https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 28 May 2026 22:07:21 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-move-in-tasks#post-2603268 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 12:34:45 +0000 Foodnerd81 2603268@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs D: good idea to check groupon! The painters will prep and stuff too right? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-move-in-tasks#post-2603267 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 12:33:47 +0000 IRunForFun 2603267@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are also closing on a house soon and we will probably have 2ish weeks between closing and having to be out of our apartment. There's only one room with carpet and we plan on renting a steam cleaner and cleaning that. Deep cleaning the kitchen and all appliances. We are also looking into getting the tub re-glazed (it's PINK) and apparently it smells awful with a lot of fumes so hopefully we can schedule it for before the move. I want to paint what will be the nursery, but I'm just not sure we will have time, and since it'll stay empty for a bit after the move, it's not top priority. Mostly just making sure everything is clean... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-move-in-tasks#post-2603264 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 12:27:11 +0000 Mrs D 2603264@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Here would be my list:</p> <p>-Painting whatever you can (ceilings too!!!)<br /> -Clean carpets (if applicable)<br /> -Deep Clean</p> <p>We gutted our current house so we did a ton!</p> <p>Be sure to check out groupon for painter deals and deep clean services. I'm in Detroit and we can usually get good painting deals (painter for a day...etc) and deep clean ($200 or less - about 8 hrs of two people). Since your stuff wont be there yet you dont need to freak out too much about having strangers in there.</p> <p>One thing I wish we had done better was a nice scrub of the back room in the basement...it will never be empty again to re-do that!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-move-in-tasks#post-2603261 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 12:22:08 +0000 catlady 2603261@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did nothing (no time or money), but I would have loved to:<br /> - Deep clean<br /> - Get the walls painted (we eventually repainted them all, but it took months)<br /> - Refinish the hardwoods on the first floor<br /> - Replace the upstairs carpets with hardwood </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-move-in-tasks#post-2603258 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 12:14:10 +0000 Ginabean3 2603258@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are going through this right now! We plan on getting the house fumigated (sellers gave us a credit to do so) and a major deep clean. When we moved into our current house I didn't hire out to do a deep clean because I thought I could do it myself and it was so hard and tiring. Totally outsourcing this time. Oh, and I'm giving the cleaners a very detailed list of what I expect to be done so we are all on the same page (I'm picky like....the tracks of all the sliding doors need to be cleaned, all cabinets and drawers need to be wiped down...etc) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-move-in-tasks#post-2603248 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 11:54:20 +0000 LulaBee 2603248@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had floors done (carpet out, hardwood in) upstairs, and the entire upstairs panted before we moved in.</p> <p>We had a cleaning service do a deep clean- basic stuff and also appliances, drawers, cabinets, etc. before we moved in.</p> <p>It's been 2 months and we are just now replacing the carpet with hardwoods on the stairs- doing that ourselves. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-move-in-tasks#post-2603243 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 11:42:22 +0000 Modern Daisy 2603243@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We needed to order blinds for the Windows weeks before moving so they could be installed before we moved in. I also had an alarm system installed and changed locks prior to moving. If your floors need anything it's way easier to do that before moving in too - and anything involving contractors being in the house all day would be nice to get done before you are living there and have to sit awkwardly while they work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-move-in-tasks#post-2603200 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 10:34:26 +0000 MaryM 2603200@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We replaced some really old carpet in the bedrooms, and our realtor hired cleaners for us. </p> <p>After moving in, we hired handy men to install fans/light fixtures, bars in the walkin closet, and replace a porch ceiling that was caving in </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-move-in-tasks#post-2603163 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 10:01:52 +0000 snowjewelz 2603163@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Well we gutted the whole house and re-did pretty much everything.... So we really just had to clean and move in furniture. The cleaning was brutal; we did it ourselves (and parents helped)... Construction just left the house sooo dirty/dusty, and the workers cleaned for us too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-move-in-tasks#post-2603137 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 09:29:37 +0000 MOMTOLITTLEB 2603137@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had flexibility in our move in timing- don't be jealous, we lived with my parents for 6 months after selling and before finding a new place that would work.</p> <p>We refinished the wood floors downstairs and installed brand new floors in the master bedroom. We painted our bedroom and our son's room. We cleaned the whole house. I wish we had painted more but we were anxious to move in and my husband was running out of time. We painted ourselves with family help and had the floors professionally done. One of these days our whole house will be painted! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-move-in-tasks#post-2603103 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 08:39:49 +0000 oliviaoblivia 2603103@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had seven weeks from close to move in. I was five months pregnant with a 19mo.<br /> We replaced all the electrical, repaired the subsequent damage to the plaster, installed a new kitchen and ran new plumbing. Replaced the floors on the main level and refinished the floors on the second floor. Removed two kitchens and re-drywalled. Painted everything (except the inside of closets which bugs me to this day).<br /> It was not the most fun I've ever had. