5 Things to do Before Moving Out of Your Rental
Moving day is typical a pretty stressful yet exciting time in anyone’s life. From finding the perfect new home to making sure kids are enrolled in new schools, there are so many things that need to be taken care of. It can often feel a bit overwhelming. So overwhelming sometimes that we forget there are things to do at our current home before we leave. That is why we have taken the time to find the top five things everyone should do before moving out of their rental home.
Create a Schedule
One of the top things can that help alleviate some of the stresses that come along with moving is to create a schedule that everyone can stick to. First on the schedule should be the day in which you need to remember to have the utilities switched to your new location. Be careful and make sure that you don’t get then switched too early, otherwise you may find yourself without working electricity. This can be a nightmare.
Another thing that you may find helpful to create a schedule for is packing of belongings. Everything from kids clothing to the contents under your sink (if you’re taking them with you). Make sure everyone knows the schedule and most importantly, has everything prepared by the time moving day comes.
Go Over Your Lease
Before beginning the moving out process, we strongly recommend giving your lease a once over to make sure you’ve help up your obligations as listed in the agreement. The biggest thing to take into consideration is your security deposit. What are all the terms that surround the return of your deposit? If this includes fixing damage, or giving proper notice, you need to make sure you are paying close attention. This is a signed, contractual agreement and you need to make sure your are fulfilling your part of that agreement.
Repair Any Damage
If you have lived in your rental home for a long time, there is a pretty good chance you and your family have caused some wear and tear. You want to make sure you check out the flooring. If it is hardwood or laminate flooring look for damage that did not exist at the time of move in. If it is carpet, do the exact same thing. It is important to locate these areas and if you cannot fix them, report them to your landlord. Anything that you find that can be repaired, you want to make sure you do this.
Repaint Walls
Most of the time, it is extremely helpful if you were to paint all the walls once you have repaired any damage. Even if there wasn’t extensive damage that needed fixing, it is often a smart idea to go ahead and paint the place back to the way it was when you moved in.
Clean
Once you have packed, and repaired, and painted, it is time to clean clean clean. Once you have cleaned your rental home, look it over for missed spots, and clean those. Sometimes it is important to live by the thought process of, “If you’ve cleaned it once, it is time to clean it again”. Nothing is “too much” when you’re talking about getting your security deposit back.
If you have any questions about your current rental agreement, it is important to reach out to your landlord and ask for clarification. You want to make sure you know exactly what you need to do before you move out in order to get that deposit back.
Buckeye Northwest Realty works closely with our tenants to ensure everyone is on the same page come moving day, however if you have any questions please feel free to contact us today!
