Apartment Move-In and Move-Out Checklist
Updated April 2, 2021 . AmFam Team
Moving from one apartment to another shouldn’t have to be a stressful event — after all, it’s an exciting time of change and an opportunity to re-establish yourself.
As long as you’re prepared, you can get from point A to point B without a hitch. Follow our moving apartments checklist to stay organized and stress-free as you transition to your new humble abode.
Table of Contents:
Steps for Moving Out of Your Apartment
Protect Your New Apartment with Renters Insurance
Steps for Moving Out of Your Apartment
While it may feel tempting to put things off and simply pack up a week or two ahead of a scheduled move, having a comfortable timeline in place can help prevent feelings of being overwhelmed during the last few days when you're in between residences. No one wants to experience the stress of a top-down cleanup 24 hours before you're due to turn in keys!
Plus, leaving the apartment in tip-top condition can help you get more of your security deposit back!
Eight Weeks Before Your Move
For a seamless move, start planning your exit early. We recommend laying out an action plan at least two months in advance to help you better budget your time and effort. This will really help reduce the stress and anxiety that comes with crunch time clean up and last minute hauls between apartments!
Get in touch with your landlord
Give your landlord a call and go over any moving requirements for your apartment. Find out what cleaning is required on your part and if there is anything else your lease states you must do prior to moving out. That way you and your landlord are on the same page and there aren’t any surprises come move-out day.
Research moving companies
Do you plan on hiring a moving company? If so, make sure you book quickly! Most moving companies will schedule moves two or three months in advance and tend to fill fast, especially toward the end of a month. Look at reviews, compare prices and ask friends for references. Schedule your move-out date with the company of your choice, and make sure to get a confirmation of your moving date and itinerary.
Again, remember, the earlier the better! Moving companies tend to have variable rates that can change based on factors like proximity to your desired move date and the availability of staff on the date you’re choosing. Secure your spot — and rate — early!
Collect moving supplies early
Start gathering moving supplies, like boxes and packing tape, weeks before you move out. Are you going to purchase boxes or get them from other sources, like friends or family? Don’t wait until it’s the week of the move! You’ll be happy you planned ahead and already have boxes on hand.
Four Weeks Before Your Move
By putting a plan into action early on, you can help to ensure that you have enough time to prepare your things to be moved, while also budgeting time to restore your lived-in apartment back to a move-in-ready state.
Pack non-essentials early
Once you have some moving boxes, start packing up non-essentials. Whatever you don’t use on a daily basis can be packed away until it’s time to move out of the apartment. Things like decorations, seasonal clothes, shoes and books can be packed away weeks before you move. Pre-packing also gives you a chance to start getting rid of things you don’t need for the new place.
Choose what to keep
This is also a great time to evaluate your things and determine if you'd like to keep, sell or donate something!
If you have a lot to get rid of or find there are just some things you don’t want to haul to your new apartment, consider a visit to a donation center, or having a yard sale.
Transfer renters insurance to next apartment
If you’re wondering if renters insurance can transfer from one place to the next, the answer is simple — yes! It’s easy to transfer your renters insurance to the next apartment. Simply call up your insurance agent (Opens in a new tab) and they’ll help you take care of the switch in no time at all. Keep in mind, it’s important you ensure your renters insurance is transferred right away. If you don’t give your insurance agency the new address and you face a loss sometime down the road, you might run into coverage issues.
Don’t have renters insurance? Find out everything you need to know about renters insurance, including why you need it, how much it costs and how it financially protects you from the unexpected.
Two Weeks Before Your Move
During this time, you may find that it’s a great opportunity to focus on getting addresses changed with service providers and the postal service. Taking steps to manage where your mail goes could save a lot of headache and hassle down the line.
Fill out change of address form
You’ll want to make sure you take care of this step a few weeks prior to moving to a new apartment so your mail is forwarded to your new address. You can fill out a change of address form (Opens in a new tab) provided online by the United States Postal Service or by going to your local post office and requesting a Movers Guide.
Make arrangements with utility companies and internet
You’ll want to schedule the cancellation or transfer of your utilities, such as gas and electricity, as well as your internet and cable service. Scheduling ahead will make the process go faster and ensure that the utilities in your apartment are ready by move-in day!
Label your moving boxes
This one seems obvious, but it’s the simplest way to keep things organized when moving from one apartment to another. Clearly label your boxes by the type of items it holds (e.g. dishes, bath towels, clothes, etc.) and the room in which they belong (e.g. kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, etc.), so when your movers or friends help you move to your new place, they know exactly which room to set the boxes in.
One Week Before Your Move
The last week at your current residence should focus on some of the finer details of your relocation. This is your opportunity to do some deep cleaning, make minor repairs and get the last of your things packed up and ready to be moved.
Schedule a walk-through with your landlord
Many people opt to skip this step, but doing so means you won’t be able to argue any security deposit decisions your landlord makes. However, by doing a complete walk-through of your old apartment with your landlord, you can explain what is and isn’t your fault (something that should have been noted when moving in) and you’ll have a better chance of getting more back on your deposit.
Your apartment walkthrough checklist could look something like this:
- Are walls free of damage?
- Are floors cleaned, vacuumed and free of damage?
- Are vents and fans free of dust?
- Are windows cleaned and free of cracks?
