Moving into a new home can feel like both an exciting adventure and a headache rolled into one. Sure, it’s awesome to finally have that spacious closet you’ve always dreamed about or that extra bathroom that’ll put an end to morning madness. But here’s the thing — unless you’re moving into a brand-new, never-lived-in place, there’s definitely some stuff you’ll need to tackle. Even brand-new builds sometimes come with construction dust and muddy boot prints that need cleaning up. The good news? We’ve got some solid advice for making sure you’re starting with a completely fresh slate in your new place. The top priority? Get that grime out of there before you settle in. Cleaning might not be the most exciting part of moving into a new home, but trust us, you’ll want to tackle it before you unpack those boxes. Even if the previous owners were pretty neat freaks, there are always those hidden spots they probably didn’t get to. Let’s face it — moving out is just as exhausting as moving in, so it’s totally fair to expect you’ll need to do some elbow grease. Some cleaning tasks are no-brainers, like washing the windows and vacuuming the carpets. Others, like getting a pro to clean out your HVAC ducts, might not be on your radar. But here’s a clever tip from Jonathan Scott that’ll help you keep things fresh after all that hard work.
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Jonathan Scott’s Guide to Making Your New Home Feel Like Home
Getting your new place spick and span before moving in
Centralitalliance/Getty Images Start by giving your new place a really good deep clean before the moving trucks show up. A steam cleaner is super handy for this job — you can tackle so many spots, including the insides of cupboards, fixtures, and windows. If you can swing it, move the fridge and stove so you can get under and behind them too. Don’t skip the bathroom fan and vents either. Make sure to wipe down the shades on your light fixtures and dust those ceiling fan blades.
Leave the floors for last so you’re not walking all over them while you’re cleaning everything else. Once those floors are done, Scott’s got a smart idea: keep them looking good by asking guests to ditch their dirty shoes at the door. Throw an attractive, low-profile basket or a small shoe shelf by the entrance as a friendly hint. And keep a Swiffer within arm’s reach so you can quickly clean up any spills or messes without having to get down on your hands and knees.
Scott also recommends a couple of other upgrades that’ll help keep your new place looking fresh and new. If your carpeting isn’t cutting it — whether it’s stained or just not your style — he suggests swapping it for high-quality, durable laminate flooring that’ll hold up for years. Laminate has come a long way from those obviously fake wood looks it used to have; nowadays it looks way more realistic, stays clean easily, and lasts forever. If you’ve got an older home, there are tons of options available. In the kitchen, think about ditching marble countertops that need resealing every few months and going with quartz instead. Quartz is way tougher when it comes to stains, heat, and scratches. There are plenty of choices out there too.
