Moving Out Checklist: What to Organise Before You Hand Back the Keys
Moving out involves two jobs at once: getting your belongings to the new place and leaving the old one ready to hand back. When both happen in the same few days, it helps to have a clear list.
This moving out checklist walks through what to organise and when, from giving notice to returning the keys.
Four to six weeks before
- Give notice. If you’re renting, check your lease and give written notice to your property manager or landlord in line with its terms.
- Book your removalist. Share both addresses, access details and your preferred date.
- Plan the clean. Decide whether you’ll clean yourself or book help, and schedule it after the furniture is out.
- Start decluttering. Sell, donate or dispose of anything you’re not taking.
Two to three weeks before
- Arrange your utilities. Organise disconnection or transfer of electricity, gas and internet, and connection at the new address.
- Redirect your mail. Set up mail redirection so nothing important goes to the old address.
- Update your address. Let your bank, employer, insurer, doctor and any subscriptions know.
- Keep packing. Work through the rooms you use least first.
The week before
- Finish packing everything except your essentials box.
- Use up or give away perishable food, and defrost the freezer if it’s moving.
- Confirm the moving time with your removalist and the cleaning time with your cleaner.
- Check parking and access at both properties, including any lift bookings.
- Find your entry condition report, if you’re renting, so you can compare it with the property as you leave.
Moving day
- Be on site when the crew arrives to answer questions and point out anything fragile.
- Check every cupboard, drawer, shelf and storage space before the truck leaves.
- Record meter readings for electricity and gas.
- Once the property is empty, take photos of each room.
Cleaning and the exit condition report
If you’re renting in Queensland, the exit condition report is a key part of moving out. The Residential Tenancies Authority explains that it records the property’s condition when you leave and is compared with the entry condition report to check that everything is in the same condition, allowing for fair wear and tear. The RTA also recommends taking photos as extra evidence.
That’s why the clean matters so much. Leaving the property clean and in a similar condition to when you moved in is part of the vacating process, so it’s worth scheduling the clean for after the furniture has gone, when every surface and floor is easy to reach.
Returning the keys
Return every key, remote and access fob when you hand the property back, and keep a record of when you did it. Give your property manager your new address, and follow the RTA’s process for your bond refund.
Coordinating your move and clean
The trickiest part of moving out is often the timing. The clean can’t really start until the furniture is gone, and the keys usually need to be handed back soon after. Organising two separate services around the same few hours can add pressure to an already busy day.
AuServin’s Move + Clean brings the two together, with AuMovin handling the removal and AuCleanin providing cleaning support. It’s a more convenient way to coordinate moving out and getting the property ready to hand back, with one team to talk to about timing.
One list, fewer loose ends
Most moving-out stress comes from things left to the last minute: a utility account still active, a forgotten cupboard, a clean squeezed in at the end. Working through this checklist a few weeks ahead keeps those loose ends under control. Moving out of a home on Brisbane’s southside? Our local team can help plan the move around your handover date.
Moving out soon? Tell us where you’re moving from, where you’re going and when you need the property ready, and we’ll give you a clear quote for your move, or your move and clean together. Get Your Free Quote