The Ultimate Apartment Move-Out Checklist for a Stress-Free Transition

Introduction to Moving Out

Few people enjoy moving (as moving enthusiasts, we have a hard time with this, but we digress), especially when you have to deal with the rules and regulations that your apartment complex sets. But that's usually because people are short on time or overwhelmed with the moving process. It's a daunting task. That's why we're giving you this downloadable comprehensive apartment move-out checklist to limit apartment moving blues and headaches.

Planning Your Move Process

Proper planning prevents poor execution. This adage holds for any move. By planning your move well, you can reduce stress, save money and time, get your security deposit back, and start enjoying your new home faster and easier. So, let's get started with how to plan it out.

Planning Your Move-Out

1. Create a comprehensive moving-out checklist to ensure a stress-free transition. We have a comprehensive guide to moving to help walk you through the entire move.

2. Understand the importance of a thorough move-out cleaning process to avoid potential damage costs and ensure a smooth transition to your new apartment.

3. Review your lease agreement to understand your responsibilities and obligations, and review what execution level is needed to get cleaning and security deposits back.

4. Start planning early to avoid last-minute complications and ensure a successful move-out.

5. Coordinate with your utility companies, such as electricity, gas, and internet, and provide a date to transfer or disconnect services.

6. Update your address by visiting your local post office or using the USPS address change form. Make sure you file changes with other relevant parties to ensure you receive important mail and packages.

7. Use the user portals to update your address on all credit cards, banking, and subscriptions. While the USPS change form will help with this, changing as much as possible online will prevent delays in delivery or costly late fees if the USPS is delayed in forwarding your mail.

Preparing for the New Residence

1. If moving into a new apartment, research your new apartment community and understand the rules and regulations.

2. Plan your move-in date a couple of days before your move-out date. Doing so will give you time to settle in and time to perform a deep cleaning on your old place.

3. Review your lease agreement to understand your responsibilities and obligations as a tenant in your new apartment.

4. Plan your furniture and belongings to ensure they fit in your new home, or have a plan to sell or donate pieces that don't fit.

5. Update your address with your landlord, American Apartment Owners Association, and other relevant parties to ensure you receive important mail and packages.

Giving Notice to the Apartment Manager

Most apartments will ask you if you want to renew your lease well before it is up because if you don't renew, they can rent it out to someone else. But if they don't contact you, the standard notice to vacate is 30 days. Mark your calendar!

1. Submit your notice to vacate form to your property manager or landlord within the specified timeframe.

2. Review your lease agreement to understand the notice requirements and avoid any penalties.

3. Schedule a consultation with your property manager to discuss your move-out plans and ensure a smooth transition.

4. Schedule your move-out date a couple of days before your lease expires, leaving time for a deep cleaning.

Insurance, Finances, and Budgeting

Renters Insurance

1. Review your active renter's insurance policy to ensure you have adequate coverage during the move.

2. Contact your renter's insurance carrier to inform them about your upcoming move and update your policy to reflect your new address.

3. To budget more effectively, consult your insurance provider to see if the location change will impact renters and car insurance premiums.

Finances

1. Understand the difference between your security deposit and last month's rent to avoid confusion.

2. Consult with your utility providers at your new residence to understand any potential deposits and/or transfer fees. Do the same with current utility providers for remaining balances and due dates.

3. Plan your finances accordingly to cover any expected increases in rent, utilities, changes in renter's insurance, and car insurance due to location changes.

Budgeting For Your Move

1. If you're moving yourself, rent a truck or hire movers. Get multiple quotes to understand your moving costs better and set aside money.

2. Research costs of purchasing moving boxes and supplies.

3. If you're moving long distances, don't forget to budget for gas, hotel, food, and other incidentals to get to your next home.

Packing Up and Decluttering Your Current Apartment

One of the most tedious parts of any move-out process is packing everything up, so careful coordination should be given to timing and planning. If possible, schedule your move-out date a couple of days before your lease is up. In addition to that, we recommend the following focus areas:

1. Declutter anything, including furniture you don't plan on moving to your new home. If you need help with where to start, check out our blog post on decluttering for tips and tricks.

2. Gather necessary supplies early to pack up your belongings. Home Depot has a handy moving calculator to help you determine your needs and estimated costs.

3. Start the packing process as early as possible. Working through each room. Start with the least used personal items and rooms. Check our post on

4. Pack essential items, such as toiletries and a change of clothes, to ensure you have what you need right before and on a moving day.

5. Consider hiring professional packers if you're in a time crunch.

Logistics and Planning

This is another crucial element to the move-out, and planning your move day and communicating to your apartment manager up front will prevent unwanted surprises on move day. We recommend that you:

1. Plan your moving day logistics, including scheduling a moving truck and hiring movers.

2. Keep essential documents, including your lease agreement and essential personal items, with you. Don't pack these things away, or you'll be spending time hunting for them.

3. Contact your current apartment manager and reserve any elevators, loading docks, or loading zones, and communicate when they will be needed, the moving company that is doing the service, or if you will be parking a rental truck during your move-out process.

4. Contact your new apartment community manager if you are moving to a new community, and reserve parking, elevators, or loading areas for your move-in.

Executing the Move

Now for the big day, finally it is move out time! It will be hectic, so following your plan and checklist will be extremely important. Make sure to be present during the move to help communicate to your movers about any special needs and concerns, as well as any needs of the apartment complex.

1. Verify reservations with the manager, communicate the parking area to your movers, and do the same for your new location.

2. Stay on-site if possible to document any potential damage the movers may cause to your apartment. Document to discuss with both the movers and your apartment managers for inspection purposes and potential claims.

3. Take final meter readings and notify your utility providers to ensure you're not charged for any additional services.

4. If you have already completed an inspection, return your apartment keys to your property manager and ensure you have completed all necessary tasks.

5. Box up any cable internet equipment and take it with you to return to a local office. Failure to do so will result in charges for the equipment, and your old apartment management is under no obligation to do so for you.

Cleaning and Repairs

Once you have a good understanding of your rights and obligations for cleaning and repairing any damage done, what deposits you paid upfront, and have either packed everything or moved before your lease is up, we recommend you do the following steps:

1. Set aside time for a deep cleaning of your current apartment. You can use the cleaning checklist referred to earlier or hire a cleaning service to restore your apartment to its original move-in condition and ensure you get your security deposit back.

2. Identify any necessary repairs, such as fixing carpet stains or replacing light fixtures, to avoid any deductions from your security deposit. Consult your apartment manager to see if they have touch-up paint that matches the original color scheme.

3. Take care of any normal wear and tear to ensure your apartment is in tip-top shape.

4. Use our checklist to ensure you don't forget any important cleaning or repair tasks.

Move Out Final Inspection

If there are scratches or other dings that you didn't create, you can point them out to your landlord at this time. Hopefully, you performed this when you initially moved in. To prevent last-minute stress, leave yourself a couple of days from the out date to the lease expiration date and do

1. Schedule a move-out inspection with your property manager to ensure you're aware of any potential damage or issues.

2. Take pictures of identified issues before and after being remedied to document their condition and ensure you have evidence in case of any disputes.

3. Create a detailed inventory of the apartment's condition to avoid any disputes.

4. Review the inspection report with your manager to ensure you understand any necessary repairs or deductions.

5. Return your keys to the manager.

In conclusion

Moving out of your apartment doesn't have to be so stressful by following the tips outlined above. Pre-planning and communication are the key to a stress-free move, getting your security deposit back, and getting settled in your new place. And as a shameless plug, just know that professional movers can take even more worry out of your day while you handle the details. Happy moving!