Apartment Moving Checklist
Moving to a new apartment involves many tasks, details, and loose ends. An apartment moving checklist will ease your stress and ensure nothing is forgotten. Customize the one below to meet your needs and fit your timeline.
Two Months before Moving:
☐ Designate a folder for all paperwork related to the old apartment, including the original lease, security deposit receipt, and move-in checklist.
☐ Calculate your budget for this move.
☐ Decide if you will move everything yourself. If moving yourself, ask friends now for help to ensure they will be available. If you decide to hire a moving service, begin researching now.
☐ Decide how to move your vehicles. You may need to rent a hauler, ask a friend for help, or arrange for transportation service.
☐ Buy a plane/bus/train ticket.
☐ Research your new area according to your needs. Transfer school and medical records.
☐ Schools
☐ Gas stations
☐ Grocery stores
☐ Post office
☐ Utility offices (gas, electric, oil, water, cable, phone service, etc.)
☐ Trash service
☐ Primary care physicians
☐ Dentists
☐ Discuss your move with your automobile and renter’s insurance companies and ask that they change your address on your moving day.
☐ Give your landlord notice according to your lease agreement.
☐ Gather moving supplies. Ask friends to save boxes and newspapers for you.
One Month before Moving:
☐ Finalize details with your new landlord. Ask about move-in regulations, parking permits, etc.
☐ Change your address with the U.S. Postal Services; set it up so they forward your mail a day or two before moving day.
☐ Contact your financial institutions (except local banks) and creditors and anyone else who needs to know about your change of address.
☐ Learn the vehicle registration requirements in your new county or state of residence and have the required work or repairs made on your vehicle so that you can be sure your vehicle will pass any inspections or emissions tests.
☐ Designate a second folder for all paperwork related to the new apartment and all moving expenses, especially if your move may be tax deductible.
☐ Begin boxing up items you do not use frequently. Label each box by room.
☐ Set aside valuable items. You can move these items last to prevent them from getting broken or lost.
☐ Toss or donate items you don’t really need.
☐ Make arrangements with a moving service or your friends to help you move.
☐ Cancel or transfer newspaper and magazine subscriptions.
☐ Cancel or transfer your utility service according to the lease agreement.
☐ Arrange to get your moving day off from work.
☐ Find a sitter for your children and pets for moving day.
☐ Arrange for any storage needs
Two Weeks before Moving:
☐ Ask the moving or truck rental company about any restrictions and make arrangements accordingly. Confirm their preferred payment method.
☐ Collect any belongings out for cleaning or repair or that friends have borrowed.
☐ Return library books and items borrowed from friends.
☐ Plan your meals so you will not waste the food items you have.
☐ Review your lease agreement to determine the cleaning you need to do. You may need to rent a carpet cleaner.
☐ Contact the utility companies that service your new apartment and arrange for new services.
Moving Week:
☐ Confirm your travel and sitter plans.
☐ Call your local bank and close your accounts and safe deposit box if they do not have a location near your new home. Otherwise, transfer these accounts.
☐ Order new checks with your new address.
☐ Tie up any other lose ends, like getting items from a safe deposit box and closing your P.O. Box.
☐ Clean your apartment according to your lease agreement and arrange for a walk-through with your landlord.
☐ Ensure that you have enough cash to pay (and tip) movers and for any other expenses you will incur before you reach your new apartment.
☐ Set aside cleaning supplies for last minute cleaning.
☐ Pack a bag for yourself and each of your household members. Include necessary personal items, such as clothing, toiletries, medications, and anything else you will need right away.
☐ Designate a special place for important items like birth certificates and passports.
☐ Ask your landlord to reserve a spot for your moving truck on moving day.
Moving Day:
☐ Print directions to your new apartment for yourself and anyone helping you move.
☐ Drop off your children and pets with the sitter.
☐ Set out refreshments.
☐ Move your valuables and personal items into your vehicle or another designated area. Ensure that everyone understands your moving plan.
☐ Pick up the moving truck and moving accessories, include a hand-truck, bubble wrap, and furniture covers. Inspect the truck and report any damages before leaving the rental company’s property. Put the paperwork and receipts in your moving folder.
☐ Load up the moving truck, putting big items at the back. Leave items to be used immediately at the back of the truck for easy unloading. Secure all items to minimize breakage and other damage.
☐ If you are using a moving service, give the movers specific instructions for moving and handling your belongings. Review and complete any paperwork with them. File your copy in your moving folder. Ensure that they have your new address and your cell phone number.
☐ Walk through your apartment and retrieve any left-behind belongings.
☐ Thoroughly clean the apartment and take out the trash.
☐ Follow your lease agreement or move-out checklist, turning off lights, locking all windows, and turning down the thermostat.
☐ Complete all obligations to your landlord, including the check-out walk-through. Leave the keys and your new address for him to mail your security deposit and a copy of any final paperwork.
☐ If you hired movers, get to your new apartment first to check in with your new landlord and to get your key.
☐ Ensure that your utilities have been hooked up.
☐ Unload all of your belongings.
☐ Pay and tip your movers or clean and return the rental truck and moving accessories, paying attention to the gas requirements, as some require a full tank, and others require as much as it had when you picked it up. Get a copy of any additional paperwork, and file it in your moving folder.
Within 30 Days of Moving:
☐ Get a new license or change your address if moving within the same state.
☐ Take your car to a service station for the state or county pre-registration inspection/emissions test.
☐ Register your vehicle and purchase new tags.
