Moving to a new house is stressful enough without bringing cleaning into the mix, but it's a simple fact that cleaning after moving out and performing move in house cleaning can help you get settled into your new home - and your new routine - much faster. Here's some top tops on cleaning a house, both before moving in or moving out.

Before Moving In

Even if your new home looked spotless when you first viewed it, it's always a good idea to scrub your new home before your items arrive - instead of trying to clean around boxes and furniture, you'll be able to give every room a deep clean without anything getting in the way. Do one room at a time so that you don't get overwhelmed.

• The kitchen: Dust and wipe down any surfaces. Deep clean the oven, running a specific cleaning cycle if it's available. Be sure to scrub any grill grates as well as the filters for the extractor fan. Defrost the refrigerator and freezer if this hasn't been done already, and wash the shelves. Mop the floors and let them dry.
• Living and dining rooms: Steam clean or vacuum the carpets, if there are any, and clean any curtains that may have been left behind by the previous owners.
• Bedrooms: Clean the carpets, and then dust and wipe down any surfaces, from windowsills to built-in shelving, closets and storage units
• Bathrooms: Mop the floors and let them dry, then bleach the toilet and bathtub. Check the grout between any tiles and clean it if it looks dirty. Wipe down surfaces with anti-bacterial cleaner.

Move in house cleaning can help you get settled into your new home faster. You'll be able to fully focus on unpacking knowing that you've gone over every inch of your house and ensured that it is sparkling! You can also hire a moving in cleaning service to do the hard work for you - and if you've hired a removal company, this means that you'll hardly need to lift a finger as you seamlessly move from one house to another.

Before Moving Out

Just as you'd like to move into a spotless new house, so do the tenants who will be moving into your old home. No one wants to arrive to find someone else's mess! Whether you rent or own your home, doing a thorough clean before you leave will be appreciated. Here's how to get started:

• Don't leave it to the last minute: You wouldn't start packing up your house the night before you move, so why wait to start cleaning? As you're starting to organize rooms in the house, clean them as well. By the time move-out day arrives, you'll have done most of the hard work.
• Go room by room: Start with one room at a time and don't overwork yourself. By focusing on a single space, you can make sure it's absolutely spotless before you move onto the next one.
• Air out the house: Your house might look clean, but it's also accumulated months and years of cooking smells, odors from living with pets (are you moving house with cats or dogs?), and other scents that you no longer notice. As you're cleaning rooms, open the windows and give everything a thorough airing.

Cleaning after moving out, but before you hand in the keys, is also a good idea - again, each room will be completely empty, so you can give everything a thorough scrubbing and ensure that you leave your old house tidier than you found it!

Consider Bringing in Professional Help

A moving in cleaning service is a great option for busy families who need to focus on other aspects of moving, from packing to redirecting post and bills. Professional moving cleaners will be able to go through every inch of the home, cleaning skirting boards, mopping floors, steam cleaning carpets, and ensuring that your house is move-in ready before you even arrive. This service can be a huge weight off your shoulders, so it's worth considering.

You have plenty of things to be doing as you move; don't forget to factor cleaning into your plans!