Guest Post - Prep Your Home for a Handover: A Pre-Move Cleaning Checklist

Moving into a new home can be so exciting and fun. Relocating can mean better opportunities, change (the right kind), and a fresh start. As such, when you’ve found the perfect place, almost all your thoughts will be about it.

Before you move on, however, think about your old home and the responsibilities you still have to take care of it. Whether you’re renting or owned your former abode, it still needs to be left in near pristine condition. After all, it will be a “new” home, signaling a fresh start, for some other lucky person.

Below is a cleaning checklist for your old house before moving to the new one.

Exit Cleaning Checklist

If you were renting your old place, exit cleaning is important to get your full deposit or bond back. The landlord or caretaker of your former home will inspect every nook and cranny to see of the place to see if it is still presentable for new renters.

On the other hand, if you’re selling your house, cleaning is essential to attract potential buyers. Most people looking to purchase real estate don’t want a messy place from the outset.

When it comes to cleaning, work through every section of the house. Start with rooms that are the hardest to clean, and make your way to the easier parts of the home. Follow the checklist below as you are cleaning:

1. Kitchen

a. Appliances

Sometimes appliances are included with the lease of a place. Whether they were there before you came or were purchased by you, make sure the ones left behind are clean. Below are some of the kitchen appliances people usually don’t bring with them during a move.

Stove - Scrub the exhaust fan and hood. Use the self-cleaning option if it is available.

Microwave - Don’t forget to clean behind and underneath it. Make sure the inside is scrubbed clean as well.

Fridge - Scrub all the layers, dividers and compartments, and get rid of any accumulated ice in the freezer (if any).

b. Cabinets and Countertops

Open the cabinet doors and let them air out a bit, especially the ones on the bottom level where trash cans are usually kept. Then scrub every inch inside of them. Don’t forget to clean the exterior of the cabinet doors and to throw out any liners you used during your stay.

For countertops, start with the area surrounding the stove as it is usually the hardest to clean. Work your way to the sink and use cleaning solutions to polish it.

c. Floor

Most kitchen floors are tiled. Start by scrubbing them with specialized cleaning products. Try to clean the grout between each tile as much as possible. Wipe everything down with a mop and let it air dry.

2. Bathroom

a. Toilet

Most people focus on cleaning the inside of the toilet, but they should also scrub the outside of the bowl, the tank, and the base. If the seat needs replacing, do your landlord or the next renter a favor and buy a new one. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to install.

b. Bathroom Sink — Similar to the kitchen sink, scrub it clean using products to make it bright and shiny.

c. Shower Area

Don’t forget to clean the walls of the shower and floor.

Pick up any stray hair that might be sitting near the drain.

Use a vinegar solution to clean the shower head and make sure the water flows properly.

d. Floor — Follow the same cleaning procedure as the kitchen floor.

3. Living Room

a. Furniture

Typically, people bring all their furniture with them during a move. However, sometimes people leave a couple of pieces behind. If you are thinking of doing the same, make sure it is clean. Use a vacuum to clear furniture of any pet hair if you own one and let the pillows air outside.

b. Walls and Ceiling

Take out any screws, nails, or other items you used to hang pictures and other decorations on the walls. If you can, cover them up.

Get rid of any cobwebs in the corners. (Bonus Tip: If you are selling the place and can spare the change, paint the walls white.)

Dust any ceiling fixtures and make sure they are working.

c. Floor

Use specialized cleaning products on the floor. Depending on the type you have, dust, sweep, and vacuum the area.

4. Bedrooms

a. Floors — Follow the same procedure mentioned for the floor in the living room section.

b. Walls and Ceilings — Refer to the cleaning instructions for the walls and ceiling in the living room.

5. Garage

Take out all the stored items in the garage. Scrub the walls and floor clean.

6. Yard

Uproot any weeds in the yard. Try to make it look presentable by mowing the grass and raking up leaves.

7. Patio

Wipe down any patio furniture you may be leaving behind. Scrub the deck if it is an outdoor patio. If it is indoor, clean it the same way you would the bedroom.

Time to Start Afresh

Think about the new renters or owner of your former home and how happy they would be in a beautiful, spotless place. Refer to the checklist above to make sure that the entire house is ready for its new owners.

If cleaning your old place is too much of a hassle, consider hiring professional cleaners to do it for you. After all, no one would want to leave an old home knowing they’ve left behind a mess.

Your new place would have (hopefully) been cleaned by someone, too.

As for you, it’s now time to move on and begin a new life in your new home.

AUTHOR BIO
Craig Jones is the Managing Director at Aussiemove, Australia’s largest independent moving alliance. With 23 years of experience at Aussiemove, he has the skills and the highly trained team to move families safely and reliably, in Adelaide, across Australia and around the world.

