The Curious Process Of How A New U.S. President Moves Into The White House

Let’s take a look at how a newly elected president moves into the White House.

First of all, the staff working in the residence have a very limited amount of time to finish everything. They have to complete the job between the inauguration ceremony and the presidential parade. In order for the incoming president and their family to feel at home immediately, nearly 100 workers are in the residence on inauguration day. These workers clean the house and remove the belongings left behind by the previous family. So on that first day, an entire army of butlers, cleaners, electricians, and plumbers is at work inside the building.

The incoming president and family are allowed to redecorate the house in their own style. However, there are limits. These changes can generally be made on the second and third floors. Rooms such as the Lincoln Bedroom or the Oval Office, which everyone knows well, cannot simply be altered however they want. Those spaces do not belong to the family living there, but to the American people.

The Family Handles The Packing

The new residents cannot really supervise the moving process themselves, and the reason is quite simple. While their belongings are arriving at the White House, they are usually attending either the inauguration ceremony or the parade.

The interesting part is that the family is fully responsible for the moving and packing process. This applies both to the family leaving the White House and the family moving in. For that reason, they arrange their own moving companies. After all, they are not going to have USMC personnel carry their personal belongings. From hiring the movers to handling the packing itself, the responsibility belongs entirely to the families. And since the White House is a very large home with many rooms, they can bring in all of their personal items.

Decoration Comes With Limits

Going back to decoration, the new family does not only decorate the living quarters. They can also decorate offices. But here too, some restrictions exist. The family may, for example, replace the carpet in the Oval Office.

Families are also free to choose the chef who will serve during the presidential term. For presidents and their families, moving in means a new home and a new car. Of course, when that home is the White House, the car also has to fit the role. Presidents are free to choose their vehicle, but it must meet security requirements and it must be a limousine. As long as those conditions are met, the president could theoretically even install a thunderous sound system and a trunk amplifier if he wanted.

Even The Framed Photos Change

When people think of moving, they think of moving everything, and that is exactly what happens here too. The outgoing family takes the photographs displayed in the frames on the walls. Those frames are then filled with photographs taken during the new president’s inauguration. Later on, presidents can replace those with whatever photos they prefer.

Once all the belongings have been moved, the first lady continues working with the residence staff to make sure the move is completed smoothly. The moving company brings the family’s belongings to the front of the White House, but the workers themselves are not allowed inside. The actual carrying of items into the residence is handled by the White House staff.

Moving Into The White House Is Not Cheap

You are moving into the White House, after all. It is not exactly a simple or cheap process. That means presidents do have to spend some of their own money. However, there is also a decoration allowance set aside for this purpose.

With that budget, new paintings, rugs, or curtains can be purchased. Families are free in making those selections. If they want to consider alternative decoration options, they can also turn to a storage collection containing hundreds of pieces of furniture and paintings. These items are carefully selected by official White House curators. The collection is genuinely impressive and includes a special selection of important oil paintings.

Some Presidents Add Their Own Touch

Decoration is usually handled by the first lady, who may also get help from a professional interior designer. Fortunately, families do not only make minor and limited changes. They can also add more unique and memorable features.

The Kennedy family, for example, had a swimming pool installed. Nixon added a bowling alley. Obama turned the tennis court into a basketball court.

A Strange Tradition On Day One

One of the most interesting traditions surrounding the move is that the new president, the family, and the White House staff they bring with them cannot enter the White House until midnight on inauguration day. Because even if the oath has already been taken, technically the person is not yet president until midnight.

Another interesting tradition is what happens on departure day. The outgoing president traditionally leaves a note on the desk for the incoming president. But to know exactly what those notes say, as you can imagine, you would have to become president yourself.