Step-by-Step Guide For Moving (Without Going Crazy)
You know what sucks? Moving. We all know it. And it’s better to just go ahead and say it right at the beginning so we can all stop thinking about it. Moving. Sucks. So, now that that’s out of the way… I’m moving! Yay, woo, exciting, only slightly sucky!
Next week, I’ll be moving into my 7th apartment in 3 years. Seven apartments in three years!! I’ve taken everything I own and moved it to 6 (soon to be 7) different locations across 2 different states in just 36 months. That’s crazy. And while that definitely makes me sound like a bit of a masochist, let me just say that it hasn’t been completely terrible. The upside of moving a bunch, is that I’ve gotten pretty good at the whole moving process and practically have it down to a science.
My first couple apartments came fully furnished (thank you student housing!) so basically all I had to worry about at the end of my lease was my minimal supply of kitchen utensils and my majorly overstuffed closet.
In my first apartment after college, I sold all of my furniture right before I moved. Why? Because redecorating is a whole lot more fun than carrying stuff up and down stairs all day.
Now for this move, I’m not getting rid of much, so I’ll have 5 rooms worth of crap belongings to transport. So I've stepped up my moving game and created a foolproof method for surving the moving madness.
Your Step-by-Step Guide To Moving, Getting Your Security Deposit Back, & Keeping Your Sanity!
(1) Make A Plan
Make a plan for how you are going to execute your move. Do you need to buy boxes? Hire movers? Rent a Uhaul? Figure all of those details out first and get them scheduled/started/etc. The last thing you want on moving day is to remember that you forgot to hire movers!
For my fellow Austinites, there’s a really awesome startup called Peace Of Home that helps streamline your entire moving process! Peace Of Home connects you with apartment locators, movers, & interior designers/decorators all in one platform so you don’t have to open a ton of tabs shopping around and comparing companies. You enter your info and they connect you with a professional that fits your needs! The platform is super easy to use, has everything you need conveniently in one spot, and best of all, it’s free!!
Another part of the process that you’ll definitely want to plan out is how you’re going to pack your home. I like to start in the least used room and work my way to rooms that are frequently used like the kitchen and my office. Moving room-by-room instead of working haphazardly helps me stay much more organized and I don’t feel like I’m living in a disaster zone. Once the first room is complete, I use that as my staging area for boxes while I work my way through the rest of the rooms.
(2) Discard, Donate, or Sell
Go through your home and get rid of old junk—things you don’t need, haven’t touched in ages, or know you won’t use in your new place. Getting rid of stuff you don’t want means less packing! Do this as you go room-by-room so you’re only having to go through things once.
I like to start by trying to sell anything I think still has value. Facebook Marketplace has been a lifesaver for this and it’s super easy to make cash quickly depending on where you live and what type of items you’re selling. I’ve used other apps like Offer Up and Let Go before, but I always have the best luck on FM.
After I’ve sold all that I can, I donate anything that’s still usable and throw away things that aren’t. I’d also like to add, make sure to actually throw away the things you don’t want. Don’t just leave them behind in your apartment because most places will charge you a trash removal fee for any items left after you turn your keys in.
(3) Make An ‘Essentials’ Box
Pack a small box of essentials that you want easy access to during the move. On the days before and after moving day, everything is usually all packed up making it kind of hard to access your stuff. Even the things you really need, like spackle for that nail hole you missed… or toilet paper. So, for (obvious) reasons, my essentials box consists of:
A weekend bag (2 outfits—just comfy stuff that I don’t mind getting dirty, body wash, deodorant, toothbrush & toothpaste, phone & laptop chargers)
A roll of TP for each bathroom in the new place
Toolkit
Spackle
Measuring tape
Packing tape
You don’t need a ton of stuff in your essentials box, just the basics to get you through the moving out to moving in. Make sure you label this box clearly so it doesn’t get mixed up with anything else. I like to keep it in my car instead of the moving van for easy access.
(4) Pack Smart
Now that we’ve gotten rid of that stuff we don’t want and set aside the things we really need, time to pack up everyyything else. You probably already know how to pack most of your things, so I’ll just give you a few of the best tricks I’ve picked up over the years. Most of them pertain to clothes since that’s always the majority of my stuff, but the tips will work for any others fabrics item too, like sheets and towels.
