You finally found that perfect new place and can’t wait to move in, but there’s a few things you should do before you even think about moving a box.  We’ve found that in the chaos of moving, the things that you have every best intention to do get overlooked in favor of unpacking instead and sometimes never actually get completed.  (Raise your hand if you still have white walls.)

Before you move-in, ask your property manager about the possibility of gaining access to your new place a day or two in advance of when your lease starts to take care of a few things.  If you’re not moving personal belongings in, they may be ok with allowing this and not charging you rent for these days.  You can also ask to see if they have vendors that can handle the list below for you prior to your move-in as well.  If they want to charge you rent for these days, it may be worth it to gain access to your new place the day before and knock this list out before you’re wrapped up in moving companies and unpacking. Here’s our top picks for things you should do before you move into a new place:

1.  paint 

The best way to make your new apartment feel like home is to add some of your personality and color to the walls.  And it is so much easier to to do this when you’re not maneuvering around furniture and boxes or can’t find all of the supplies you need.  We recommend painting just one accent wall per room to inject some color and flair into the space, while also making it easier on you when it comes time to move out in case you’ll need to paint it back.

Check out Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2014: Radiant Orchid, for some color inspiration.

TIP:  Before painting, check with your property manager first to make sure that they allow this type of alteration.  If they do, get their permission in writing and ask about your obligations when it comes time to move out.

2.  change out the toilet seat 

Hopefully, your new landlord does this as a standard part of their turnover.  If not, go ahead and splurge on $20 worth of a new toilet seat for peace of mind. Changing it out is inexpensive and easy to do and you’ll feel a whole lot better too.  Just make sure you purchase the right size and shape so you’re sittin’ pretty on your first night in your new place.

3.  exterminate 

Your new landlord probably has a service that sprays around the exterior of the property for the most common types of pests, so see if they can also do the interior of your apartment before you move in simply as a preventative measure.   Pests are common and exist everywhere, so why not have the place fumigated before you move in?  It will take care of common pests like ants, roaches, fleas, and silverfish.  Ask your property manager if they have a vendor that they already use and see if they’ll cover this cost – it may already be included as part of their monthly fee.

4.  clean 

Even though your landlord will have your new place cleaned before you move in, you may want to do a deep cleaning of your own.  A second set of eyes is great because often times you’ll see things that their cleaning company didn’t or the apartment may have become dusty if they cleaned it too far in advance.  Bring a bucket of supplies to power clean your apartment a day or two before you move in to make sure that everything is sparkling when you start to unpack.

5.  add shelf liners 

After cleaning and before you start to unpack and put away all of your dishes, line the cabinets and drawers with a non-adhesive shelf liner to keep things super clean.  Check out our pick from The Container Store that’s 100% recyclable.  We recommend not using the adhesive kind of shelf liners so that they’re easy to remove when you move out.

You can also line your linen closet and bathroom cabinets with these cool scented shelf and drawer liners to keep things smelling fresh.  Steer clear of using them in the kitchen though to make sure that your wine glasses don’t taste like lavender.

What are the top things you do before you move into a new place?  Let us know in the comments below.

photos: decor pad, the modern cottage company, like cool, organic soul, martha stewart