The Complete Checklist for Moving Out of and Into a New Apartment

Most everyone has experienced at least one move in their lives.

According to Colin Holmes of move.org, “Roughly 35.5 million Americans move each year using everything from professional movers to old station wagons."

Whatever motivates you to move, it can be an intricate process with many steps. To help you organize your move, we have the complete moving checklist for your apartment.

Jump to:

• • Move out checklist and timeline
  • 6-8 weeks before moving day
  • 4-5 weeks before moving day
  • 2-3 weeks before moving day
  • 1 week before moving day
  • Moving day
  • Move-In checklist

  Reduce your stress by planning ahead

  Planning ahead is the key to minimizing stress during your apartment move. Staying organized and positive can help ease you through each step, but you'll most likely feel pressure from the amount of time and money you'll invest in the move. This is why it's important to go into your move prepared for what's ahead. Keep track of everything you need to get done to avoid any costly moving mistakes. By breaking down tasks into manageable steps and creating a timeline, you can stay organized and on track.

  Use this moving checklist to keep track of important tasks and deadlines. Be sure to communicate with your landlord or property manager about move-out (and move-in procedures) and any necessary paperwork.

  

  Move out checklist and timeline

  The timing of your move is crucial to ensuring a smooth transition. Ideally, you should start preparing for your move several weeks in advance to allow ample time for planning and organization. Here's a general timeline to help you stay on track:

  6-8 weeks before moving day

  About six to eight weeks before moving day, you should think about scheduling movers. When scheduling movers, which you should do as early as possible, it's important to get everything in writing. This includes the estimated costs, as well as a schedule for their arrival. This is especially important if your move coincides with a busy day or time of year for moves.

  According to the Augusta Free Press, Fridays are the most popular day to move and the summer is the most popular season. More than a third of all moves take place in the hottest months of the year. You may have fewer options for moving dates within these timeframes, so planning ahead can give you more flexibility.

  Additionally, you should start thinking about the move itself by:

  • Create a central spot for documents and information. Keeping everything in one place — online or in a file folder — makes it easier to find as your home gets more disrupted with packing.
  • Budget for the cost of the move and any related expenses.
  • Determine how and when you will move.
  • Book a moving company or reserve a truck if you plan to drive yourself.
  • Get on your friends’ and family’s calendar if you need friends or family to help you move.
  • Request time off work for the move itself. Pad the actual day of the move with 1-2 days on either side if you can. This gives you time for last-minute packing, as well as time to settle in a little bit before having to go back to work.
  • Research your new community. Begin figuring out the closest grocery store, best restaurants and other local points of interest. If you're moving far enough away from your current place, start researching new doctors, schools and other professional services that you'll need to change.
  • Notify your landlord or property manager of your intent to move with a notice to vacate or move-out notification letter.
  • Inquire about the move-out procedures at your current apartment.
  • Reach out to your new landlord to determine move-in procedures. You may need to schedule a move-in time at your new apartment so make sure you are clear on the arrangements.
  • Begin collecting packing boxes. This is prime time to start squirreling away free moving boxes. Check at local businesses or on sites like Nextdoor and Facebook for neighbors who might be getting rid of them.
  • Start organizing your belongings.
  • Begin decluttering. Every single item you pack represents a dollar sign, so you'll need to schedule some time to declutter your apartment before you start packing. You don't need to waste time and money packing up items that you'll never use again, so trash or donate anything that's old, broken or unnecessary.
  • Begin planning how you will arrange your new apartment so you have plenty of time to get your belongings in order. You may need to buy additional furniture or get rid of large items in your current apartment so you want to be prepared. This also gives you time to save money if you need to make a large purchase for your new apartment.
  • Research I.D. and tags. If you're moving out of state, find out how long you'll have to get a new driver's license and vehicle tags once you move into your new apartment.
  • Reserve a hotel or temporary lodging for your trip if you are moving long distance.

  4 to 5 weeks before moving day

  This is the stage where things can start to get more stressful since you're adding packing to your daily workload. Keeping things in perspective helps, according to Caitlin Renton and the American Moving & Storage Association. “Throughout the moving process, remind yourself why you're moving so you can reflect on this exciting time."

