Posted on March 8th, 2023.

So you’ve got the keys to the new home you purchased through 716Propertiesllc.com congrats!

Whether this is your first home or you’re a seasoned pro, there is still some heavy lifting to do, especially as you begin moving and settling in. Start your new chapter off on the right foot by making sure your home is clean from the floor to the ceiling to everything — including the air — in between.

Did you know that the quality of air inside your home can be up to five times more polluted than what’s waiting just outside your front door? Eliminating dust, allergens, and pollutants before you move in will help you maintain that level of cleanliness long after you are settled in. Of course, you can hire a professional apartment or house cleaner pretty inexpensively, but you can shave a few dollars off your moving budget by doing the job on your own. Give your new place the fresh start you deserve with these easy checklists. Are you selling your current home or looking for your perfect new abode in Buffalo or the surrounding area? 716 Properties is ready to help! Contact us today by calling 716-997-2752 to get started.

Cleaning

Start your new life in your new space with a clean slate with these tips:

Clean counters, sinks, tubs, toilets, and tile with vinegar and baking soda instead of strong-smelling chemicals or cleaners. If you’d prefer to use harsher cleaning products, be sure to open windows and doors to let the fumes air out.
Clean and dust those often-forgotten areas, like window sills, ceiling fan blades, blinds, tops of door frames, behind appliances, door knobs and cabinet handles, closet shelving and tops of cabinets.
Wash or replace curtains and drapes before hanging them to prevent them from bringing in any allergens or pollutants from your old home or the moving process. Consider doing the same for rugs and mats, too.

Of course, you can use the same checklist when you’re cleaning your previous home and preparing to put it on the market. After all, cleaning helps lay the foundation for the other tasks you’ll need to accomplish to attract buyers and help boost your appraisal value. Because once you’ve finished doing a thorough cleaning, you can move on to things like making repairs, addressing curb appeal, and staging the property (which you can do yourself or through a professional staging service).

Reduce Allergens

Let your new house or apartment be a breath of fresh air with these tips for eliminating allergens from the get-go. For starters, replace your mattresses if they are older than seven years to limit the number of allergens you bring into the home. Dust mites and bacteria love to burrow intomattresses — and that could make your allergies worse.

If you live in a high-humidity climate — or one that experiences all four seasons — you may want to apply caulking around windows, doors, and vents to keep outside moisture from slowing moving in. Also, take your dog to the groomer before moving in to help reduce pet hair and dander from the start. Plus, if you get your dog’s nails trimmed, you can help protect any hardwood flooring you have. If you have carpets, kick things off with a cleaner that eliminates fleas and ticks, especially if the former tenant or homeowner had pets.

Air Quality Maintenance It’s important to change your air conditioning filter the day you move in and maintain a consistent schedule of changing and cleaning it every few months. You can keep this high on your to-do list by signing up for a filter subscription service so you never run out. It’s also a good idea to make sure that your kitchen and bathroom vents push the air outside and not into other rooms, basements, attics, or crawl spaces. You should also purchase covers that prevent dust mites from settling into your mattresses, couches, chairs, pillows and other fabrics.

Sniff around for any unusual odors or foul smells. Make sure your plumbing drains are connected to an outside venting system. You’ll notice mold, mildew or a sewer odor from sinks, tubs, toilets, washing machines, dishwashers, and other appliances that use water if they’re not. Moving into a new apartment or home is an exciting and energizing experience, but it’s also an ideal time to slow down and work on establishing new habits — especially around cleaning.

Making new cleaning routines stick can be challenging, especially for those who already find cleaning hard, but the fresh start of a recent move can be the very thing you need to inspire change. Taking steps to create a clean home before you move in will make your new space healthier and happier for the entire family.