6 essential tips for moving out of a rental property

Moving out of your rental home can be a super stressful time but with a little forward planning, it's totally possible to make it through with your sanity intact! Check out these 6 essential tips to avoid moving home overwhelm while saving time and money.

Create a schedule

Successfully pulling off a big move takes a lot of planning.

There may be no such thing as a completely stress-free move but there are definitely things you can do to make the process smoother. Create a checklist of everything that needs to be done prior to the move and schedule in dates for things like repairs, packing and decluttering.

Book any service providers, like professional movers or cleaners, as early as possible to give you time to contact a few to compare quotes and availability.

Declutter

Moving home is the ideal time to deeply declutter your home. The idea of decluttering and moving may sound a little overwhelming but I promise you’ll reap the benefits of saved time and money in the long run.

Whether you’re moving yourself or hiring professional movers, if you move a bunch of stuff you don’t actually need from one place to another is just a waste of money. Plus all the packing and unpacking adds up to hours of time shuffling things around you don’t even use.

Paying for storage of household items that you haven’t touched since 1992 but are saving ‘just in case’ doesn’t make financial sense either. If you’re moving to a home smaller than your current one, these storage costs will blow out, why waste money holding onto stuff you really don’t need?

The more time you have to go through the decluttering process before you move, the better, so start as soon as you can.

Repair any damages

If you want your bond / security deposit returned in full, you’ll need to restore your rental to the condition it was in when you moved in.

Set aside some time to thoroughly inspect each room and area for damages that occurred during your lease. Simple things like scuff marks on the wall you can likely fix yourself but for more extensive issues like broken windows or electrical damage, you’ll need to call in the professionals.

For this reason, it’s a good idea to check over for damage at least a few weeks prior to the move day, so your not scrambling around to get contractors at the last minute.

Pack methodically

When it comes to packing, taking a methodical approach will save you time and stress.

Identify the most time-consuming rooms in the house, places you store items like the home office, spare room, garage or closets. Start with these spaces so you’re not rushing at the last minute trying to tackle a room full of stuff, especially paperwork.

Start your packing mission with the non-essentials and as move day approaches pack up items you use more frequently. Leave the absolute essentials - kitchenware, linens, cleaning items and some clothes - until last.

It’s a good idea to organise a whole stack of boxes for moving before you start the packing process, rather than a few at a time, so you can keep up the momentum.

Label all of your boxes with their category and contents, this will be a lifesaver at the other end when you’re trying to find essentials like the kettle and bed linens.

Deep clean

Now you’re all packed up and repairs around the house are complete, it’s time for a deep clean of the property. Your lease contract may require an end of lease cleaning company to professionally clean the property, or you may choose to do it on your own.

Never underestimate how long an end of lease clean will take! This isn’t just a quick wipe down of the kitchen sink and once over with the vacuum cleaner.

You may think you’re saving money by doing it yourself, but often calling in the bond cleaning professionals is the best way to go. If an extra picky estate agent decides the clean you did yourself isn’t good enough, they may call a cleaning company to finish the job - a cost you’ll need to pay for anyway.

If you’re determined to do it yourself, download this end of lease cleaning checklist to ensure you’ve got everything covered.

Disconnect and connect all utilities

It’s not the most fun task, but it’s absolutely one of the most important and shouldn’t be left until the last minute! If you’re not organised with your new utility connections you might spend a few days in your new home without electricity, gas or the internet while you wait for the new services to be turned or installed.

Make a list of all your current service providers and contact them to let them know your move dates. Arrange for the service to be put on in your new home and also disconnected in the rental you’ll be moving out of.

Ask for a status on outstanding balances and the cost of any connection fees, so your move budget isn’t stung with a last-minute surprise. Don’t forget to schedule your mail redirection in advance too, so no important or confidential mail is sent to your old address.

I hope these tips have shown you with a little pre-planning, you can avoid overwhelm and instead feel confident and organised in the lead up to your big move.

Elesha Piper is a freelance writer working with small businesses and startups in the areas of home maintenance, finance, travel, personal development and natural health and wellness. Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/elesha-piper-328914133/