poll: when you move in to a new-to-you house...

[thiswillbe]

When you move in to a "new-to-you" house, what do you change out? Toilet seats? Shower heads? Nothing?

[ssmjlm]

We changed the locks first thing.

Otherwise everything else was cosmetic items, lighting, door hardware, etc.

[johnohfs]

1. Locks
2. Toilet seats
3. Carpets

[emoflamingo]

Locks. I disinfect toilet seats if they look newer, which ours was because they left the plastic on it. I also replace shower curtain liner and wipe down the blinds/remove nasty curtains.

[thewop]

I have to ask...why the toilet seats? Is Lysol-ing not good enough? Giving them a good cleaning sure, but replacing? I mean, why not replace the whole toilet if you're that skeeved out by it. Not being snarky, just curious. I had never heard of replacing toilet seats upon move in until I started posting on internet forums.

[johnohfs]

Actually never replaced them myself... just an idea. more of a mental thing.. Agree there are worse things to worry about.

[adhdfashion]

Replace the locks and buy a gallon of bleach to clean.

TheWop, I also don't get why you need to change out the toilet seats? Unless they are gross or worn.

[emoflamingo]

I disinfect unless they look bad/worn. They had a gross plastic one on when we looked at the house but had replaced it as they were moving. I ended up replacing it again later on down the line because I wanted a white wooden one, but I didn't do it right away.

[ssmjlm]

Jul 16, 2012 9:42:25 GMT -5 thewop said:

I have to ask...why the toilet seats? Is Lysol-ing not good enough? Giving them a good cleaning sure, but replacing? I mean, why not replace the whole toilet if you're that skeeved out by it. Not being snarky, just curious. I had never heard of replacing toilet seats upon move in until I started posting on internet forums.

The only one we replaced was one of the padded ones, b/c they are ewww to me.

Otherwise everything just got scrubbed before we moved in.

[mrs.jacinthe]

Locks. Toilet seats. Remove any contact paper left in drawers/cabinets/closets.

Depending on the condition - paint.

FWIW, I change the toilet seats because I am weird. I also pretty much refuse to use a public bathroom. Like, next-to-never or in desperation situations only. I prefer to know whose butt has sat on the toilet seat, although if I'm honest, I know that it really doesn't make a difference.

[downtoearth]

We didn't even change locks - we did; however, rip out carpets right away just b/c we had time. I also cleaned the bathrooms really well and got new shower curtains/liners.

Other than that, not much.

[adhdfashion]

People leave their shower curtains? +o( That is gross.

[emoflamingo]

Jul 16, 2012 14:04:18 GMT -5 adhdfashion said:

People leave their shower curtains? That is gross.

Haha I was considering leaving one in the shower with the rod, but I think I'll leave a new in package shower curtain with a new in package toilet seat when we finally move lol. (Curtain rod still hanging, though.)

[statlerwaldorf]

We replaced the carpet, door locks and locks on barn, bedroom door handle to one that locks, carpet, whole toilet (yeah, it was that bad), shower head, and added blinds.

[Susie]

Nothing, really.

We meant to change the locks, but never got around to it. Whoops.

I don't get the toilet seat thing. I mean, do you folks who do it never use public restrooms? What is there that Lysol can't kill? I guess I could see it if they were the squishy padded ones, but ours were hard plastic.

Eventually we're replacing carpets (some done, some not yet) but it's not immediate. ($$) Same goes for wall paint, window treatments, and a variety of other things.

My experience might have been different if we hadn't bought from a cute couple about my parents' age, who were fastidiously neat and clean, but there's not much that falls into the "omg, immediate!" category for me.

[duckduck]

We ripped up some carpet and redid the wood flooring underneath. We painted a couple of rooms and a ton of trim that was still raw wood. That's pretty much it; we didn't even change the locks.

The sellers cleaned really well right before they left.

[lmdbww]

In the course of the first 2 weeks we changed out the showerheads and the locks.

We didn't change the toilet seats, I just scrubbed w/bleach.

(We do plan to change out all of the bathroom faucets as well and we are in the process of doing the door hardware now...)

[mrs.jacinthe]

Jul 16, 2012 15:24:47 GMT -5 Susie said:

I don't get the toilet seat thing. I mean, do you folks who do it never use public restrooms?

No, I don't. Or at least, rarely - and only at certain places. FWIW, Starbucks is pretty much the only public bathroom I will use, and it has to be a desperation thing.

[minniebee]

Jul 16, 2012 14:04:18 GMT -5 adhdfashion said:

People leave their shower curtains? That is gross.

Yeah, that's weird.

When we change over tenants at our rental condo, I always leave a plastic shower curtain liner in the bathroom (new - still in the package), just in case the new tenant doesn't have a shower curtain readily available. I figure it's a nice thing to do because they probably want to shower after moving in, but might not want to dig through boxes to find their own shower curtain or didn't have time to buy a new one.

[MrsAxilla]

Change the locks and spray for bugs. I will not live with spiders!!