Moving into a new house is always exciting, but the process of moving out of your old house or apartment can also be bittersweet. No matter how much you're looking forward to your new life, saying goodbye to what once was home can be sad – and stressful. A moving-out checklist can help you simplify the process of packing up your space so that you can focus on making the most of your last days in your space (or getting hyped for your new one!).
We've compiled some of the best tips for moving out to help you ensure you don't leave anything behind when starting a new chapter in your life. Let’s get started!
General Moving-Out Checklist Items
When moving out, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the different things you have to do. Break your tasks down into individual components to keep things simple and stress-free.
Before moving out, take stock of how things work at your old house. Then, you can divide the big picture into smaller items that you can more easily manage. Below are some examples of quick, approachable tasks that you can do to kickstart the move-out process.
Get adequate packing materials.
Packing up all your stuff is much easier if you make sure you have enough boxes beforehand. It's also a good idea to take stock of any fragile items you have and make sure you have the necessary packing materials (like bubble wrap and packing foam) to prevent damage during moving.
Cancel utilities.
Make sure you cancel your gas, water, electricity, and any other utilities you pay for. After all, you don't want to get more bills for utilities you're no longer using in your new house!
Cancel cable and internet services.
Likewise, make sure you cancel your cable TV and internet services for your old house. If you want to stick with the same provider, you can often update your subscription for your new address.
Update your address.
Even with so many services done online nowadays, you probably still rely on snail mail for many important functions.
Before moving, make sure you update your address with your bank, credit card companies, subscriptions, and friends and loved ones. You can also submit a change of address form with the post office to make sure that any mail sent to your old address gets forwarded to your new one.
Make any necessary repairs.
Before you move out, go around your house or apartment and identify any minor damages or blemishes that you can repair. In addition to being good etiquette for the house's new residents, this will also prevent any later repair charges from your landlord or tempt buyers to pay your asking price.
Make a first-night "go kit."
When you're packing everything up, it can be easy to accidentally bury something important deep in a box.
Set aside things you'll need for the last days at your old house or apartment and the first days at your new one — like medications, toiletries, pet treats, a child's favorite toy, and anything else you might need every day or in stressful and tiring situations.
Moving Out Checklist By Room
After going through your house-wide moving checklist, you can make checklists for each of your rooms. Let’s look at some examples.
Bedrooms
Here are a few specific items you might want to include on your bedroom packing list:
Mattresses
Desks and easy chairs
Bedside tables
Lamps
Chargers
Electronic devices
Clocks
Radios
Books
Shelves
Sheets and linens
Pillows
Beds and other furniture
Any items stored in your bedroom closet
Pro Tip: Once you pack up your bedding and furniture, look through your closet to make sure you don't leave anything behind. Also, make sure you have any bedside phone chargers that may be hidden in an outlet somewhere.
Bathrooms
These will likely be some of the last rooms you pack up, but don’t underestimate how much stuff you might have hiding in cabinets and drawers! As you prep to move out, make sure that you pack up all of your:
Towels and linens
Soaps, shampoos, cosmetics, and other toiletries
Razors and shaving items
Linens
Bathmats
Kitchen & Dining Room
Go through your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry to throw out any perishable items. Once you've gotten rid of them, you can start packing up:
Plates and bowls
Utensils
Cleaning products
Canned, preserved, and non-perishable food items
Food storage containers
Small kitchen appliances
Pots and pans
Tablecloths, napkins, and other linens
Your dining room likely has more valuable (and fragile) china, so make sure you have good packing materials to prevent damage during moving.
Living Rooms
Your living room move-out checklist can include:
TV sets
Sound systems
DVD, video game, and music collections
Chairs and sofas
Cushions
Footrests
Tables
Lamps
Framed pictures
As you pack up your main living space, we recommend removing any furniture (as best as you can) to make it easier to move your electronics later.
Get Help With Moving Out in Austin
Moving out is always much easier when you have the best moving partners to help. The team here at MASH Movers features some of the best residential movers Austin, Texas, has to offer.
We’re your friendly community moving company with a passion for helping folks just like you have a stress-free, positive experience. If you are moving around the Austin area, get in touch with MASH Movers today!