The answer is to be prepared. Proactivity will reduce your stress and help achieve an anxiety-free move. So whether you are considering relocating to a Tampa rental, a home in San Diego, or a cozy Phoenix apartment, following along with this Rent. moving checklist will keep you moving forward.
Renting a new home
Before you pack up your life, it’s probably a good idea to know where you’re heading. Once you know where you’ll end up, you’ll have a much better idea of how to plan your packing and moving strategy.
1. Decide what you’re looking for
When searching for a new home, it’s important to know what you want. Are you upsizing, downsizing, or looking for the same square footage? How far from work or school or family do you want to be? And most significantly, how much are you willing to pay?
There are many online search engines, such as the Rent.com search, where you can search for desired features to help narrow your search. It’s also helpful to do a search for leasing agents and real estate professionals familiar with the area that you plan to move to. A local expert can guide your home search and help ease the stress of finding a place to live.
2. Put your best financial foot forward
When you find a selection of homes you’re interested in, it’s not as simple as picking one and signing on the dotted line. Your potential new landlord will need to decide if you’ll be a good tenant and do a deep dive into your finances.
Your credit score is often held up as the key to your financial acceptance. However, what a future landlord really wants to see is if your monthly salary is about 2.5 to 3 times the apartment’s rent, you don’t have a history of delinquent payments and haven’t been previously evicted.
Be sure to calculate your gross income to figure out your available rent budget. Also keep in mind that if you are stuck between renting and buying a home, there are resources and experts available to help make your decision.
“With average rent in Toronto reaching $2,239 per month, plus annual costs like insurance, utilities, and moving expenses, renters are spending tens of thousands yearly without building equity. At Lendworth, we turn your rent budget into a mortgage opportunity — helping you become a homeowner faster with flexible private lending solutions,” shares the team at Lendworth. It’s important to explore your options before making a decision, you may have more opportunities to acquire your dream home than you think!
3. Keep your eye on the prize
And when you do stumble onto your possibly perfect home, don’t get starry-eyed at all the awesome amenities and extras. Don’t lose sight of the small things you really can’t live without.
Look past that cool techy fridge and make sure there are enough power outlets and cable hookups, a good parking spot, a strong cell signal and the right amount of water pressure in the shower.
4. Don’t drown in application fees
The first time you contact an apartment you’re interested in, ask if there’s an application fee. You might find a slew of great apartments that meet your demands, but you still have to be discerning. The more apartments you apply to, the more you’re going to shell out in fees.
That being said, in high-demand areas, you might have to put an application in right away to secure an apartment everyone wants before it’s gone. So start your search early to get ahead of the curve!
5. Give appropriate notice
Before you sign any new lease or make plans to move out, carefully look at your current lease and be sure you’re following your non-renewal or early-termination clauses to a tee. See how far in advance you need to give your landlord notice, and if you have to do it in writing. Follow all rules to restore your apartment to good condition. Fail to follow these guidelines and you may incur penalties or loss of deposit.
6. Take a breather before you sign on the dotted line
Ninety percent of all leases are standard, and even among that other 10 percent, 90 percent of those will be boilerplate. But for any lease, be aware of any and all rules and procedures contained therein. Look for things like pet deposits, late fees, visitor rules, termination guidelines and other important clauses, and make sure it’s all copacetic to you.
Yes, leases are long and full of legalese, but don’t sign anything until you fully understand everything in it. And if you have questions, ask.
7. Research moving costs
Hiring movers can be expensive, but depending on your specific situation, the money might be worth it. At the least, moving yourself involves packing, loading, driving and unloading a rented truck, and unpacking at your new home. Performing these tasks without driving yourself crazy can be a tough ask.
If you decide to go with a mover, do a ton of research and read reviews. “Given the moving industry’s low margins and rising costs, it’s important to understand that moving prices should be somewhat consistent across reputable providers,” advises Dirk Perdrix from We Move Anywhere. “It’s wise to be cautious of estimates that seem too good to be true. For a helpful comparison, we suggest pricing out your move on the U-Haul website to see what a self-move might cost. This can provide valuable perspective on the expenses involved in a long-distance move.”
If you’re moving on your own, start looking at trucks and asking favors of friends. In either case, you should have your truck reserved or your moving company hired at least four weeks before your move to prevent elevated moving expenses.
