One way I best settle into a house after a move is by scrubbing it clean from head to toe. It's like a handshake with your new home...
The time it takes to deep clean when you move in is significant. It can be almost meditative, a chance to "get to know" the home. Close contact with every surface familiarizes you with the feel and temperament of each material throughout the house. Slowly, you begin to feel a greater sense of ownership in your new place.
On my recent move, I found myself eager to start this process of "getting to know" my new home. First stop: the cabinet door pictured up top. The streaks on the door were driving me nuts. Even though this door is far from priority number one, I set aside some time and cleaned it up this morning. Now, I know how to best clean the surface and the door is a little bit more of a familiar friend. Look for more very tiny steps toward making my new house into a home in the days and weeks to come.
Image: Regina Yunghans / Apartment Therapy
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Comments (9)
I don't know, I'd rather have a cleaning person get intimate with other people's grime :-).
I've always deep-cleaned every place- including shampooing carpet. My mom came to shampoo carpet in my first apartment & I was appalled at how filthy the supposedly clean apt. was!!!
Forget getting to know your new home... I just can't imagine moving my stuff into someone else's grime! ick!
I am looking forward to reading about your progress.
Love your reflection in the door. Looks like ghostly art.
I couldn't agree more! My first priority in any new place is a multi-day thorough cleaning - on my hands and knees with a toothbrush, razor blade and cleaner! That and a new toilet seat make the place officially mine!
Cleaning your new home is only "like a handshake" in that you are dealing with a lot of dirt that you probably at first didn't realize was there. And don't rub your eyes or nose afterward either...
Oh yeah. New toilet seat is absolutely top priority.
Scrubbing head to toe is a MUST! If I didn't do the scrubbing myself then I would feel grossed out touching anything.
YES. This is the number one thing I have to do to feel comfortable in a new place. I don't feel good about moving in all my things until it has been thoroughly cleaned BY ME so I know it's been done right. Except this dorm room I had that was absolutely spotless upon move in... but boy, was I in for a shock when the room I got next year was covered in pubes and there was dried vomit in the carpet.
undercover- I know what you mean about the dorms. I stayed in the same room once and the next year it was infested with roaches. I mean like BAD. I had to get a fogger. the year before I only had seen 2 roaches.
When moving into a new place the entire bathroom is scrubbed floor to ceiling.