# Moving out checklist

> On moving-out day, empty every cupboard, closet and drawer, clean the kitchen and bathroom, take final meter readings, switch off appliances and water as your lease or buyer requires, close and lock all windows and doors, photograph every empty room, and hand over all keys, fobs and garage remotes. Keep the photos and readings until your deposit or sale is fully settled.

By the end of a move you're exhausted, the truck is waiting, and the empty rooms all look finished. That's when the cupboard above the fridge gets missed, the bathroom window stays open, and nobody writes down the meter reading.

This list covers the last stretch, after the boxes are packed. It's about leaving the place in the state your lease or sale contract expects and keeping a record that proves it. Photos and dated readings are what you'll need if a landlord disputes the deposit two months later.

## A couple of weeks before

- [ ] Forwarding address set up with the postal service
- [ ] Utilities scheduled to stop the day after you leave
- [ ] Internet cancelled or moved, router return arranged
- [ ] Move-out inspection booked with the landlord or agent
- [ ] Lease checked for cleaning and repair requirements

## Empty everything

- [ ] Every kitchen cupboard, including the high ones
- [ ] Fridge and freezer emptied and wiped
- [ ] Oven and dishwasher checked for trays and racks you own
- [ ] Bathroom cabinets and under the sink
- [ ] Closets, including top shelves
- [ ] Attic, basement, shed and storage locker
- [ ] Mailbox emptied

## Clean

- [ ] Oven and stovetop
- [ ] Fridge left clean, and open if it's being switched off
- [ ] Bathroom: toilet, shower, sink and mirrors
- [ ] Floors vacuumed and mopped
- [ ] Nail holes filled, if your lease requires it
- [ ] Trash removed, including any left by the bins outside

## Shut down

- [ ] Final meter readings for electricity, gas and water (Photograph each meter so the date and number are on record.) [worth a photo]
- [ ] Stove and oven off [worth a photo]
- [ ] All taps off [worth a photo]
- [ ] Thermostat set as the landlord or buyer asked [worth a photo]
- [ ] Lights off
- [ ] Every window closed and latched [worth a photo]

## Walk-through and keys

- [ ] Photo or short video of every empty room (Include floors, walls and inside appliances.) [worth a photo]
- [ ] Back door locked [worth a photo]
- [ ] Garage door closed [worth a photo]
- [ ] Front door locked [worth a photo]
- [ ] All keys, fobs, garage remotes and mailbox keys handed over [worth a photo]
- [ ] Written confirmation of handover from the landlord or agent

## Tips

- Do your photo walk-through after cleaning and before handing over the keys. Once the keys are gone, you can't go back in for a better shot.
- Open every cupboard door and leave it open as you check it. A closed door at the end is one you missed.
- Count your keys against the number listed in your lease. Missing keys are a common deposit deduction.
- Keep the meter photos and room photos in one folder until your deposit is back in your account.

## Questions people ask

### What should I do on my last day before moving out?

Empty and clean every room, take final meter readings, switch off appliances, close windows, lock the doors, photograph the empty rooms and hand in every key.

### How do I make sure I get my security deposit back?

Follow the cleaning and repair terms in your lease, document the condition with dated photos, and attend the move-out inspection if you can. Compare against your move-in photos if you have them.

### Should I turn off the utilities when I move out?

Arrange for your accounts to close the day after you leave rather than switching things off at the source. Ask the landlord whether they want the water or heating left on.

### Do I need to clean the oven when moving out?

Most leases expect the oven to be returned in the state it was handed over, which usually means clean. It's one of the most common reasons for cleaning charges.

---

Source: https://getoneloop.app/checklists/moving-out
One Loop for iPhone: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/one-loop-proof-you-did-it/id6802970270