What to Do When Moving Out of an Apartment

1. Give your notice.

Most apartment communities require a specific amount of notice from the renter letting them know they will be moving. This allows them to begin planning for the next resident to move in and to list your apartment on the market. Giving this notice should give you enough of a timeframe to start your move-out and future planning in order to successfully leave your home. For example, Forest Pointe requires a 60-day written notice, but don't assume that every community has the same policy!

2. Where do I start? Make a list!

Moving is stressful and everything attached to the task can seem daunting. Lets face it, it is daunting. Everything that you have collected and the home you have lived in for at least a year has accumulated more than the day you moved in. What tasks should I do first? The first order of business is to make a list. Prioritize what you need to do from what you want to do. The apartment community has probably already given you their move-out checklist, so plan to prioritize that at the top of your list. From there, you can continue on with your list of to dos. 

3. Begin the decluttering process.

If packing seems overwhelming, start with the small stuff, and start decluttering. Begin removing unneeded items from your countertops, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and common living spaces. Begin removing junk from your drawers, pull down any dcor and or photos from your wall, and any window treatments you may have hung. All of these tasks are quick and easy to do and will take a load off the packing process.
 

4. Enlist the troops and moving crew!

Round up your moving crew at least a few weeks to a month prior to move-out day. Ensure you will have plenty of helpful hands and plan to pay them in pizza or a quick meal that they can enjoy while helping you move. Having help will hopefully ease the stress and knowing that a plan is already in place will set your move-out day up for success. 

5. Switch over the bills.

Over the duration of your time in your apartment, you have had many utilities in your name, including your WIFI. Come your last day, you will need to have those bills and utilities turned off and or switched for you when you get to your new home/destination. Make sure you do this with plenty of time for the utility companies to successfully get them switched over so they will be ready to go at your next spot. Also, the further you wait to turn off your current utilities, the more you will pay, and the new resident taking over your space will not be able to put them in their name. The more you plan for this step, the more convenient and easier it will be for all parties. 

6. Start cleaning.

Is this the part you are most dreading? Cleaning is never anyones cup of tea, but cleaning your home from top to bottom in order to leave does not really seem that appealing. Not only do you have to tackle your move-out list of cleaning, but you may want to start prepping in smaller ways as well. Begin dusting all of your windowsills and baseboards, vacuuming where you can, and begin cleaning all of your windows. This may all seem like a big job, but a little paper towel and dusting spray, and Windex work well for a simple wipe down and go a long way. This will also help your maintenance team when they go to turn or flip the apartment to make it ready for the next resident.

7. Patch it up.

One of the tasks on your move-out checklist will probably be to pull out all of the nails in your walls from photos and dcor and patch them up. Every community is different, some may provide you with hole filler, some may require you to purchase it, and some communities may want to fill the holes for you. You will want to ensure you communicate with your management team to know how they would prefer you go about that step.

8. Doggie Daycare.

Do you have pets you will need to find care for on your moving day? We love our furry friends, but as much as we love them, they can definitely get in our way. We also want to keep them safe and sound as we will be moving heavy furniture and having them be a tripping hazard should be the least of our worries. You will want to plan ahead and send them to daycare for the day and possibly night if you are planning on moving over a few-day period. If you dont want to board them, you will need to find a family member or friend who will be willing to keep them for you. Even though the time apart can be tough, the real reward will be when they settle in and snuggle into their new home with you!

9. Inquire about your security deposit.

Everyone wants as much money back from renting as possible. Be sure to speak with your property manager to ensure what is required to get a lot of or all of your security deposit back. Specific tasks not completed, a dirty apartment, or not completing your checklist thoroughly could all be reasons for not receiving your deposit back. Be sure you are on the same page with your property manager, so there are no surprises in the end. 

10. Request a walk-through with your Property Manager.

After you have completed your checklist and your move, it may be a good idea to schedule a final walk-through with your property manager to ensure you have crossed all your Ts and dotted all your Is. This will also ensure that nothing has been missed and may get you a better shot of retaining your full deposit back. Even if you cant obtain a one-on-one walk-through together, you may still want to take your checklist in and ask for a sit-down one-on-one to go over all key points to make sure you have not overlooked any tasks/requests. 

Moving onto your next chapter of life should be exciting, not stressful. We hope that these tips and tricks can motivate you to get a head start on your move and make things go as smoothly as possible. Remember, planning ahead and doing small tasks along the way is the best way to begin and will hopefully ensure peace of mind as you leave one home behind and move-in to the next!