So as I tweeted earlier, we’ve finally been approved for an apartment. It’s not a glamorous space by any stretch of the imagination but we decided to sacrifice prewar perfection for affordability and location and hopefully we can make it beautiful. We’ll pick up the keys in a matter of hours and hope to move in Friday so my mind is racing with to-dos. I need input–how do *you* prepare a place before you move in?
Keeping in mind New York City’s relentless onslaught of vermin and grime, here are my ideas so far:
–Sweep, mop, Swiffer, scrub and disinfect everything
–Seal all gaps and cracks in the baseboards to prevent the entry of insects
–Dust all cracks that can’t be sealed with a mixture of diatomaceous earth (to kill any bedbugs), boric acid (to kill roaches) and red pepper (to repel ants). I’ve never had to deal with major infestation and live in fear of it.
–Pour boiling hot water and white vinegar down the drains to clear any built-up sludge
–Polish the floors
–Measure all of the rooms and windows to plan furniture layout (yay!)
–Measure the elevators and doors to ensure that furniture will actually make it in the building
What am I forgeting?
Thanks for linking to bedbugger’s FAQ on diatomaceous earth. I am now following you on Twitter– I love the premise of your blog. Good luck in your new digs!
Thank *you*. The information on Bedbugger is a real public service, especially since NYC doesn’t have a comprehensive plan for dealing with the bedbug epidemic. We’ll follow each other.
You have a pretty good list going there, I don’t have a lot to add except take plenty of water and some snacks along when u go to clean up ur new place.
Good luck with ur new digs.