Move-Out and Move-In Cleaning Checklist for Middle Tennessee Homes

A move is stressful enough without wondering whether the house will be ready for the next person, or whether the place you're moving into was cleaned before your boxes show up. A move-in or move-out clean takes a lot off the list, and a little preparation helps it go well. Here's a checklist for homes in McMinnville, Murfreesboro, Franklin, and the rest of Middle Tennessee.

What a move-in or move-out clean covers

Clean Space's move-in and move-out cleaning starts with thorough top-to-bottom dusting, then the floors are vacuumed or swept and mopped. Light switch plates are cleaned and sanitized, patios, porches, and balconies are swept, and the garbage goes into the outdoor bin.

In the bathrooms, mirrors, countertops, sinks, tubs, showers, and toilets are cleaned, and faucets and fixtures are shined. In the kitchen, countertops and sinks are cleaned and disinfected and the faucets are shined. What sets a move clean apart from an everyday clean is the insides: cabinets and drawers are cleaned inside and out in both rooms, and so are the major appliances, including the stove and oven, fridge and freezer, microwave, and the dishwasher door. Interior window cleaning, wall cleaning, and Top-to-Bottom Detail are available as add-ons.

Before the cleaners arrive

• Keep the utilities on. A home with no running utilities can take extra time and labor and may affect the final price, so wait to cancel water and power until after the clean.
• Empty the cabinets and drawers. Nobody can wash the inside of a cabinet around your spices and glassware, so clear them out first.
• Clear the fridge, freezer, and pantry. Toss what's left, and take the trash out of the house.
• Take everything that's leaving with you. Hangers, half-used cleaning bottles, and the odds and ends in the garage all need to be gone or boxed up.
• Pull large furniture and appliances forward if you can. Clean Space doesn't move furniture or large appliances, so the spaces behind and under them are hard to reach.

Clean Space also can't take on biohazards, mold remediation, or hoarding conditions. If your home has any of those, say so when you ask for the quote so nobody is surprised on the day.

One more tip: take photos of the empty rooms before you hand over the keys. They're useful for a landlord's move-out inspection or for your own records, and they cost you a minute. If you're moving out of a rental, check your lease for cleaning requirements ahead of time so you know what the landlord expects to see.

Getting the cleaners inside

You don't have to be home. Clean Space works on a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule, and access can be a hidden key, a lockbox, or a garage code. Pick whichever suits the property and share the details when you book. If you want to be there for a final walk-through, that's an option too, and you can reach the team by phone if a question comes up.

For a vacant house between a closing and a move-in, a lockbox or code is usually the easiest route because nobody has to coordinate who holds which key.

Why the insides matter to the next person

Most people judge a house by the surfaces they can see, then they open a drawer. Someone else's crumbs in a silverware tray, a sticky shelf in the pantry, or a grimy fridge drawer is what the next occupant remembers on day one. For sellers, it helps too: buyers open cabinets during showings and final walk-throughs, and a clean kitchen tells them the house was looked after.

If you're the one moving in, a clean start means you unpack onto shelves you didn't have to wipe, and you can put groceries in the fridge the same day instead of scrubbing first.

If your closing date moves

Closing dates slide. An inspection runs long, a lender needs another day, or a moving truck gets delayed. Clean Space's policy is that any cancellation made less than 48 hours before the scheduled service incurs a $60 cancellation fee. So the moment you suspect your date will change, call or text 615-437-2477 and reschedule. Doing it with more than 48 hours to spare keeps the fee off the table.

A good habit is to book the clean for after your movers finish and before the new owners or renters arrive, then confirm with Clean Space a couple of days ahead so everyone is working from the same date.

Planning a move in Middle Tennessee? Call or text Clean Space at 615-437-2477, or use the quote form, to get a free quote for your move-in or move-out clean.