A move goes better with a timeline. This checklist spreads the work across about eight weeks so you are not packing your kitchen at midnight. Adjust the timing to fit your lease dates and how much stuff you have.
Work through the list in order and check items off as you go. If your timeline is shorter, compress the early stages first, and protect the items about notices, deposits, and inspections, because those carry deadlines and legal weight.
Eight weeks out
- Confirm your move-out date and the notice your current lease requires, and give that notice in writing.
- Set a moving budget covering a truck, boxes, tape, packing supplies, and any new deposits or setup fees.
- Research moving companies or reserve a rental truck, and get quotes or confirmations in writing.
- Start a folder for move paperwork: your lease, receipts, and an inventory of valuables.
- Begin decluttering one room at a time. Sell, donate, or recycle what you will not take.
Six weeks out
- Measure doorways, hallways, and stairwells at the new place for large furniture.
- Schedule the move-in inspection and confirm how and when you get keys.
- Arrange utility start and stop dates for electricity, gas, water, and internet.
- File a change of address with the post office and update your banks, employer, and any recurring services you pay for.
- Notify your current landlord in writing if you have not already done so.
Four weeks out
- Book the elevator or loading dock at both buildings if either requires it.
- Gather packing supplies and start packing items you rarely use.
- Confirm renters insurance for the new address.
- Transfer or set up school and childcare arrangements.
- Return anything you borrowed and collect anything you lent out.
Two weeks out
- Reconfirm the movers or truck reservation and share the exact address.
- Pack room by room, labeling each box with its room and a short contents list.
- Set aside a first-night box with bedding, toiletries, chargers, and basic kitchen items.
- Defrost the freezer and clean appliances if your lease requires it.
- Cancel or transfer local services and memberships you will not keep.
Final week
- Finish packing, leaving only daily essentials out.
- Clean the old place to the standard set out in your lease.
- Take dated photos after cleaning, before you hand back the keys.
- Confirm final utility readings and give a forwarding address for your deposit.
- Pack a bag with documents, medications, chargers, and snacks for moving day.
Move-in day
- Do a walk-through with the condition report and note any existing damage.
- Photograph every room and any damage you found.
- Confirm that smoke and carbon monoxide alarms work.
- Locate the breaker box, water shutoff, and thermostat.
- Keep the signed condition report and your photos in the move folder.
First week
- Unpack essentials first: kitchen, bathroom, and bedding.
- Test appliances, outlets, and fixtures, and report problems promptly in writing.
- Update your address for voter registration, insurance, and licenses.
- Find the building contact for questions and meet a neighbor if you can.
Getting your security deposit back
Ask for a written move-out checklist and follow it exactly. Give proper written notice, return the keys as instructed, and provide a forwarding address for the deposit. Keep your photos, receipts, and condition report until the deposit is returned. If the deadline passes without a payment or an explanation, follow up in writing first. When you are choosing your next place, start with our state directory and the guide to choosing an apartment.
Common moving-day pitfalls
A few problems come up again and again. Boxes get packed without labels, so the coffee maker stays lost for a week. Someone forgets to reserve the elevator, and the move stalls in a hallway. A final walk-through is skipped, and a deposit dispute starts the next month. Keep your move folder within reach, charge your phone the night before, and confirm the truck or movers the day before. If something goes wrong, write down what happened and take photos while the details are fresh.