Keep more of your security deposit by hiring a cleaning service yourself. This is what your property manager will end up doing, but they will certainly charge you more for it. If you don’t have the time or energy, consider hiring a cleaning service. The list of cleaning duties may be overwhelming, especially if you are moving at the last minute. One cleaning will not typically suffice – the shower may be a daily project until the surface is completely restored and may take several days to tackle. The shower and tub might need some extra TLC.Clean the oven, range and microwave thoroughly.
Pull out drawers and wash them thoroughly. Empty the fridge completely and give the interior a wipe down with warm soapy water.In the bathrooms and kitchen, the inside of the cabinets and drawers should be washed.If it’s a hard surface, be sure to wash or steam the floors. If it’s a carpeted surface, you may only need to vacuum however, after moving, you might consider hiring a carpet cleaner. Finish the room by cleaning the floors.Ask the apartment manager for the name, or if you could use a small amount from their supplies. Just make sure you use the exact same paint used by the complex. Depending on the condition, it might be time for a fresh coat of paint on the walls if your lease permits it. Patch up any holes from wall mounts with spackling paste. Check the walls for scrapes or scratches and repair the spots, as necessary.Wash any other wood items in the room and evaluate the condition of the baseboards, doors and window trim to determine if washing is sufficient, or if it’s time to do some repainting.Switches get a lot of use and get really dirty over time. Wipe down light switches from stains and fingerprints.These all have a neutral pH and are safe to use on these surfaces, she notes. Use a microfiber cloth to dust and follow up by washing the blinds or shutters with warm water and wood cleaner, floor cleaner or dish-washing liquid. Next move to the windows – vacuum window treatments, or wash and launder them, before hanging them back up.Begin by removing any cobwebs from the ceiling, track lighting or ceiling fans.This way you can easily see what’s dirty and what needs to be repaired. The best time to clean your old apartment is once you’ve removed all of your boxes and furniture. Tackle your cleaning procedures from the top of the room and working your way down. The importance of this cannot be overestimated. Remember when moving out of an apartment to always leave it exactly how you found it. Even if you thinking you’re being helpful and leaving cleaning supplies or other “necessities,” the landlord may not see it that way and charge you a cleaning fee. You don’t want to leave anything behind, whether it’s trash or a really sweet couch that you think the next tenant might like. Any unpaid fees or fines could come out of your security deposit. It’s not unusual for tenants to think they’ve paid their maintenance fees and realize they haven’t, for example. Find self-storage deals near youĮnsure that all rents and fees have been paid in full. Fail to give notice in time, and you could be on the hook paying rent for an additional month after leaving the apartment. Some leases require tenants to give 60 days notice. On a month-to-month lease term, it is typically 30 days, but make sure you give written notice at the correct time. Give Required NoticeĬheck your lease to know what’s required. Keep reading to learn how to move out of an apartment the right way. Be sure to read it carefully for any specific provisions about moving out and the return of the security deposit. Remember, this apartment move out checklist is not a substitute for the procedures outline in your lease. If you are looking to move out of your old place with your full security deposit, take the time to move out properly by following these steps: Apartment Move Out Checklist While most landlords won’t deduct for normal wear and tear, some will try and scrutinize every last inch of the apartment looking for flaws. That means if those scratches in the cabinets or holes in the wall weren’t there before, then your landlord would be able to deduct the cost of repairs from your deposit before handing it over. When you move out of an apartment you need to leave it in the same condition that it was in when you first moved in. Remember when you initially signed your lease and paid your first and last month’s rent? That’s right….you also paid a hefty security deposit. When it’s time to move on from your apartment to a new home, it’s tempting to just throw your stuff in some boxes and go.