Everything You Must Do When Moving Out of Your Apartment   

Renting an apartment is not as easy as some people would think. It also entails some things on your end. You need to take good care of the things like tools, equipment, appliances — clearly the whole space when you rent as you do not own any of these in your apartment. Now, when leaving and moving to a new one, most people are tempted to just leave the space, throw in some boxes, and just disappear. However, if you know what it takes to be a good renter, you recognize the appropriate steps to take before leaving.   

You pay a security deposit when you rent a space, and the only time you will get hold of this money again is when you move out. When the landlord notices some damages and issues in the space, he or she may deduct the damage costs from your security deposit. This is why it is important you ensure there are no damages and issues in the space you rented before leaving. Of course, you also would not want to have a bad record, would you?  

Here are the things you need to do before leaving your apartment and moving to a new one:  

1. Give notice prior to leaving – it is important — and is part of the policy — that you give notice to your landlord before you leave the space. Some leases would require you to give prior notice 30 days, while others would require 60 days. Make sure that you communicate with your landlord about this.   
2. Clean the space – as the tenant of the apartment, you have the responsibility to keep the place clean similar to when you arrive and first rented the place has the expertise and tools to ensure that you leave no trace while making the whole space clean and organized. All you need to do is to wait for them to clean all the mess and clutter for you.  
3. Pay all the remaining balance – while it is tempting to just go and forgetting about your balance in rent, do not do this. Check your balance and pay everything that needs to be paid before you go. This will save your reputation.   
4. Take your things with you – you do not want to leave any traces, so make sure you bring with you your important things and stuff. This will also lessen the burden on your landlord to remove materials for the next tenant. Before leaving, have a checklist and make sure you have with you everything you need and want (of course, do not bring those that you do not own).  
5. Schedule with your landlord a pre-move-out inspection – to ensure you have not broken and damaged their property and things, your landlord needs to do a move-out inspection. Schedule beforehand upon giving notice of move out. Moreover, fix some damages prior to the inspection schedule.   

By following all the steps we have shared with you, you will be, for sure, keep your name and reputation good.