  • Start packing any non-essential items. Seasonal items you aren’t using like Christmas decorations or outdoor furniture are a great place to start.
  • Reach out to your rental insurance company to make sure your new apartment will be covered by your current plan. Make any changes required in advance of your move.
  • Notify utility companies of your upcoming move and arrange for services to be transferred or disconnected.
  • Start changing your address, especially with the post office to ensure your mail forwards.
  • Make a list of all the sites that store your contact information like Amazon, Netflix, Uber Eats or DoorDash and set a reminder to update your address after you move into your new place. As you update your address, don't forget to cancel any services or memberships you won't need after your move (gym memberships, lawn services, newspaper delivery, etc). Some additional people to notify include:
    • Bank and credit card companies
    • Insurance companies
    • Your child's school
    • Utilities: Phone, cable, internet, gas, electric, water, trash
    • Medical providers, to transfer prescriptions and records
    • Magazine subscriptions
    • Apartment property management (Check out our sample move-out letter if you need help giving notice )

    
    

    2 to 3 weeks before moving day

    It's packing time!

    This is it, your move is approaching and it's time to hunker down and get the bulk of your packing done. You most likely have already started this process, beginning with nonessential items, but you need to turn your attention to the rest of your stuff.

    • Make a list of your essential items. These are the things you need on a day to day basis like toiletries, medications, devices, chargers, etc. You’ll want to keep these items accessible as you pack.
    • Pack! Now is the time to start packing as many items as possible. Don’t pack anything you plan on using in the next couple of weeks, but the rest can be put in boxes and labeled.
    • Confirm the details with professional movers and provide any necessary instructions. If you are moving yourself, this is the time to check in with the friends and family who will be helping you.
    • Arrange for childcare or pet care on moving day if needed.
    • Scale back on the grocery shopping and start eating the food from your freezer or pantry. This will help prevent you from having to throw food away on moving day.
    • Review the lease for your new apartment. Check for the following specifications. If they are not present in the lease, get clarification from your new landlord in writing about who will be responsible for:
      • Weather related repairs or natural disaster damage to the unit (usually the landlord)
      • Pest control (usually the renter)
      • Yard care and maintenance (depends on the type of rental)

      

      1 week before moving day

      You've got seven more days until the move. The week before a move you should primarily be focused on cleaning, packing, and final moving day prep. This is going to be a busy week so take a deep breath, pull out your cleaning supplies, and fill up those boxes!

      • Separate out valuables, important files and essential items. These are best kept with you during the move and should go into a box labeled for your car if possible.
      • Set aside a few days worth of clothing to go into a suitcase to travel with you to your new apartment.
      • Start an inventory of your boxes. This will allow you to check that all of them arrive. It will also help you to prioritize as you start to unpack.
      • Withdraw any cash you'll need on moving day, including tips for the movers .
      • Schedule a walk-through of your current apartment with the property manager to ensure you get back your security deposit. Also, ask if you can reserve a parking spot on moving day to get your truck up close.
      • Review your lease to ensure you are following any stipulations or requirements related to the move-out process.
      • Check in with your new landlord to ensure you will be able to get into your new apartment and are following any rules they may have in place.
      • Transfer your renter's insurance to your new apartment. Call and let the company know the date of your move and any other relevant details that will change.
      • Complete the move-out cleaning process. If you have hired a cleaning service, re-confirm your appointment. If you are doing the cleaning youself, make sure you have completed the following tasks before moving day:
        • Patch any holes in the walls
        • Mop and vacuum all floors
        • Wash windows and check that there is no damage to the blinds or curtains
        • Dust everything. This includes the baseboards (sorry!)
        • Check to be sure that all appliances are in working order
        • Wipe down walls and surfaces
        • Disconnect all of your utilities and internet service
        • If you are moving to a new city, don’t forget to cancel any local subscriptions or services like the gym.
        • Make sure the apartment is in the same (or better) shape than it was when you moved in.

        Moving day

        Moving day is here.

        This is the hardest day in the process since you now have to worry about two locations instead of one. Plan to get up early!

        • Be sure all your boxes are packed and close to the exit. If you are hiring movers, this will make their job quicker, costing you less. If you are moving yourself, it will be easier to transport the items if they are close to the door. Start with the heavy items first.
        • Take out the trash. You don’t want the place to smell when your property manager arrives to inspect it.
        • Do a walk-through. Make sure all your items are out of the home.
        • Give your apartment a final cleaning. You’ve already done most of the cleaning but with an empty home, you can see any additional spots that you missed.
        • Check the yard. Make one last sweep to ensure you haven’t left any yard tools, dog toys, bird-feeders, etc.
        • Re-check your lease. Be sure there aren’t any additional move-out rules stipulated in your lease. You’ll want to be sure to follow any guidelines so you can get your full deposit back.
        • Confirm with movers. Be sure that they know where they're going and have your cell number in case any issues arise. Pack your own car carefully and return your apartment key before heading off to your new place.
        • Lock up your apartment and hand over the keys to the landlord.

