Moving to New Lenox, IL? Here Is Your First Week Home Checklist

Moving is two jobs at once. You are closing down one house and opening another, usually in the same 48 hours, usually while working. The families I clean for in New Lenox all say the same thing afterward: they wish they had done the cleaning before the furniture went in, not after.

This checklist is written in the order that saves the most work.

Before the truck arrives

If you have the keys even a day early, use that day. An empty house is the easiest house you will ever clean, and it is the only time you will see every closet shelf and cabinet interior at once.

• Walk every room and note what is dirty, damaged, or missing
• Check that the water, power, and heat are on before cleaning day
• Find the water shutoff, the breaker panel, and the furnace filter slot
• Test every smoke and carbon monoxide detector, replace batteries now while ladders are easy to move
• Change the locks or have them rekeyed
• Take photos of every room while it is empty, they are useful later for insurance and for disputes with the seller or landlord

Why you clean an empty house first

Cleaning around furniture takes roughly twice as long and misses about a third of what needs cleaning. In an empty house you can:

• Wipe every cabinet and drawer inside before dishes and clothes go in
• Clean the inside of the fridge and oven without working around food
• Reach every closet shelf and rod
• Clean baseboards, corners, and floor edges with nothing in the way
• Wash windows and window tracks from both sides of a room
• Mop every square foot instead of the parts you can see

It is also the last time the house will be truly empty until you move out again. If you plan to hire out one cleaning all year, this is the one worth paying for. See move in cleaning.

The kitchen comes first

You will use the kitchen within hours of moving in, so it gets cleaned first and fully.

• Wipe inside every cabinet and drawer, top shelf down, then dry them
• Vacuum crumbs from drawer corners before you wipe, do not just push them around
• Clean the inside of the refrigerator, including the drawers and the door seals
• Clean inside the oven, the racks, and the microwave
• Wipe the range hood and the filter
• Scrub the sink and the drain, then shine the faucet dry
• Wipe the tops of cabinets, where grease and dust collect from the last owners
• Run the dishwasher empty with a cleaner to clear anything left behind
• Mop, then leave it alone until the movers are done

Line the shelves if you plan to, before anything goes in. Doing it later means taking everything out again.

Bathrooms, closets, and floors

Bathrooms

• Scrub the tub, shower, and any glass doors
• Clean and sanitize the toilet inside and out, including the base and the bolts
• Wipe inside the vanity and the medicine cabinet
• Clean the exhaust fan cover, it is almost always full of dust
• Replace the toilet seats, most people do, and it takes ten minutes
• Mop and wipe the floor edges by hand

Closets and storage

• Wipe shelves and rods, they are dustier than they look
• Vacuum closet floors and corners
• Check for anything left behind, including in the attic hatch and the crawl space

Floors

Do floors last, and do them the day before or the morning of the move. Vacuum everything including edges, then damp mop hard floors. If carpets are being shampooed, book that before your furniture arrives, not after.

Utilities and services to set up

Start these two weeks before the move if you can, because some need a few business days.

Confirm details with the village and the utility companies, since account rules and fees change.

Village, schools, and paperwork

• Ask the village about vehicle stickers, garbage cans, parking rules, and permits before you buy anything or start a project
• Update your driver's license and registration address at an Illinois Secretary of State facility
• Update your voter registration with Will County
• Confirm your school assignment directly with the district, boundaries do not always follow what a listing says
• Register kids for school as early as possible, bring proof of residency, birth certificates, and immunization records
• Update your address with your bank, insurance, employer, and doctors
• Find your new pharmacy, vet, and urgent care before you need them

What to unpack first, and what can wait

Day one boxes

• Toilet paper, paper towels, soap, and trash bags
• A shower curtain, towels, and toiletries
• Bedding for every bed, made up before anyone is too tired
• Coffee maker, mugs, a few plates, utensils, a pan
• Phone chargers, a lamp, and a power strip
• Basic tools, a box cutter, and lightbulbs
• Medications and anything for pets
• A first aid kit and cleaning supplies

Can wait a week

• Books, decor, and photos
• Seasonal clothes
• The garage and basement
• Anything you have not used in a year, which is your chance to donate it instead

Break down boxes as you empty them. A house full of flattened cardboard feels finished. A house full of half empty boxes does not.

Your first week, day by day

Keeping up once you are in

New houses get dirty fast during the first month. Boxes shed dust and cardboard bits, foot traffic is constant, and doors are propped open for days.

• Put a mat inside and outside every entry before the first delivery
• Vacuum entry areas every few days during the unpacking weeks
• Change the furnace filter after the move, all that dust went somewhere
• Wipe down light switches and door handles once things settle
• Set a weekly routine before habits form, it is much easier now than in six months

For the full room by room system, read my complete house cleaning guide. If the house needed more than a wipe down when you arrived, a deep clean is the faster route.

Getting to know New Lenox

A few things new neighbors usually appreciate knowing:

• The Old Plank Road Trail runs through town and connects toward Frankfort and Joliet, it is the easiest way to get outside
• The New Lenox Commons hosts village events through the year
• Silver Cross Hospital is right in town, off Route 6 near I-355
• The Metra Rock Island line serves commuters heading into the city
• Route 30, I-80, and I-355 all meet near town, which is why the roads get salted heavily in winter

That salt is the reason local floors take a beating from November through March. Mats and frequent entry mopping do most of the work.

Welcome to town. If you want a hand getting the house clean before or after the move, I live here too. See house cleaning in New Lenox or call or text me at (815) 207-0737.