Use This To-Do List For Moving Out Of Your Apartment

Preparing for move-out day is definitely not a walk in the park. It’s often stressful and exhausting, but there’s also an upside: you have an opportunity to make a new home for yourself in a new place. If you will soon be moving into one of many available Los Angeles apartments, be sure that you take the time to organize your move, from start to finish.

Photo By: Steven Hart

The best thing you can do to make your moving easier is to make a to-do list. Feel free to modify, omit, and add to the items on it but here’s one to get you started as you plan the big move!

Two months prior

1. Come up with a timeline. If you need to be out of your old place and into Los Angeles apartments by October 1st, you’ll need to seriously start planning your move now.
2. Notify your landlord. Check your lease to see how much notice is required by the landlord or management company of your apartment complex. Generally, leases require notification of 30 to 60 days, which will allow the landlord ample time to re-rent your place.
3. Come up with a search area. Buy a map and highlight the areas that are most desirable to you. If you want to live only a certain amount of miles from your job, for instance, or if you have children and want them to go to a specific school – map your boundaries accordingly.
4. Start your search. If you are looking for Los Angeles apartments, it helps to consult the web and drive around in your desired area. But don’t forget to ask people you trust for referrals. This is a great way to find out firsthand how an apartment complex is managed, its benefits, and potential pitfalls.
5. Reserve a truck. If you plan to move yourself, now is the time to call a moving truck rental company and reserve the vehicle that you’ll need. If you plan on being moved by a company, begin calling for quotes immediately. If you’ll need moving help, ask for it now – check with co-workers, family and friends. Line up plenty of assistance so that moving day will be as easy as possible.

Six weeks prior:

1. Start organizing your stuff. Make a packing list of all the stuff that you are going to take with you to your Los Angeles apartments. Plan to donate or sell everything that you don’t want to take with you.
2. Begin collecting packing supplies. Boxes, tape and packing material can easily be purchased, but this can get pretty expensive. Consider asking friends and neighbors for empties, or collecting broken down boxes at grocery or retail stores. Don’t wait until the last minute to begin this important step – it’s hard to find boxes in a hurry.

One month prior:

1. Arrange for utility companies in Los Angeles to turn on service in your apartment. Schedule the utilities to be turned on in your name the day before you move.
2. Go to the post office and file a change of address form. If you don’t know your address at this point, the post office can hold your mail for you until you do.
3. Begin to pack the things that you won’t need on or before moving day. Be organized, make packing lists of what items are in what box, and enlist everyone you can to give you moving help.

One week prior:

Plan to have the majority of the packing done and prepare a few boxes with things such as kitchen essentials that you will need immediately. Mark these boxes “Load Last” so they are handy when you arrive at your new Los Angeles apartment. Also pack a suitcase with a few changes of clothes and toiletries so that you won’t have to hunt for these things when you need them.

• How to Clean Your Apartment Before Moving Out
• Moving and Packing Supplies List
• What to Include in Your Essentials Box

By now it’s moving day – and there’s no doubt you’ll be ready to go! Once you move everything out of the old place, double check every room, cabinet and closet. Give the place a once-over cleaning, vacuuming the carpet if necessary. Then head to your new place – you’ve got some major work to do – but feel free to relax at least at little — it’s YOURS!

This entry is filed under Apartment Basics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.