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Checklist for Moving to a New Rental Home

5/13/2020

31 Comments

 
Checklist for moving to a new rental home
Moving can be totally overwhelming, and expensive. But don't worry, I gotcha covered! I've moved internationally several times, and domestically with a toddler, and am now in the thick of selling our home and moving to a rental... with 3 kids... during a pandemic! PHEW! But anyway, this isn't a competition, I'm here to help you with a handy dandy checklist for moving to a new rental home - everything from how to search for a home to who to notify of change of address, booking a moving company, and much much more! Read on and leave a comment with any of your own tips, or questions!
​
**Disclaimer: there are some affiliate links below - You won't pay more but I'll receive a small commission from purchases made after clicking (it's one of the ways I fund the blog, of course)!

PURGE!!!
This is the time to go full on Konmarie - purge the heck out of your stuff!! Whatever doesn't bring you joy anymore or you haven't used it in a year, go ahead and sell, donate, or toss!! For inspiration, you can read or listen on Kindle to Marie Kondo's books "The LIfechanging Magic of Tidying Up" & "Spark Joy" (affiliate link) or you can watch her Netflix show "Tidying Up with Marie Kondo".

FIND A NEW RENTAL HOME:
  • Have a realtor set up a search for you on MLS. They will include your parameters for size, price, location and can have emails sent to you daily. You will most likely owe a full month's rental fee to your realtor, and if the landlord is using a realtor, the two realtors usually split that fee. Best to confirm with your realtor. Realtors can be extremely helpful negotiating and showing you properties (or as currently, coordinating virtual tours or for you to meet the landlord for a contactless viewing).
  • Check Zillow daily. You can find great properties for rent by owner or by property management and save big by cutting out a realtor. However, many properties are fake and being used as a means for a realtor to advertise and get you to call them. Or they're old and haven't been updated to show they're actually already rented. Still, worth checking!
  • Check Craigslist but be very very skeptical and careful. Many of these are scams. The very occasional hidden gem can be found.
  • Join local Facebook groups to get a vibe for the area, ask about schools, doctors, buying stuff you need used, etc. You can even inquire if anyone has or knows of a home going up for rent soon. I had a few leads this way, a couple actually had their home listed for sale but were open to renting instead, and you wouldn't be able to find it as a rental by searching on any site!
  • Stalk the heck out of the neighborhood and town via Google Maps!! You can virtually "walk" down streets, get 360 views, find out the distance to the nearest Target and Pizzeria, you name it!! You can also look around to see if there's a nearby high tension wires (advisable to stay at least 3/4 mile from these)
  • Check FEMA to see if it's a flood zone.

NOTIFY YOUR LANDLORD:
Check your lease and make sure you are giving your landlord property notification. Most require one month's notice. If breaking your lease and leaving early, you may still be responsible to fulfil the full term's rental fees, even if you're not there!! This happened to us when leaving our last rental, but management clarified that if I found a new tenant we'd be good. Thankfully I posted the rental in a local Facebook parenting group and within 2 days found a new tenant for them. PHEW!!​

BOOK A MOVING COMPANY:
There are TONS to choose from. Some are for local / same day service only, others specialize in long distance moves. Last time we moved within Brooklyn we were very happy with Shlepper's, and this time around they gave me the best quote again! Shleppers and Flatrate are both very popular and will give you a detailed quote (either coming to see what you have ahead of time or currently doing it all over the phone - you tell them exactly what's going, and be specific as you can). They don't charge hourly and won't hijack your stuff until you pay additional fees (yes, I've heard of other companies doing this, if you can believe it!!!). There are some companies going green, too, using biodiesel fuel and reusable boxes. You'll pay more but the Earth will thank you.​ And of course, if neither of your buildings have a stipulation about needing a licensed and insured moving company (mine does unfortunately), you can totally save $$$ by DIY moving  - rent a Uhaul truck and pay some friends in beer and pizza!

BUY MOVING BOXES (and pack)
​Book your moving company first since some will provide boxes. Movers Not Shakers, for example, is a "green" moving company and will drop off reusable plastic boxes and collect after the move. You should also check craigslist and FB marketplace to see if you can get free or cheap boxes from someone local who just moved - this will save money and the Earth! Otherwise, you'll have to buy them. You can find tons of options on Amazon (affiliate link), with other popular sites being Uboxes / Box Engine (who has really convenient kits based on home size, including bubbles, packing paper, tape etc), Uhaul, Home Depot, etc.​

CHANGE HOME/RENTERS INSURANCE
If going from one rental to another, you'll probably be keeping the same insurance and just updating with new address. If going from ownership to rental or vice versa, it'll be more complex. For renters insurance, you're just covering your own property and liability. If you'll have a pool or trampoline or anything especially risky, make sure you're covered plenty (some companies cover these, some only if they're fenced in, and others not at all). During my own search, I found Allstate to have the best price (though that could be because we already have car insurance with them), followed by USAA (I'm a member thanks to my dad's military service), Lemonade, and Geico.

CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS / FORWARD MAIL:
There are a tonnnnnnnnn you need to notify of your address change. As more and more things go paperless, this becomes less of a headache, but it's still a headache. Most important notification is probably USPS since they'll forward items from your old to new address for 1 year. But... some things don't end up forwarded. So, do your best to notify all of the following directly:
  • Tax Agencies (IRS with this form, State Taxes)
  • Your employer
  • DMV (usually it's just online to update their system and they won't issue a new card, which is annoying since it's convenient to have as an ID when registering for school, library etc...)
  • Car registration
  • Social Security / Unemployment (if receiving benefits)
  • Banks. Credit Cards, Investments, 401K
  • Loan / Mortgage / Car Lease
  • Insurance (car, home, medical, dental, life)
  • Online shopping (you can do this as you use them but you might forget... Amazon, Paypal etc)
  • Magazines & other subscriptions (including Costco)
  • Friends & Family
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FIX UP THE HOME YOU'RE LEAVING:
To avoid getting slammed with loss of your security deposit, be sure to check with your landlord what condition you're expected to leave your home in. You probably have to remove all nails, patch up holes, and paint back to neutral colors.​

UPDATE UTILITIES:
You'll need to schedule the date to stop previous utilities and start new ones. Gas, electricity, water, sewer, trash, phone, cable, internet, etc. Note that most internet providers will not let you out of a contract simply because you're moving, but rather only if they don't have service at your new home.

FIND A NEW DOCTOR/DENTIST:
​This can be tricky depending on your insurance, but hopefully rather painless. You should be able to log onto your insurance's website to change your doctor and address. ​
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UNENROLL / ENROLL IN SCHOOLS:
You'll need to official unenroll from your old school and have them transfer records to your new school, where you'll need to register. Note that if you have younger children in Pre-K - 2nd grade, their birthday could mean they get held back or skip a year. For example, in NYC the age cutoff is December 31 and for most of New Jersey it's October 1. In some places children will be assessed and it'll be a discussion between parents and administration, but NYC public school system is very strict about not allowing a child to be held back when entering Pre-K, K and 1st grade - they MUST be turning the correct age  Jan 1 - Dec 31 (turning 4 for Pre-K, 5 for K, 6 for 1st grade), no matter what grade they last completed.
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31 Comments
Jessica Collazo link
5/13/2020 02:51:06 pm

This is the perfect moving check list, is so essential and basic and sometimes we forget about Those Little Things

Reply
chad link
5/13/2020 04:13:53 pm

I super super love the checklist!!! Yes, purge must be the number one item on the list, and I am the worst when it comes to dumping things...

Reply
Amber Myers link
5/13/2020 05:02:42 pm

I love this! Moving is not my favorite thing, so checklists help out a ton.

Reply
Tessa link
5/13/2020 06:41:07 pm

This is a great and thorough list! Moving is such a process, and this breaks it down into manageable parts. One of the only benefits, is really being able to clean things out and purge, as you mentioned!

Reply
CA link
5/13/2020 08:01:34 pm

It is so important that we plan our moving ahead of time. Because I've been at it so many times, and it can get really stressful.

Reply
Cristina Petrini link
5/14/2020 03:58:26 am


In all my life, so far I have never faced a move, but when it does I will have your list to help me!

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Hollie link
5/14/2020 10:06:10 am

This is exactly what I needed to read! We are getting ready to move in a couple of months and it is so overwhelming to think about!

Reply
Adrienne link
5/14/2020 11:23:03 am

These are great tips! I hope to never move again but just in case....you bring up good points that can easily be forgotten.

Reply
Lovely link
5/14/2020 11:41:23 am

It's fun looking at your checklist! I hope you had fun moving with your family! It's another adventure for you guys!

xoxo
Lovely

http://mynameislovely.com

Reply
World in Eyes link
5/14/2020 12:37:57 pm

These are amazing ideas and just love this checklist....I am totally agree with these coz i have moved twice in my life...Thanks for reminding again...

Reply
Joanna
5/14/2020 01:49:32 pm

This post is very useful to me as I am actually moving into a new home on Monday. I am however changing countries. I have one more day of cleaning, pack the last remaining items and then drive to my new home.

