Planning to move out of your Brisbane home soon?
As much as you want it to be, moving out of a rental home is more than just packing your belongings and moving into your new house. It involves paperwork, repairs, cleaning, decluttering, packing, and more cleaning.
But it doesn’t have to be that stressful, as long as you know what to do. Here are five simple steps from the Brisbane Effly team to help you settle things before you move out.
Review your lease agreement.
Before you schedule when to pack your bags and move out, review your lease agreement first. Check the terms of your lease to see what you need to do to get your bond back and avoid penalties.
We suggest you schedule your move as close to your notice period since you still have to pay for the rent before that period. Also, remember to notify your property manager at least 30 days before your scheduled move.
This way, you can schedule the property inspection when it’s convenient for you and after you’ve finished cleaning the house and repairing damages if there are any (but we hope not), which brings us to the next part.
Check the property for damages and issues.
It’s important to check every nook and cranny of the property for any damages and issues before the scheduled inspection. Your property manager will not charge for natural wear and tear damages. Still, they will do so for damages from accidents and carelessness.
Here are some damages that you will have to be responsible for:
- Furniture damage from pet scratches
- Wine stains on carpets
- Broken locks from lockpicking
- Moldy walls due to neglect
- Smashed windows
Declutter your stuff
Decluttering your home before packing up can do you wonders. Not only will you save time and energy packing and unpacking things, but you can also save on moving costs. Plus, if you’ve got some free time, you can earn extra cash by doing a garage sale before you move out.
Feel free to follow this step-by-step moving-out decluttering guide by Pods. They mentioned that it’s good to follow the 20/20 rule. If you’re thinking of holding on to something that costs less than $20 and would take less than 20 minutes to replace, it’s better to let go of it.
A quarter or nearly half of your stuff at home needs to go.
Pack your personal belongings.
Now that you’ve got less stuff to pack, the task will be much more efficient. Before starting, we suggest you prepare your boxes, tapes, scissors, markers, plastic bags, and bubble wrap (newspaper will do if you don’t have any at home).
Pack similar things together and immediately separate your essentials from stuff you won’t need. Also, don’t forget to label everything – from plastic bags to containers and boxes. This way, you won’t have difficulty looking for your things once you move into your new home.
Do a thorough cleaning of the house.
Property managers require you to leave the house in excellent and livable condition, meaning every corner of your former home needs to be spotlessly clean. You can read our previous blog on end-of-lease cleaning tips to help you make sure that no area of your home is left behind.
However, we highly suggest that instead of doing this yourself, you can book end-of-lease cleaning services to focus on the other things you need to do before moving out. Professional cleaners have been doing this for years, and they’re here to help you get most, if not all, of your bond back.
Moving out of your Brisbane home can be a headache if you have a lot of things to settle, like overdue rent, property damages, packing, cleaning, and the move itself. You can lessen this dilemma by preparing a checklist for everything, settling terms with your property manager, and availing of services to make your move smoother.
Julie is a passionate writer a mother of three kids and a dedicated cleaning enthusiast, eager to share valuable insights and practical tips on maintaining a clean and organized home. With a deep understanding of the challenges of maintaining a tidy living space, Julie has spent years honing its expertise in cleaning methods, organizing techniques, and sustainable practices.