Guest Post - How to Properly Organize a Living Space for Older Adults with Special Needs

A space where people dwell can be so simple. All you need is a few well-functioning elements – a chair, a table, bed, stove, shower, sink and a toilet – and one can easily survive if need be. However, survival is not what life's about. A living space that one considers home is a whole other matter. For an elderly person that has experienced a life-changing disability, this is a matter that can determine whether they will be depressed or content, so the design of such a place needs to be taken seriously. With that in mind, here's how to properly organize a living space for older adults with special needs.

A matter of decluttering

A cluttered space is a hazard for disabled elders. You should determine where the senior prefers to spend most of their time and see to it that there are enough drawers and cabinets around to keep the minutia properly stored. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the disabled person – they need to be able to move through the room with the help of a wheelchair or a walker. This means that the arrangement should be economic in such a way to leave enough room between the pieces of furniture for readjustment. De-cluttering simply lowers the risk of injury.

Furniture – less is more

While we are on the topic of injury, stuffing the living space with an arrangement of smaller furniture is begging for a visit to the doctor’s office. Instead, fill up the space with fewer furniture elements and keep them large. Of course, you should ensure that the furniture which is placed in the room does not have any jagged edges.

Natural light makes all the difference

Due to biological senescence, most elderly adults tend to “retire” into their shadowy dwellings and settle with solitary existence. Suffice to say, this impacts their mood immensely, especially if they are not exposed to enough natural light. Getting enough vitamin D is particularly important for disabled seniors and well-lit rooms can look vibrant without excessive over-design.

If you are looking for inspiration, you should check out Mark Moran Vaucluse aged care facilities, which offer some stellar examples of thoughtfully organized living spaces for seniors – such as layouts that are designed to capture maximum natural light and quaint vistas. Remember – the abundance of natural light is the cornerstone of a well-designed and well-organized living space. In fact, it is a “hack” that does a lot of beautifying for you.

A space for guests?

If an elderly disabled person is in good spirits, they’ll almost certainly yearn to cultivate their social life. It is therefore perfectly reasonable to ask yourself: Should the disabled senior have means to entertain in their own living space? If they live in a community or a communal establishment, it is much easier to answer this question – they can simply rely on several reception areas. However, if it’s a smaller, more tightly arranged living space, like a one-bedroom apartment in Chicago for example, – in a private environment or a smaller aged care facility, the answer should still be no. Day-to-day safety takes a priority.

Storage solutions

A well-organized, large storage space that covers an entire wall in a living space is something that can pretty much solve all the issues. Storage solutions can be divided into several areas based on their function. For example, eight smaller drawers can be reserved for keepsakes and paraphernalia. It is simply smarter to remove them off usable surfaces.

The following eight to twelve drawers can be reserved for books that are of particular interest to the elderly. At least several drawers should always be kept empty, just in case something needs to be stored away quickly. Another upside of this is that the dust doesn’t need to be swiped regularly off stored items, and cleaning other surfaces around the room becomes much brisker.

In the end, it does not really matter if the disabled elder lives at home or in a commercial building. The only thing that is truly important is whether their needs are met and if they feel comfortable enough in the organized surrounding. While modified elements that may assist the disabled person in moving around the place are obligatory, one should do their best to design and arrange the dwelling in such a way that it doesn’t look like a spruced-up medical facility. A few heartfelt details here and there can make all the difference in the world.

Lillian Connors can’t resist the urge to embark on a myriad of green living/home improvement projects and spread the word about them. She cherishes the notion that sustainable housing and gardening will not only make us far less dependent on others regarding the dwellings we inhabit, but also contribute to our planet being a better place to live on. You can check her out on Twitter.

The Teenage Room Dilemma

It’s challenging to organize your house when you have teenagers. Your priorities and theirs are different. You know you have been a good role model, you put your dishes in the dishwasher and empty it when the dishes are clean, your clothes are not lying on your bedroom floor, your bathroom towels are hung on rods or hooks, and your car keys are always in the same place. Why does your teenager not have the same thought process?

One of the most frustrating areas for parents is your teenagers bedroom. Usually you shut the door and do not look inside. At the holiday time you get a call that your relatives are coming for a visit. Oh no! Maybe you need your teenagers room for the bed, or maybe you just want it to look put together during the visit. Either way here are a few tips which may help you and your teen organize their living space.

Dirty clothes

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Make sure you have a laundry hamper and trash can in the room. The laundry hamper should have a large opening without a top to encourage your teenager to toss their dirty clothes in it. They make hampers in many colors to match the room. Here is an example:

Clothes on the floor

Goodbye wire and plastic hangers. Replace them with Huggable hangers. Huggable hangers have a velvety finish so clothes do not slide off. This will keep their clothes hanging and not on the bottom of the closet floor.

Wet towels

Hooks are your friend. When kids share a bathroom there is never enough room for wet towels. Try putting a hook behind their bedroom door. Encourage your teenager to hang wet towels on the hooks to dry. Hooks are also great to hang handbags, jewelry, caps, belts, etc…

Papers/Keepsakes

Clear plastic under bed storage bins are great for papers and keepsakes. If your student knows they have a place to put their papers they will not leave them in piles all over the floor. At the end of every school year, they can review and discard what is no longer necessary. Papers that are important to keep can be kept in a remote location to free up the bin for the new school year.