Reply
Sophia
5/14/2020 03:23:52 pm

I am actually moving next week and I totally agree about purging. It makes moving 10x easier.

Reply
stacey link
5/14/2020 06:07:43 pm

This is a lot of information. If you follow it, you'll not only make your move less stressful, you may even enjoy your new home a little faster.

Reply
Cindy Ingalls link
5/15/2020 12:23:36 am

I hate to move but these are good tips for getting organized and making it as easy as possible.

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Agnes
5/15/2020 06:29:02 am

You gotta love rental homes as it doesn't require much needed time to work on. Enjoy your stay there, and try to keep it less. :)

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Britt K link
5/15/2020 09:06:28 am

Great advice - I wish I had this list of addresses to change when we moved last. It was a good year before we got everything caught up!

Another great way to find a place is to spread the word among family and friends. You never know who may be connected to someone looking to rent or sell a home. That's how we found our current house!

Reply
Peachy Adarne link
5/15/2020 11:46:32 pm

wow! these are some great tips! i will definitely check those products out! thanks for sharing!

Reply
Kez link
5/16/2020 02:20:10 am

I swear the only time people purge stuff they don't need is when they're getting ready to move house!

Reply
solrazo.com link
5/16/2020 01:14:53 pm

Great ideas! We just moved out and I must say that there insights are very helpful to those who are planning to move out soon!

Reply
things to do link
5/20/2020 11:53:00 pm

Very informative post! There is a lot of information here that can help any business get started with a successful social networking campaign

Reply
howtoflipahouse.net link
5/22/2020 02:22:22 am

I read through your article and some of your readers' comments. I am impressed with your writing skills, attention to detail, and fresh views.

Reply
blair villanueva
6/4/2020 01:43:34 am

Finding a good landlord is tough (coz you want both of you are compatible and on the same page). Then moving feels like hellish! When I did mine last year, it took me three months to finally settled-in. I did most of you've mentioned above and still it is tough game :)

Reply
Removal Companies Auckland link
6/26/2020 12:32:22 am

This kind of job really needs appreciation and yes thanks for sharing this with us. Your blogs are always great and I love reading them. I am about to move to my new place and this checklist will be very helpful for me... thanks! You must also check out robertsonsremovals.com it has some great insights too.

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promovingsolutions.co.nz link
8/4/2020 09:31:47 am

We all are getting here great thoughts on moving and perfect furniture delivery and developing the more island move. Preparing for great home relocation and getting essential thoughts.

Reply
truck movers Auckland link
9/3/2020 07:11:29 am

Thank you very much for sharing about checklist for moving to a new rental home here… I really hope I can work on your tips and it works for me too, I am happy to come across your article. Great post I must admit, keep sharing more…

Reply
Mary West
9/12/2020 09:51:25 am

It definitely takes a lot of work to move, doesn't it!

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Cheap Locksmith Dallas link
10/10/2020 11:05:48 am

While moving to a new house, always change all old locks of doors and garages. Otherwise, it may cause a scam with you. So, hire trained locksmiths and change all old locks as soon as possible.

Reply
Amelia David link
11/16/2020 06:33:59 am

Great checklist, informative one. I like to share this article with my friends. According to me, one should make a clear checklist, properly plan and execute them well. Thanks for sharing :)

Reply
cheap movers Auckland link
12/24/2020 02:56:17 am

I loved your blog and thanks for publishing this about checklist for moving to a new rental home!! I am really happy to come across this exceptionally well written content. Thanks for sharing and look for more in future!! Keep doing this inspirational work and share with us.

Reply
moving companies sunshine coast link
4/14/2022 09:35:57 am

Not only a list for preparing for moving, you also put where can we buy the needed for moving. Big thanks to you!

Reply
Removalistadelaide.com link
5/26/2022 08:48:14 am

Removalistadelaide.com help individuals, families and businesses move, taking care of all your possessions whether they are in transit or storage anywhere in Australia. We take pride in providing a truly tailored, hassle free, great value service giving you peace of mind at what is often a stressful and disruptive time.

Reply



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    I'm a NYC metro area mom blogger living in NJ with my Japanese husband & our 3 kids (twins plus 1).  This blog is chock full of product reviews, family travel guides, and giveaways galore! It's also home to Bay Ridge Families, and several guides focused on kid-friendly activities and guides to South Brooklyn, Hudson Valley, and New Jersey, as well as family-friendly destinations beyond the NYC area (check the menu bar!)

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