Checklist
Move-in cleaning checklist
You get one short window when every cabinet, closet and corner of a home is empty and reachable. This is the list for using it, in priority order rather than room order.
Priority order, not room order
A move-out checklist is organized by room because an inspector walks the property room by room. A move-in checklist should be organized by what you are about to lose access to.
The moment a cabinet has your plates in it, its interior is done for the next several years. Same for closet shelves, the space behind a refrigerator, the corner of a pantry and the inside of a linen cupboard. Those are the things to do first, even if it feels backwards.
The things that stay accessible forever — counters, floors, visible surfaces — can wait until the end, because you can do them any Saturday for the rest of your tenancy.
Everything below is in that order.
Do these while it is empty
Tier one: you will not get a clear run at these again.
Storage interiors
- Inside every kitchen cabinet and drawer
- Pantry shelves, walls and floor
- Under-sink cabinets, kitchen and bathrooms
- Bathroom vanity interiors and medicine cabinets
- Every closet: shelf, rail and floor
- Linen and hall cupboards
- Laundry room shelving
Appliances
- Inside the oven, racks and door glass
- Inside the refrigerator, shelves and drawers
- Behind and under the refrigerator
- Dishwasher interior, filter and seal
- Microwave inside and out
- Washer drum and dryer lint housing
- Vent hood and filter
Behind and under
- Behind the washer and dryer
- Under and behind the range where it moves
- Corners where furniture will sit permanently
- Floor in wardrobes and built-in storage
- Behind bathroom doors
Then the rest
Tier two: still much easier empty, but not a one-time opportunity.
High and edge surfaces
- Ceiling fan blades and light fixtures
- Air return and vent covers
- Door frame tops and door faces
- Baseboards along their full length
- Window sills, frames and tracks
- Cobwebs in corners
Wet areas
- Toilets inside, outside, base and behind
- Tubs, showers, tile and grout
- Hard water from glass and chrome
- Sinks, counters and taps
- Mirrors and exhaust fan covers
Surfaces and floors
- Counters and backsplash
- Light switch plates and outlet covers
- Interior glass and door panes
- Hard floors mopped, edges detailed
- Carpet vacuumed including perimeters
- Stairs, treads and risers
A few things worth doing that are not cleaning
While you have an empty property and the time, these are the jobs that are trivially easy now and irritating later.
- Change the HVAC filter. You do not know when it was last done and it affects every room.
- Note where the water shut-off, breaker panel and gas shut-off are, before anything is stacked in front of them.
- Test every outlet and light switch, and note what does not work.
- Photograph every room empty and clean. It is your baseline if condition is ever disputed.
- Check that the previous occupant did not leave anything in the attic, garage rafters or under the stairs.
- If you are renting, complete the inventory or condition report now rather than in week three.
Is it a new build?
If the property has just been built or remodeled, this is the wrong checklist. Construction dust keeps settling for days after the trades leave, gets into tracks and vents, and needs multiple passes rather than one thorough one. Book post-construction cleaning instead — a single pass on a just-finished house means booking a second one a week later.
Move-in checklist questions
- The seller said it was professionally cleaned. Do I still need to?
Usually, and not because anyone lied. A move-out clean happens for the departing party, and it typically happens before the last of the moving process has finished depositing dust. It is also your only chance at the cabinet interiors before they are full.
- How long do I have?
From the moment you get keys until the truck arrives. Even a single day is enough for the tier-one list, which is the part that matters.
- What if I have already moved in?
Then the tier-one items become a deep clean rather than a move-in clean, and cabinet interiors realistically get done a shelf at a time when you next reorganize. It is not a disaster, just less convenient.
- Should I clean before or after painting?
After. Paint produces dust from sanding and drips from cutting in. Cleaning first means cleaning twice.
- Is this the same as a deep clean?
No. A deep clean is scoped for a furnished, occupied home and does not include cabinet, closet and appliance interiors as standard, because in an occupied home they are full.
Next step
Book a move-in clean
Tell us when you get keys and when the movers arrive, and we will fit the visit into the gap.
Book online in a few minutes, or call (972) 440-4421 — texting works too, if that’s easier.