7 Things You Will Probably Never Fix if You Move In First

We know your budget may be stretched thin, but taking care of these things before you move in can save you money.

After all, refinishing the floors later means moving out your things and storing them, or dealing with a lot of cleaning fees. So, think before you move in!

If you’ve just bought a new home, chances are good that your budget is tight. Or it feels that way, because you just finished looking at the numbers on your mortgage agreement, the estimate from the movers was a little higher than expected, and you also found out you won’t get a paycheck from your new employer for a whole month.

You might feel stretched thin, but there are a few things you should fix before you move in.

Remember popcorn ceilings?

Well, some houses still have them. Why? Because the previous owners moved in and figured they’d “fix them later.”

Unless you really love them (and nobody really loves them), you’ll want to remove the stucco-like covering and repair whatever’s underneath before you move in, because the process is a messy one, and it’s hard to cover up all of the other surfaces in your home to protect them.

If you absolutely can’t afford to remove the covering, at least paint over it to seal it in, since popcorn ceilings installed before 1977 may have asbestos.

Refinish those beautiful hardwood floors

Older homes can have beautiful flooring, and you’ll want to keep it in great shape.

Heavy traffic from pets, people, and the occasional tricycle can wear it down, leaving it vulnerable to more damage. Refinishing floors is a messy process, with lots of dust, and the rooms being treated can’t be ventilated, as any dust from outside could get into the new floors.

If there are any really worn spots, refinish the floors. And if you’re doing one room, you might as well do another, especially if you plan to live in the home for a long time.

Look at the outlets

Some older homes still have two-prong outlets. Before you move in, replace them all with modern, three prong outlets.

How annoyed will you be if you’ve already put your heavy dresser in place, and you manage to wedge your hand back there to plug in your laptop, only to find that your three pronged plug won’t fit? You will be very annoyed. Very annoyed indeed!

Deep clean carpets

This applies to any installed carpeting already in the home, but you might as well clean your area rugs while you’re at it. Once you put furniture on top of them, the cleaning just won’t be as effective.

Install closet shelves

So, you might actually do this after a few years, but wouldn’t it be great to just do it now?

If you have your closet redesigned before you move, it will feel so good to put your things away. Treat yourself!

Paint

This is another one you may do after some time, and it certainly isn’t as messy as removing popcorn ceilings or refinishing the floors. But it sure is a lot easier in an empty house.

Whether you do it yourself or hire a pro, you’ll be glad you painted before you moved.

Deep clean the place, top to bottom, before you move anything in

This is even more important if you’ve had floors sanded or any work that might have left dust in nooks and crannies and on surfaces.

Make sure you don’t miss spots you can’t see, like the tops of cabinets and door frames. If the house comes with appliances, pull them out and clean underneath. If you don’t have time, there are companies who do “move-in cleaning.”

It may seem daunting to add these things to your long lists of move-in tasks, but we think you’ll be glad you did!