The last month before moving
1. Finalize your moving plans
Whether you have decided on moving yourself, hiring professionals or a hybrid move, solidifying your plan at least a month in advance of your move is best. Depending on your area, the cost of moving will vary. While some areas will see increased moving costs this moving season, Ross Levener from Lexel Moving shares that some areas will see a reprieve:
“At Lexel Moving, a Boston-based company, we’re noticing a slower-than-usual start to the 2025 moving season. Moving costs have dropped 15–20% from their pandemic-era peak, settling back to pre-pandemic averages.
Stable gas prices have helped us keep variable expenses in check, and a healthier labor market has made it easier to recruit and build strong moving teams for the upcoming summer.”
Ensuring that you have allocated funds for both expected and unexpected moving costs is an important step in finalizing your moving plans. Nothing is worse than scrambling to cover costs of unexpected expenses!
2. Know what’s going and what isn’t
It’s time to take inventory of everything in your house. Go room to room, corner to corner, and decide what’s going to your new place, what’s getting donated and what’s getting trashed.
Once you have an idea of how much stuff is moving with you, you can figure out how big a truck you need and how much it’s going to cost. The team at Sweet Home Movers Chicago shares that when planning your move, it’s important to account for distance and home size:
Distance
“This one’s simple — the farther you’re moving, the more it will cost. Local moves are usually billed by the hour, while long-distance moves are often priced based on weight and mileage.
Home size
More rooms = more furniture = more time and effort. A studio move is quicker and cheaper than relocating a 3-bedroom house full of belongings. Be prepared for higher costs if you’re moving from a larger space or if you have many heavy or fragile items.”
3. Stacking boxes
Now that you know how much stuff you’re moving, you can figure out how many boxes you’re going to need to put it all in. Then, take that number and increase it by 25 percent just to be safe. If needed you can buy all the boxes you need at the local U-Haul dealer, office superstore or from Amazon.
To save some money, get creative. Talk to the manager at your supermarket or at the dollar store to see if you can grab some from them before they break them down. See what the shipping manager at your work has stashed away. And don’t forget the packing tape, bubble wrap and color-coded labels.
4. Connect yourself
Before you even hit the road, contact all the utility providers in your new neighborhood and schedule connections. Call the water, sewer, power, and trash collection companies and give them a service start date. If you’re moving to an area with the same cable and internet company you’re already using, they’ll make the transition almost seamless. If it’s a new one, ask about new subscriber deals and set up a home service call.
Go to usps.com and arrange a forwarding day for your mail. And connect with your credit card company and insurance providers to update to your new address. Additionally, don’t forget to close out any safe deposit boxes and storage units, update pet ID tags, and get a copy of your medical records from your doctor (as well as a recommendation for a new one).
5. Calculate additional packing and moving costs
You know what you’re bringing, you have your boxes, and you have your handy packing tape gun. It’s time to start packing. Make your unpacking easier by being organized when you pack it up. Every room gets its own boxes, and every box gets its own label.
Use more bubble wrap and packing peanuts than you think you need because nothing puts a damper on move-in day like broken dishes. Get specialty boxes for expensive and big items like your TVs and delicate heirlooms. Start with the things you won’t need over the next few weeks and keep packing as you get closer.
6. Moving your pets
If you are moving with pets, planning for their needs ahead of your move date can help keep them as safe and calm as possible during a time of stressful transition. Experts at TripsWithPets specialize in finding pet-friendly hotels for your furry friends, and note that “Finding pet-friendly hotels along your travel route can be tricky and time-consuming. That’s where we come in! Let us do the legwork for you to secure places to stay along your route or at your final destination that will welcome ALL your pets.”
Whether you are moving across town or across the country, having a pet-safe space to house your animals can give you peace of mind during your relocation.
The final week before
1. Enlist help
If you’re moving on your own, employ friends and neighbors to help. Lifting stuff all day will hurt your back and arms, even with an army of hand trucks. At the very least, your friends and family can help keep you sane and on track, as well as help you back up the truck without hitting anything.
Even if you’re using movers, there’s always help to be had. Let your friends get lunch or help pack your personal car. And if you have kids or pets, let friends babysit so you don’t have to move all your stuff with them kids underfoot. Start asking now (and bribe with pizza).
2. Gather the last-minute items
Obviously, not everything is going on the truck, whether it’s the pros or a U-Haul. Start making up your keep-with-you boxes for stuff you’ll need as soon as you get to your destination or want to stay near you.
Safely pack up items you’re afraid will be lost or break, like antiques, climate-susceptible artwork, expensive jewelry, collectibles, and family heirlooms. Make a space in your car for important documents such as legal papers, insurance, medical and financial records, mortgage and rental papers, birth certificates, prescriptions, passports, and moving contracts.