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-move-in-tasks#post-2603093 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 08:24:09 +0000 gilmoregirl 2603093@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We closed on Friday and moved in on Saturday, so we didn't do anything. It was in pretty good shape though - pretty clean, maintained, etc. </p> <p>Steam cleaning carpets would be a good idea and any other deep cleaning necessary. </p> <p>We've been reprinting as we decide on colors and though I definitely understand why people paint before moving in - clearing rooms out is a PITA - I'm really glad we waited so we could figure out what we want and how we use the house before making big decisions. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-move-in-tasks#post-2603083 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 07:57:40 +0000 cascademom 2603083@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had a dual closing day where we sold our condo and moved to our new house the same day. Since we moved on a Friday, we had painters come on Saturday and paint the house. To make this happen, my husband got a rental car and stayed at the new house. I went to my parents' house with the baby. Big brother was already there a few days earlier. I solo'ed with the kids at my parents while my husband stayed at the house, had it painted, and did some other early things. With both of us working when we moved in, our fixes were during work from home days, etc. He became unemployed a few months after we moved, so over time, he's done a lot of fixes during the day. Just recently, he put up blinds in the other downstairs rooms. He'll put in a new light fixture soon. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-move-in-tasks#post-2603077 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 07:45:22 +0000 looch 2603077@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: I wouldn't consider any of what we did major renovations, to me, that's gutting a kitchen or bathroom, removing walls. We haven't done any of that, nor do we plan to. As for the decorating, it's still ongoing, we didn't have furniture for all the rooms when we moved in.</p> <p>The electrical was my "thing," I can't stand bedrooms that don't have overhead lighting! Once we started replacing fixtures, my dad was having a panic attack at the state of the wiring and promptly fixed all the outlets and fixtures. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-move-in-tasks#post-2603075 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 07:44:27 +0000 Chillybear 2603075@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We signed on wed and moved in on sat.... in that time, we painted my daughters room/closet. cleaned the kitchen, washed windows, vacuumed the rooms where large furniture was going- didnt worry so much about the high traffic areas since we would have movers walking through. Cleaned bathrooms and labeled rooms so movers knew where to put things. We also scheduled our cable/internet install. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-move-in-tasks#post-2603073 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 07:38:59 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2603073@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If nothing else deep clean the kitchen and the bathrooms! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-move-in-tasks#post-2603071 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 07:35:53 +0000 Foodnerd81 2603071@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Banana330: we do eventually want new floors (hardwood instead of carpet) but it's not in the cards pre move in. Probably next year. I'm thinking steam cleaning is possible though. </p> <p>Painting- we want to repaint the whole downstairs but will redecorate the whole thing at some point. Plus there is a ton of wall paper to pull down so it's a big project! </p> <p>@looch: luckily we mostly have cosmetic stuff to do, no major renovations. It was just decorated in the 90s and shows. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-move-in-tasks#post-2603066 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 07:29:21 +0000 Banana330 2603066@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you're wanting to do anything to floors do it before moving in! </p> <p>Definitely get someone to deep clean. I'd paint as much as you can before moving cause you'll never do it once you're in. </p> <p>Get the locks changed (rekeyed). </p> <p>Major renos (unless really urgent) are best to wait until you've lived there a year and know the space and what you want to change. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-move-in-tasks#post-2603059 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 07:22:00 +0000 avivoca 2603059@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wish we had had our carpets cleaned prior to move in. I did vacuum, but I didn't have time to get them cleaned. The previous owners basically quit cleaning as soon as they got a signed contract, so we were left with quite a mess and with just one day between them moving out and handing over keys and is moving in, there just was not time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-move-in-tasks#post-2603058 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 07:21:53 +0000 looch 2603058@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We moved into a house that hadn't been updated in about 20 years, to give you an idea of what we were dealing with.</p> <p>We did a ton, in about 6 weeks:</p> <p>1: Ran electric in the attic to install ceiling lights in the 4 bedrooms, upgraded the electrical panel to accomodate the generator, installed a deadman switch on the pool pump, replaced pool heater, ran ducts in attic to vent bathroom fans<br /> 2. Painted the entire living area, kitchens, bedrooms, baths, including all trim and some doors, included removing wallpaper in kitchen and bathroom<br /> 3. Ripped out carpeting and sanded/finished hardwoods below, sanded and stained exterior deck<br /> 4. Steam cleaned rug in playroom, painted ceiling, washed walls (I don't know why we didn't paint, but that was a mistake, lol), installed new lighting<br /> 5. Washed kitchen, including moving appliances and cleaning cabinets (this took an entire day), deep cleaned bathrooms (half day).<br /> 6. Washed windows<br /> 7. Ripped out metal railings on staircase, installed wood pillars, built up half wall on landing<br /> ------<br /> All of this took about 6 weeks, we had pros do everything except cleaning the kitchen, bath and windows. My husband and I were working full time, there was no way we could have done it ourselves in a reasonable time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pre-move-in-tasks#post-2603056 Fri, 12 Aug 2016 07:16:07 +0000 Foodnerd81 2603056@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What did you do in your new house before moving in? Cleaning, painting, major improvements (floors etc)? What did you hire out to professionals vs do yourselves?</p> <p>We won't have much turn around time between closing and moving in. I'm thinking we will paint the girls' bedrooms and maybe guest room but leave a lot of the other painting until we have lived there a while and know how we really want to decorate. And I know I want the whole house cleaned but I don't know exactly what to prioritize. I'm thinking with two kids to also take care of and no family to help watch them, it would be worth paying someone to do the deep clean for us. Wondering what I'm missing! </p>