Did you reach the end of your lease contract? Or have you just decided that you deserve a better place to move in?
In all cases, you must put the current one back in its presentable condition before leaving it. As a tenant, you have obligations to obey, including during your departure. And one of the toughest among them is the end of tenancy cleaning.
This is not a classical sanitising procedure. Your tenancy deposit refund depends on it. The newcomers’ health condition and first days in a new home depend on it.
Yet, being so deep, thorough and detailed can make the moving out cleaning quite frustrating. People get panicked and usually don’t even know where to start.
Here’s our expert tip as a beginning: start with de-cluttering.
Why is decluttering before moving important?
Tidying up and removing the unwanted (but mostly unnecessary) items are procedures you will have to perform during the end of lease cleaning. But why is it so beneficial to start with them exactly?
Here are some arguments that prove the importance of the de-cluttering as a starting point for your further deep property disinfection:
- Simplicity is beauty, and emptiness is easiness. In other words, the fewer things there are, the less stress you’ll experience during the cleaning process.
- De-cluttering is a way to get your baggage packed faster and more optimally. While you tidy up, you can sort out the things that are yours directly in the storage boxes and containers and throw away those you no longer need.
- De-cluttering leads to downsizing. And downsizing is one of the shortest tickets to a simpler, more pleasant, hassle-free lifestyle.
- Tidying up can open up some options for money-making. You don’t have to get away with the things you don’t need literally. You can sell them and use the money for something you need right now (for instance, professional end of tenancy cleaning, right?). Make a garage sale and back up your budget, which traditionally gets quite tight during removal.
- Many items you will get rid of might need to be cleaned. But if you give up on them now, you will save lots of minutes or even hours in scrubbing.
- Use de-cluttering organisations as a source for bribes to make. You know exactly what you are facing right now. It will be a long week spent scrubbing, wiping, washing, etc. Leave your doubts, concerns and shame aside and call helpers. Make them little gifts (those things you don’t need more) to say “Thank you!”.
When should you start the decluttering process?
There’s no perfect moment to start the end of tenancy cleaning. But from most people’s experience, it is as early before moving out the day as possible.
You can help yourself a lot even if you start de-cluttering right after you find a new place to move in or decide to move out. The sooner, the better! And you will thank us for this simple decluttering advice later.
How to decide what goes away during decluttering?
We believe we have convinced you that some of the things you come along with while de-cluttering should be gone. Now it’s time to establish a system according to which to make a quick decision for each item’s destiny.
Below you can find some practical hacks for this purpose.
Sort items by categories
Create a system that labels each item. Every group of things shows what will happen to them. For instance, have a container with things you cannot give up, and you’ll take them to your new home. As for the rest of the items, here are some possible categories for sorting out:
- Straight to the garbage bin;
- Donations (not needed, but still good enough and functional to be given to people who might need them);
- Gifts – similar to those for the donation group, but with sentimental value;
- Garage sale – these items should be in top condition to make sure someone will pay for them.
Don’t be sentimental, but stick to the downsizing principle
We’ve mentioned sentimentality, and it’s essential to add that being too sensitive about material things will not be a good idea for you.
Consider moving to a new home as a chance to start a new life. Every new beginning, though, is a way to come clean. So no wastes, old things that remind you of bad moments, etc., have a place in this stage of your life.
Make an inventory to eliminate the sign of chaos
During this moment of the end of tenancy cleaning and tidying up chores, it is essential not to take any landlord’s items by accident. It will be a huge disappointment for you to accomplish fantastic property disinfection and, ultimately, be accused of theft.
Also, the inventory will help you to collect your personal belongings faster. Labelling your cardboard boxes is a good way to start the entire organisation.
Room-by-room decluttering checklist
Now let’s say a few words about each premise and how it should be de-cluttered quickly, safely and efficiently. The tips below will help you save money and effort, no doubt.
Kitchen
Your kitchen may look stylish if you have Caesarstone benchtops, but it’s also full of items that need decluttering. In fact, this might be the room with the most personal belongings to take to your new home.
We recommend you have many containers to accommodate them. When you move in, it will be easier to find the cookware and prepare your first dinner on this likely fatiguing evening.
Bathroom
While collecting your hygiene and beauty products, close their lids tightly and wrap them. This is how you will save yourself the effort of spending thousands of pounds collecting all the cosmetic items you have included in your beauty routine.
Besides, at the end of the moving-in day, you will know which cardboard box has the shower gel you need for a long shower. Floors To Walls has a great range for all budgets.
Living room
Traditionally, it’s where the most valuable items are placed. Probably, here you will need some more helpers and more specific storage boxes to use for packing.
If you don’t have such, you should better turn to your local removal company for assistance to avoid serious damages and losses.
Bedroom
To tell you the truth, here’s the room where you can release yourself from the trap of being captured by many possessions. Here’s one quick, friendly reminder: fashion changes extremely fast and in a couple of months, you will not like most of your shoes, accessories and dresses.
Common areas
Have a walk across the corridor, the balcony, the garage, and the attic.
We bet there are a lot of old items here. You can make a quick purge of your life by getting rid of them. Don’t forget to have some belongings for gifts and donations.
Conclusion
All professionals in the industry will tell you that the efficient tenancy cleaning checklist starts with decluttering.
Tidy up the rooms, get rid of things you don’t need and see how little it’s left to de-clutter, wash and clean.
That will ultimately make the moving out experience much easier and stress-free.