- Is the stovetop and oven cleaned and degreased?
- Are appliances like the refrigerator and the dishwasher cleaned?
- Are bathrooms — including toilets, bathtubs and mirrors — cleaned and scrubbed?
- If you have a fireplace, is it free of ash and debris?
- If you have a balcony, is it swept and free of debris?
Clean your apartment and make any minor repairs
Better your chances of getting your security deposit back by focusing on clean up and repairs to damage your may have caused. Inspect your place for common damage like holes left in the wall from hanging decorations, or dents and dings from moving objects around.
Pack essentials in a marked box
Manage the stress of your move with simple strategies like marking boxes that contain your living essentials. Few moving experiences are worse than sorting through a room full of indistinguishable boxes in search of a plate to eat from. Do yourself a huge favor and keep essentials marked and sorted together for quick and easy access!
Confirm itinerary with your moving company
Things like weather or staffing changes could impact your move. It’s a good idea to confirm details with your moving company ahead of time to make sure you’re covered on your move-out/move-in day.
Post-move Apartment Checklist
Settling in? Follow our post-move checklist to transition into your new apartment with ease.
Now that you know the right steps to take when moving out of your apartment, you can focus on pursuing your new chapter.
Bonus: Here are some more tips for a stress-free move!
Protect Your New Apartment with Renters Insurance
Of course, no moving checklist would be complete without a renters insurance coverage review. Renters insurance helps protect you financially by replacing your things if they’re stolen as a result of theft, or damaged in a fire or storm, and by covering liability claims made against you if a guest were to be injured in your apartment or home.
Existing and first-time renters alike should carefully consider a renters policy that will protect you and the possessions you cherish and work hard for. Get your quote online or contact an American Family Insurance agent (Opens in a new tab) today!
Related Articles
- 9 Steps to Create a Home Inventory for Insurance Claims
Your home is more than a roof over your head. It’s where your dreams grow, your family thrives and memories are made. But the possessions you keep inside are important, too.
Whether you’re renting an apartment or own your home, you’ve most likely got an insurance policy designed to protect your dwelling and the things inside. Should the unthinkable happen and you have to use that insurance policy, it’s important to have a plan in place. And a home inventory list is a great way to get started!
We’ll walk you through how to create a home inventory so — in the event of the unexpected — you’ll be more prepared and have a streamlined recovery.
What Is a Home Inventory?
Quite simply, a home inventory is a complete list of all the items, especially valuables, in and around your home. The best home inventories include photos, descriptions and dollar values of each of your belongings. The more detail, the better! It’ll help you provide a comprehensive list to your agent of items lost in the event your home is damaged or destroyed, allowing you to get the most out of your coverage.
When your describing the items in your list, remember that the more information, the better. Here’s a quick reference list of the type of information you should include in your home inventory list:
- An in-depth description of the items. For example, rather than writing down “diamond ring,” be more descriptive, such as: “an emerald cut diamond ring, with white gold shank, accent stones and initials inscribed below the bridge.”
- Make, model, and/or serial number of the items.
- Date of purchase, receipts and photos.
- Estimated replacement cost if you bought it today. Do note that the value of the items might be different today than it was when you first bought them. This is especially true with jewelry, and other valuables.
- Appraisals at time of purchase. Especially if your items were appraised for insurance purposes.
Why Do I Need a Home Inventory?
Whether you’re a homeowner or a renter, everyone can benefit from a home inventory!
If you ever have to make a claim, a home inventory is a great asset to have, especially after stressful events like theft, storm damage or a fire (take a look at how one renter used their home inventory after facing an apartment fire).
When you make a claim, you typically submit information on everything that was lost — which can be difficult to do off the top of your head for all your possessions. Remembering to replace your TV or computer are no-brainers, but when it comes to remembering each piece of jewelry in your jewelry box, things tend to get overlooked. Having a personal property inventory will help, along with knowing how to properly insure your jewelry.
When you have your home inventory checklist, you know exactly what needs to be replaced, and you’ll have peace of mind knowing your entire household is protected.
- Reasons Why a Roof Leaks
You’re admiring the rain from the comfort of your home when you notice a sound — the unmistakable drip of water dropping onto your floor. The first and hardest step is figuring out why your roof is leaking. And with these tips, you’ll find the culprit in no time!
Here’s Why Your Roof Is Leaking
The list of reasons why your roof is leaking may seem long, but don’t worry — when it comes to finding the leak and fixing it, the finding is the hardest part. And the good thing about these problems? They can all be fixed. Check out the list and see what’s troubling your roof:
Your roof is old
Roofs don’t last forever. Protecting your home and everything inside it from the elements comes with a cost. And with all that rain, snow, ice, wind and even sunlight wearing down your roof, it becomes more susceptible to leaks. Every roof will eventually need to be replaced, so learn more about how long your roof should last based on what it’s made of.
- How to Check Your Roof for Storm Damage
There’s no good time to find out your roof needs repair — but you may be able to mitigate that pain by routinely checking your roof for damage after severe weather. Waiting for a leak or damage to present itself gives the problem time to grow and worsen.
And sometimes, you’ll be faced with expensive roof and interior damage repairs if you’re not diligent. By being proactive and checking your roof for damage after severe weather hits can help your roof — and your savings — stay healthy.