And then, also pack a move-in box with immediate needs like toilet paper, fresh clothes, batteries, box-cutters, food for your pets, and toys for the kids.
3. Post-move cleaning
You’ll need to get all remaining trash out of your home and do a clean before you return your keys to your old landlord. Opting to clean yourself is a budget-conscious decision, but there are significant perks to hiring a professional to do the final clean. It saves time, energy, and mental bandwidth that is already depleted in the typical move.
Dan from Clean Pixel provides valuable insight into cleaning costs, sharing that “In 2025, we’re seeing a significant shift in post-move cleaning costs, with professional deep cleaning services now averaging $350-450 for a standard 3-bedroom home. To reduce these expenses, schedule your move midweek when cleaning services typically offer 15-20% discounts compared to weekend rates.
Smart movers are increasingly booking cleaning services through apps that offer bundled services – combining move-out cleaning with carpet treatment and window washing can save up to 30% versus booking these services separately.”
Leftover belongings or an uncleaned dishwasher could result in forfeiture of a portion of your security deposit.
4. Make some room for the truck
Regardless of whether you’re renting a box truck or the moving company is bringing in a semi, you’re going to have to make room. In an apartment building or complex, ask your landlord or building supervisor for the best place for the truck to park (preferably near an exit or elevator) and have them set aside the space.
If you have a driveway, clear it out and move your car. If you’re in a residential neighborhood and will use the street, ask your neighbors to leave the spaces clear and set up cones if you can (in general, it’s a good idea to inform your neighbors that their access might be blocked or hindered). And if you’re in the city, find out if you need any sort of permits from the city to park (or double park) in the street and what the best spot is to not obstruct traffic.
5. Prep your pets for move-out day
There are several things you can prepare in advance to make move-out day as stress-free as possible for your furry companions. “To make your move with pets smoother, inspect your new home for pet-safe features like secure fences and non-toxic plants, creating a safe haven from day one,” says the team at Aerie Realty.
They continue by saying, “Design a cozy pet zone with their favorite bed, toys, and a water bowl to ease their transition and make it feel like home instantly. Book a vet appointment within the first week to update vaccinations, check for stress-related issues, and get tailored advice for your pet’s adjustment to the new environment.”
Move out day
1. Track your movers
If you did hire movers, be in touch with the office or the driver starting first thing in the morning. Get an update on the time you expect them and how many people they’re bringing, as well as confirm any addresses to which they will be transporting items to and from. As the movers carry your stuff in and out, take some photos (both of your items and anywhere in your apartment or hallway you think they may have scuffed) in case of a dispute. Compare the driver’s inventory sheet to the one you made. Make sure you get the driver’s full name, cell phone number and the truck’s license plate so you can contact them for updates over the course of the move. And be nice to your movers – it’s a tough job.
2. Do a final inspection
Once everything is loaded onto the truck and in your car (and before anyone leaves), do one more walkthrough around your place. Check every corner and every cabinet and every closet to make sure nothing will be left behind.
Double check the movers haven’t damaged any walls or doorways. When it’s all clear, let the driver know he can take off. Before you walk out for good, turn off the water, HVAC and any appliances.
Move in day
1. Checking out your new place
If you’re using a moving company, there’s a good chance you’ll arrive at your new digs before your stuff. Now is a good time to make sure all the utilities you ordered are up and working.
Look around to see if there’s any repair work that needs to be done and inform the landlord so it can be completed before the bustle of movers takes over. You can also use this time to create a floor plan of the apartment online and virtually decide where all your furniture is going to go.
2. Meet the movers
Stay in touch with your movers to get updates on their ETA. Be there when they arrive. As the drivers unload your stuff, check every piece of furniture and the outside of every box for damage, photograph it, and notate it on the driver’s inventory form and notify the moving company. Additionally, add the note “Subject to inspection for loss or concealed damage” on every driver’s form, in case you discover damage as you unpack your boxes.
Just like when they packed up, have some water and snacks available for your movers as they’re unloading your stuff, as well.
3. Unpack necessities first
Remember the last-minute box you packed with things you’ll need along the way? Find that and you’ll have things like toilet paper and a change of clothes. Open up other boxes containing immediate need items like sheets and bedding, towels, charging cords, plasticware, and paper plates. Start making your house a home before you dump everything out of boxes.
Welcome home!
Cam is on Redfin’s Content Marketing team and has 5 years of experience working in the marketing industry. She holds great passion for writing local content that inspires the next generation of home buyers. She is a Texas native, current Colorado resident and dog mom to her border collie, Eroz. Her dream home is an eco-friendly, contemporary-style house anywhere on the West Coast.