moving house etiquette - to clean or not to clean?

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we're moving house on Friday, and I'll mainly be dealing with it on my own as dh is working in the afternoon and evening. We've got a 6 month old and a 28 month old (who will be at nursery for part of the day). so it might be a little hectic
Last time I moved house, I cleaned from top to bottom before we left. The place we moved into was pretty filthy so it left me wondering what most people do.
This time, it'll be a struggle to find time to clean, though it won't be hideously dirty as we'll have cleaned the floors/bathroom/kitchen as part of the normal housework. I'm trying to decide whether to get a cleaner for a couple of hours to clean the insides of cupboards and that sort of thing. Is this madness?? particularly as we aren't exactly flush?

Please clean, at least a bit.

When we moved into our flat it was disgusting. Nevermind the thick dirt and grease, we could reenact a romantic scene as we walked through the first time: room 1, condom packet; room 2, condom wrapper; room 3, used condom. I can't believe people can leave somewhere in such a state.

Obviously you're not going to do that... I guess if I didn't have time for a proper clean I'd at least make sure toilets/ sinks were done and carpets quickly hoovered.

ooh, cat now that IS an idea....

lol, Laugs you sound traumatised.. Don't worry, definitely no used condoms - it will be decently clean honest, I guess I'm just wondering if that is reasonable or if most people would do a proper Spring-clean clean..

ha, yes I think I am! I would leave a 'clean enough' house rather than a deep cleaned one if I was in your situation.

We cleaned our house (moved 2 weeks ago) and the people who moved in rang to thank us
the house we now live in is DISGUSTING! I had to clean dog hair out of the oven (honest!) millions of pubes from each toilet, more dog hair round the carpet edges, and when we took up the bathroom floor tiles I found faeces.
sadly karma didn't come into play here lol!
as already said though, I was glad I left our old house clean as I would have been mortified if new owners were telling our old neighbours how rank we were

I clean but not inside cupboards. The flat I moved into before this one had loads of those little wax earplugs on the floor where they'd obviously fallen (or been dropped) down the back of the bed. I cannot believe they left them there - was revolting

Clean so that it looks nice, but with 2 little kids to look after, don't go overboard.

Leave the toilets very clean and leave some loo roll - you go into a house, you want a wee and there's no paper!!

Leave the kitchen and bathrooms clean, don't need to be really gleaming.

If you have actual chunks of stuff in cupboards/broken biscuits, I would get that out quickly with some babywipes, but not just dust or small bits - don't bother with that.

Another vote for cleaning - when we sold, we cleaned. Turned out our buyer was the best mate of someone who one of my old friends met and then married, shortly after we moved. If we'd left it minging, word would have got around

Clean but not immaculate - hoover round, leave light bulbs and loo roll etc. Our house was vile when we moved in, we thought the kitchen floor was a totally different colour to what it turned out to be.

Many years ago pre children I cleaned our house from top to bottom and even left champagne in the fridge for the new owners -it was a curious situation as we were moving to their large town house and they ended up downsizing to our flat- so they got a shiny house and I got a house where there was dog hair inside the oven!!

Never did a thing next time just moved out and moved on !

Clean. Plus leave light bulbs, a toilet roll, takeaway menus, bottle of wine and a welcome to your new home card.

Friends of ours once moved into a house and the previous occupants had taken not just light bulbs but everything - including the shelves in the kitchen cupboards - and the pettiness of it has always horrified me.

Our flat was spotless when we moved out. We moved all our stuff out and then spent a whole day cleaning it from top to bottom. Will be interesting to see whether the owner of the house we've bought will do the same...

Having said that, even if somewhere appeared clean I would still clean it before moving in

clean. There is nothing more horrid than moving into a house where the previous owners have left it dirty.

I've always cleaned, but have only once moved into a clean place so it does make me wonder if other people do.

The house we moved into last (rented) was so disgusting that 11 months on there are still bits I shudder about. And the oven was so dirty that I haven't managed to get it properly clean.

Fistly, get someone to have the children from before the van arrives until you are ready to lock the door behind you.

Not sure how big your house is, but once the removal men start, there isn't much for you to be doing so you could clean behind them as they empty rooms. Quick wipe over cupboard shelves etc. But you won't be able to do that if you have children under your (and removal men) feet, bored, over-excited and all their stuff packed.

The person we bought from had had professional cleaners in to do the whole house from top to bottom before we moved in. Having said that, they still didn't have it spotless - the loos were badly stained and the paint on the windows had reached that permanently dirty stage.

We cleaned ourselves, and had our regular cleaner come in to do her usual three hours after the furniture came out. Didn't shampoo the carpets though, and I was embarrassed at how dirty they were.

ah well everything (ish) is packed, can't see the floor for boxes so gawd knows how dirty the carpets are . The children are on their way to sleep and I am trying to work up the enthusiasm and energy to clean the fridge and the oven. Drinking some wine out of the only available glass first though. Obviously it had to be a pint glass, takes me back to my student days!

we left our house clean enough, and the house we moved into was clean enough - no rubbish or obvious dirt, and a quick hoover and wipe down. We still cleaned our new house again straight away though.

Clean! I moved house on 20th dec 2007 with a 2 year old. I spent all morning cleaning our old house and the next fortnight scrubbing the new one.

And I have spent the last 18 months judging the previous owner for being utterly filthy.

In my last company, before I started to work for myself, we were allowed 2 days off for a house move. Are you sure your DH isn't entitled to some time off? Seems a bit much for you to do all by yourself/with 2 little ones.

Clean it. Basically you are asking if it is ok to let someone else clean your dirt?! I have always left my houses spotless. I have only ever once moved into a clean house tho. But then I always leave a bottle of champagne and card for the new people so I am super-lovely ;-)

janmoomoo I was super lovely last time, left my flat sparkly and with a bottle of champagne and flowers for the new owners - I loved the flat and wanted the people moving in to have as wonderful a time as I did there, starting from the first day.
This time they will have to clean my dirt, at least a little, but I promise you I will try to do as much as I can