Most important, as hard as it can be try to be patient. Explain your expectations without getting upset. You may suggest putting on music and a timer for 20 minutes once a week.

Music makes everything more fun, even if it is not music you like listening too! If your teenager knows that once the timer goes off they are done, it may make the clean-up easier.

Guest Post - How to Organize Your Bathroom

Morning person or not, having a well-organized bathroom can help ease any stress you’re experiencing. You can start your day right and get to work on time without having to rush out of the door every morning.

No matter how small, a bathroom is where most of us unwind after a long day’s work. Having a clutter-free space makes life so much easier. After an exhausting day at work, you can light some candles, open a bottle of wine, and run a nice hot bath.

Who wouldn’t want a calming space all to themselves?

If you need a little help with organizing your bathroom, you can follow these tips, and create your stress-free sanctuary.

Quick Tips for Organizing Your Bathroom

The bathroom is often the smallest room in the house. Compared to much larger rooms, it will be easier to organize. And when you’ve done so, it will be easier for you to clean.

Here’s how you can start organizing your bathroom:

Declutter: Take a good look at your bathroom. Find items that you don’t actually want or use, and dump them in the bin. The makeup products you’ve never opened and perfumes you never liked, you can give them all to charity.

Clear out the counter: Remove all unnecessary items from the counters. You can leave a few products that you actually use and bundle them together. Whether you use a tray or a wicker basket, your items should only take up a third of the space in your counter. This makes it easier for you when you’re getting ready.

Add organizers for extra storage space: Hang extra shelves on the walls. Add a few cabinets. You can gain so much storage space by using these organizers. These items can make your bathroom clutter-free and stylish at the same time.

Add a laundry bin: Place a laundry bin for your wet and dirty towels. This way, you won’t have to worry about towels on your bathroom floor. Also, it will make your laundry routine so much easier and quicker.

Use clear acrylic containers: You can easily find what you’re looking for when you store items in clear containers. The great thing about its design is that it’s versatile. No matter what theme you have going on, these will surely blend right in.

Label your drawers: Make it even easier for your family to find the items they need by adding labels on your drawers. Everyone’s morning routines can run smoothly with these labels in place. More importantly, labels make it easier for the family to maintain a well-organized space.

7 Bathroom Organizers

Having enough storage space is important for any bathroom. From modern ladder shelves to rolled-up towel racks, these are the most functional and fashionable ways to keep your bathroom organized.

Over-the-Toilet Shelves

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Don’t have enough space for traditional cabinetry? No worries. You can add modern ladder shelves over the toilet to make the most out of the space you have. Depending on your shelf, you might be able to place a few rolls of toilet paper, towels, or a plant or two.

Corner Shelves

Whatever layout your bathroom has, corner shelves can fit perfectly in your space. You can store extra rolls of toilet paper on these shelves, and even a few plants and candles.

Cost: $27.99, wayfair.com

Rolled-Up Towel Racks

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Make your bathroom clutter-free by adding rolled-up towel racks. Whenever you decide to switch up your décor, you can always transfer this to your kitchen. Your wine bottles can fit perfectly in the towel holders!

Functional Wall Décor

Consider getting a functional wall décor if your bathroom has enough space for it. It can hold your candles, bottles, toilet paper rolls, and potted plants, all while looking stylish.

Cost: $29.40, etsy.com

Drawer Dividers

Use drawer dividers to keep all your things in place and prevent them from moving around. Your morning routine can run smoother, and you can make cleaning a whole lot easier.

Cost: $16.99, ikea.com

Mason Jar Units

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If there isn’t enough space in your drawers for your makeup brushes or your cotton balls, store them in mason jars. You can do a DIY project, or purchase one from Amazon.

Wicker Baskets

Do you have jute baskets that don’t fit in any of your cabinets? Well, place them on your walls! You can hang two baskets right above your toilet for easier access to those toilet paper rolls.

Cost: $9.99, ikea.com

How to Organize the Shower and Bathtub

Showers and bathtubs aren’t always the easiest areas to organize, especially if you live in an old house that’s yet to be modernized. That’s because a lot of these tubs and shower spaces weren’t built with storage in mind.

As mentioned, you can always use organizers to add extra storage space. You can use corner shelves to keep essentials such as shampoo, conditioner, and soap within reach.

How to Organize the Sink and Countertops

To keep the counter organized, you can place items closest to where they are used. For instance, hand soap should be next to the sink for easier access. You can place your items in a tray to keep everything neat. If you need more space, you can have mason jar units on your walls.

Author Bio: Nicole Andrews is the marketing manager for euromarble.com in Sydney, Australia. With a background in interior design, she enjoys writing about the latest industry trends. In her spare time, she walks her dog Rusco down at Bondi Beach.