cleaning with soap and water or appropriate household cleaners is enough to remove most germs from surfaces. Disinfecting is generally reserved for specific situations, such as when someone is sick or at higher risk of getting sick.
3. Floors
Empty rooms make floors significantly easier to clean.
Depending on the surface, this may include vacuuming carpets and rugs or cleaning hard flooring with a product appropriate for that material. The CDC recommends following the manufacturer’s instructions when cleaning different surfaces.
Getting the floors cleaned before furniture arrives can save you from having to work around beds, sofas, tables, and boxes.
4. Frequently Touched Surfaces
Some of the surfaces you touch every day are easy to overlook during a quick cleaning.
Think about:
- Doorknobs
- Light switches
- Cabinet and drawer handles
- Countertops
- Sink handles
- Other frequently touched surfaces
The CDC specifically recommends regularly cleaning high-touch surfaces.
If disinfection is appropriate for your situation, remember that cleaning comes first. The EPA and CDC both emphasize that surfaces should be cleaned before sanitizing or disinfecting them, and disinfectant products should always be used according to their labels.
5. Bedrooms and Living Areas
Before beds, sofas, rugs, and other furniture are brought in, take advantage of the open space.
Cleaning floors, accessible surfaces, baseboards, and other areas that can become difficult to reach later can make the entire process easier.
It is much simpler to clean an empty room than to work around a pile of moving boxes.
Should You Clean the Whole House Yourself?
You can, but consider what moving day already involves.
Packing. Transporting boxes. Coordinating movers. Changing your address. Setting up utilities. Getting the family settled.
Adding an entire-home cleaning to that list can turn an already demanding transition into an even longer project.
A professional cleaning service can handle the cleaning while you focus on everything else that comes with moving.
For homeowners who want to start fresh, J Team Cleaning offers residential cleaning services and move-in/move-out cleaning. The company serves Virginia, Maryland, and DC and is licensed, insured, and bonded.
Clean First. Unpack Once.
The best time to clean a new home is often before it stops being empty.
Once your boxes and furniture are inside, cleaning becomes more complicated. You have more things to move, more surfaces to work around, and less access to the areas that were easy to reach before.
If your move is coming up, consider scheduling your cleaning before the unpacking begins. You can walk into your new home with the cleaning already taken care of and focus on making the space yours.
Moving Soon? Let J Team Cleaning Handle the Cleaning.
J Team Cleaning provides residential cleaning services, including move-in and move-out cleaning, so you can spend less time worrying about cleaning and more time getting settled.
Call J Team Cleaning at (571) 274-4936 to ask about scheduling your move-in cleaning.