Nobody enjoys moving, whether in or out, but with a bit of planning and foresight it’s manageable.
Why is it that ‘moving in’ to a new place is much more exciting than ‘moving out’? Granted both can be stressful, but somehow moving out seems much more demanding. Not only must you pack away all your stuff and prepare for arrival of the movers, but you must also leave everything clean and shining for the new tenants.
And what if you’re the property owner and these are your tenants moving out? You have your own set of stressors to manage. So, let’s look at both scenarios and consider some tips on how to survive the moving out experience.
Moving Out Tips for Landlords and Rental Property Owners
Communicate with your tenants before lease renewal – By knowing what to expect from your current tenants, you’ll have time to prepare for new renters.
Prepare for the move out – You’ll have a list of tasks to follow including inspection to assess any damages and needed repairs. If the timing is good for renovation, it could be an opportunity to increase the rental amount.
Taking possession of the property – Once you get the keys and end the lease you should check the remote of devices and make sure you have possession of everything required.
Security deposits – Make sure all the money-related things are done according to the laws. Keep the documents complete and decide with the tenant when any monies due back to the tenant will be returned.
Moving Out Tips for Tenants or Homeowners
Regardless of your reason for moving, it’s possible to streamline the moving process with a little planning. Here are some tips to help:
Start packing early – One advantage of packing up early is that you have time to go through your stuff. You can sort through things you don’t want or need. This will also mean less stuff to move.
Stay organized – Organize your boxes by room and label them so you know what’s inside. Any amount of organization will save you a lot of time rifling through boxes later, wondering where everything went. Anything related to the move, like moving truck reservations, new apartment information and movers’ contact information, should be kept in an easily accessible place.
Don’t overthink it – Be organized but don’t spend too much time and energy organizing things. If you get too methodical, you’re going to create overly elaborate systems that are either unnecessary or take more time than they’ll save.
Prioritize – Think smart when prioritizing and remember not everything has to be perfect. It’s easier to put your clothes in a large bag and sort them out at the new place. Prioritize to save your time and effort for things that really need your time and attention.
Consolidate – Don’t bother emptying your dresser drawers. In fact, add things and plastic wrap the drawer from opening. Use your suitcases to move books. Load them up, especially with heavier items, which are easier to move around on wheels. Use your shirts, sweaters, and towels as packing material rather than paper – anything to get more things in fewer containers.
Reach out – Don’t be too proud to ask your friends to help. They usually will say yes. Hire movers if it’s in the budget. The more people you have carrying boxes, the faster everything will go.
Move some things early if possible -– Does your lease start before the big moving day? Then start moving things beforehand. Even if it’s just a couple boxes or suitcases, anything you do before moving day means one less thing on moving day. Ask your new landlord to let you know when the apartment will be available – if it’s a few days before moving day, you’ll have a little extra time.
Prepare the night before – You shouldn’t have anything to do on moving day but move – it’s already a daunting enough task. Everything from cleaning out the fridge to repairing the holes in your walls to packing up every last toiletry should be done the night before. Keep some items you’ll need in a small tote and put the rest in its box. Confirm your truck rental and make sure friends know what time to arrive.
Pack the truck logically – Load your furniture and other heavy items first, then follow up with your boxes and bags. Continue loading items from biggest to smallest to ensure you can fit all the larger boxes. Anything you threw in trash bags will be able to fit in the corners left by the boxes – maximizing just how much you can fit in the truck.
Make the moving experience more manageable and less stressful with just a bit of planning.
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