        You'll most likely arrive at your new place before your movers, which is a good thing. This gives you time to prepare. Unlock your new apartment and open any gates the movers will have to get through.

        

        Move-in checklist

        Now that you’re in your new apartment, it’s time to start unloading your car and going through the move-in inspection. Put your essential stuff in an empty closet to keep it out of the way and safe throughout the day.

        The first thing you need to do is take a quick walk-through with your new property manager to note any pre-existing issues with the new apartment. This protects you from having to pay for them when moving out. Use this checklist to ensure you don’t miss anything in your walk-through. We recommend photographing any potential damage in the apartment immediately and ensuring that your new landlord is aware of it and has acknowledged that the damage was present before you took up residence.

        Your landlord will likely have their own checklist for the move-in inspection. We’ve included a checklist, broken down by room. Take this with you during your walk through and note any issues. If you find them, be sure to photograph them and try to put something in writing with your landlord. This can be an email or an addendum to your lease that you both sign off on. You want to make sure you and your new landlord are in agreement about the fact that the damage existed prior to your move-in. If it’s something the landlord needs to resolve, get an agreement in writing with a plan for repair or resolution.

        Here’s the full checklist of items you should inspect on move-in:

        General items

        • Heat and AC functioning
        • Front and back doorknobs and locks are working properly
        • Smoke detectors functioning and plugged in
        • If renting a single family home with a yard, check for damage on the:
          • Exterior paint
          • Patio
          • Fencing
          • Outdoor furniture and structures

          Kitchen

          • Refrigerator is cold and looks clean
          • Oven turns on and off
          • Stove burners turn off and on
          • Dishwasher turns on
          • Countertops in good condition
          • Window function/appearance – no broken window panes, all windows open and close correctly
          • Window coverings – Screens and blinds intact
          • Cabinet interior and exteriors in good condition
          • Check that there are no leaks beneath sink
          • Photograph any cosmetic or structural issues in flooring
          • Run faucets and check for hot/cold water
          • Run disposal if applicable
          • Walls and ceiling dings, holes, etc.
          • Turn on and off any light fixtures
          • Check outlets and light switches

          Living room

          • Window function/appearance – no broken window panes, all windows open and close correctly
          • Window coverings – Screens and blinds intact
          • Photograph any cosmetic or structural issues in flooring
          • Walls and ceiling dings, holes, etc.
          • Turn on and off any light fixtures
          • Check outlets and light switches

          Dining area

          • Window function/appearance – no broken window panes, all windows open and close correctly
          • Window coverings – Screens and blinds intact
          • Photograph any cosmetic or structural issues in flooring
          • Walls and ceiling dings, holes, etc.
          • Turn on and off any light fixtures
          • Check outlets and light switches

          Bedrooms

          • Closets clean and functional
          • Window function/appearance – no broken window panes, all windows open and close correctly
          • Window coverings – Screens and blinds intact
          • Photograph any cosmetic or structural issues in flooring
          • Walls and ceiling dings, holes, etc.
          • Turn on and off any light fixtures
          • Check outlets and light switches

          Bathrooms

          • Run faucets for hot and cold water
          • Flush toilet
          • Check the water pressure with more than one faucet running at the same time
          • Counter tops in good condition
          • Sink in good condition
          • Window function/appearance – no broken window panes, all windows open and close correctly
          • Window coverings – Screens and blinds
          • Photograph any cosmetic or structural issues in flooring
          • Walls and ceiling dings, holes, etc.
          • Turn on and off any light fixtures
          • Check outlets and light switches

          TIP: If you have a pet, make sure to document the condition of the baseboards, window frames, flooring, door frames and doors. These are the areas most vulnerable to damage from claws and accidents. If there are any pre-existing scratches, stains, or defects make sure your landlord acknowledges them in writing. This will ensure that you are clear on what, if any, damage takes place during your tenancy and you won’t be on the hook for costly repairs at the end of your lease.

          Stay on top of things afterward

          With so many things to remember when moving, you may have forgotten how much there is to do afterward. If you define the whole process of moving as leaving one place to settle into somewhere else, then the real work begins after the move.

          Not only will you need to unpack your boxes in your new apartment, but you'll most likely have to do a lot of shopping to restock your pantry and fill in any gaps in furniture you may have. Take it slow and don't feel like you have to get everything done that first week. Similar to using a moving checklist, make a little progress every day and check off each task. By the end of your first month, your new apartment will start feeling much more like your new home.