Color Coding
Color coding your box labels makes it super simple to tell where everything goes. I use these labels from Amazon on each box and then stick one on each door in my new place. There are labels for each room type and ‘Fragile’ stickers. The labels really help everything run smoothly for placement, but you should still be sure to list the contents of each box on the outside for when it’s time to unpack.
*Note: Kayla Simone Home is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. By using my link to make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products/brands that I love and would use in my own home or client projects.*
Hanging Clothes
Leave these on the hangers and use black trash bags to keep multiple items protected and secured. I gather a handful of clothes while they’re still hanging, slide the trash bag over them from the bottom and pull it up to the hanger. Cinch the bag & tie the drawstrings tightly around the hangers. Now you can transport a bunch of clothing items at once while keeping them protected. You won’t have to worry about folding them just to unfold them later and you saved yourself a box!
Clothes In Drawers
If your dresser is somewhat light, you/your movers can move it with all of the clothes and drawers still in it. Wrap plastic wrap all around the outside of the the dresser to hold the drawers in place so they don’t slide out during transport.
If your dresser is too heavy to move while full, remove the drawers. Wrap each drawer with plastic wrap to keep the clothes from falling out and just load them in the van individually.
Use Your Suitcases
Suitcases are made for carrying clothes from one place to another (duh), so don’t leave them empty! Use your suitcases instead of boxes to move clothes, shoes, or other items.
Vacuum Bags
Clothing can take up a lot of space, especially bulkier items like coats and sweaters. For these items, I make my own vacuum bags. Fill trash bag about 3/4 of the way, leaving space to tie the bag. Use the hose attachment on your vacuum to suck the excess air out of the bag. Make sure to hold a tight seal around the top of the bag so air doesn’t rush back in. Once all of the air is out, tie off the top of the bag.
(5) Repair Damages
The easiest way to ensure you get your full deposit back is just to leave the apartment in the same (if not better) condition than you found it. Patch any holes you made, repaint any walls you changed, and make sure everything is in working condition. If anything isn’t working in the apartment, it’s always better to place a work order for it before you move out (if your apartment has this option) than to be charged for it later. Most of the time, maintenance staff will repair minor damages/wear and tear issues for free during your lease. Afterwards, however, you’re gong to have to pay up.
(6) Clean Everything
Every property and landlord has different rules about what a proper “move-out clean” should be. I’ve lived places that required us to sweep behind the oven and fridge for every last crumb and I’ve lived placed that only required a quick Clorox wipe-down. I always advise erring on the side of caution and leaning as much as you can.
Basic Cleaning
A typical cleaning checklist that every property manager will probably enforce includes:
Sweep/vacuum floors
Windex the mirrors
Empty and wipe down the inside of the fridge
Clean the inside of the microwave
Turn off the ice machine in the freezer
Clean bathrooms (make sure they’re sparkling!)
Deep Cleaning
In addition to the basic cleaning checklist, here are a couple more “deep clean” items I recommend doing so you aren’t hit with any surprise cleaning fees. It may seem annoying to put time into cleaning a place you’re not going to live in, but it will usually cost you a lot less to just clean the apartment yourself. Apartment cleaning fees usually have some amount of markup and who wants to pay an extra $75 for not wiping out the oven? Not me.
Clean the inside of the oven. Get all the grease off of the door, walls, and racks.
Wipe down the fan blades
Dust the blinds, windowsills, transoms
Mop the hard floors
Clean the carpets
(7) Don’t Skip The Walk-Through
If your property manager/landlord offers a move-out walk through, do it! I like to schedule this with the office ahead of time, either for the day before my lease ends or early on the morning of. This way I still have time to do any last minute cleaning/fixes that they notice or I forgot.
(8) Update Your Address
Don’t forget to update your mailing address with your new address. Major places you want to be sure to update are:
USPS
Your bank/credit cards
Voter Registration
Subscriptions
Renter’s Insurance
Also be sure to give you new address to your old property manager so they know where to send your refunded security deposit!
Now that you’re packed & ready to move, check back next week for more tips on what to do after you move in. Like most importantly, have you thought about how you’re going to decorate? Book a free design consultation with me and get your home looking amazing right from the beginning!
