Recently, I’ve had friends who have purchased a new home and others who are moving into new apartments. As much as the former owners or tenants try to clean up before moving out, there always seems to be a decent amount of work left over for whoever is moving in. This got me thinking, “What are the first things you should look to clean (or perhaps re-clean) when moving into a new place?”. Here’s a small list of things to take care of before you get settled in.

“Check for Pests”- The first thing you should do is check for any signs of rodents or bugs. Check all over the house or apartment for any signs of droppings, holes or cracks in the wall, etc.. If you happen to find any sign that you may have some unwanted guests, immediately set traps yourself or hire a professional to get rid of them.

“Clean the Bathroom”- The bathroom is one of those places in your home that needs to be cleaned on a regular basis anyway. When moving into a new place I’d say it’s the most important place to clean first. Give your bathroom a full cleaning and maybe even purchase a new toilet seat.

“Clean Out the Fridge”- You should clean any appliances that came with your new place but especially the refrigerator. Since the fridge will most likely be empty, this is the perfect time to give it a good scrub down before loading it up with your own grub.

“Dust and Clean Cabinets”- Cabinets can sometimes be over looked by previous owners or landlords. Since this is a place where you will be storing plates and glasses which you eat off of and drink out of, it’s probably a good idea to get all of the dust and dirt out first.

“Clean the Floors”- Before you bring any furniture in, it’s always a good idea to give the floors a good sweep or vacuum, if not a full cleaning.