Doing your spring cleaning before a long-distance move is a great way to accomplish two tasks at once. You’ll be able to simultaneously deep-clean your home, pack up all your belongings, and ensure potential buyers enjoy a fresh start. While we’ve laid out tips for a spring move, let this be your ultimate guide to spring cleaning before a long-distance relocation.
Tip #1: Go Room by Room
One of the best things you can do while spring cleaning before a long-distance move is pack room by room, then clean each room after packing. This will prevent you from becoming overwhelmed and can allow multiple people to clean your home at the same time. The following isn’t an exhaustive list of how to clean each room, but it does include things many people forget while cleaning before moving. Get out those cleaning supplies because you’re about to do some scrubbing!
In all rooms:
- Scrub walls, ceilings, baseboards, and windowsills.
- Clean high-contact areas, such as light switches and appliance buttons and handles.
- Wash windows. Make sure washing windows includes both inside and outside.
- Wash curtains and draperies.
- Check for any valuables left behind.
In bathrooms:
- Clean toilets, sinks, bathtubs, and shower walls.
- Polish and clean fixtures like faucets and handles.
- Scrub grout lines on tile.
- Check for and clear out items in cabinets.
In bedrooms:
- Deep clean carpets, especially underneath beds.
- Check closets for leftover items.
- Spot-clean and vacuum mattresses.
In the kitchen:
- Clean appliances such as ovens, fridges, microwaves, toasters, and range tops.
- Ensure things like your dishwasher, garbage disposal, etc., are clean and functioning.
In living rooms:
- Wax or polish wooden furniture.
- Arrange furniture attractively if your home buyer is coming by to take a look at your place before the move day.
- Dust shelves, decorations, and other areas. Don’t forget hard-to-reach and easily neglected dust magnets, like the tops of fans.
In other rooms:
- Check storage and crawl spaces for any forgotten items. Dust and vacuum where appropriate to get at those pesky cobwebs.
- Don’t forget to clean or pack up outdoor furniture and kids’ toys.
Tip #2: Clean What You Pack
While you’re boxing up or putting away all the things you’ll be handing over to the moving company, it’s a perfect time to clean these items as well. Cleaning what you pack will help you have a fresh start, which is another advantage of spring cleaning before a long-distance move.
Tip #3: Clean “High to Low”
A tip for just about any homeowner, not just for ones who want to plan a move, is that cleaning should happen “high to low.” This means that you start in high places and move down to the floor at the end. The reason to do this is because as you dust, sweep, or scrub, all the dirt falls onto the floor, which is why we also recommend that you…
Tip #4: End With the Floors
Deep cleaning the carpet or waxing your wood floors last is one of the moving tips that will save you valuable time and resources. By ending with the floors, you’ll be cleaning up everything that falls into the carpet or onto the wood while you’re working on spring cleaning before a long-distance move.
Tip #5: Cut Back on Clutter
While you’re doing all this spring cleaning before a long-distance move, stay on the lookout for items you no longer need, want, or don’t plan on bringing to your new place. Some clutter solutions include:
- Give away items to friends and family.
- Donate items to a charitable cause or a local thrift store.
- Host a yard sale to earn some cash.
- Use an online marketplace to sell old belongings from the comfort of your couch.
- Find a moving storage facility or rent a self-storage unit for items you don’t want to pack now but want to use later.
- Research your local recycling center.
Tip #6: Get Some Help
If there’s an area of your home that’s especially troublesome to clean or poses a health hazard, call up the pros. While it’s great to have friends and family members to provide extra hands when it’s time to clean, sometimes moving services professionals might be the extra help you need. Over years of basement cleanout in Philadelphia and other PA areas, we’ve seen our fair share of messes — and we’ve helped clean them all out before homeowners made their long-distance moves.
Moving Doesn’t Have to Be Stressful!
Spring cleaning before a long-distance move can make your life much easier. When you want the entire moving process to go smoothly, however, there’s only one team you should trust — Dan The Mover! Our professional approach, efficient service, and friendly team will get you moved in no time. Need more information about our residential long-distance moving services? Contact us today!