Give your notice

As soon as you know that you're moving, give your notice in writing to the caretaker and property management company. Keep in mind that if you intend to break your lease there will likely be a subletting fee. You may also be responsible to find a suitable renter to take over your lease. Check with the property manager for specific details.

Book the elevator – both sides

You will need to book the building elevator in advance for the day of your move. Most buildings only allow moving during certain hours to avoid unreasonable noise and disturbance, so make sure that you are aware of all the rules. If you are moving into a new apartment building or condo complex, be sure to arrange your move in with the caretaker and book the elevator on that side too.

Schedule a walk-through

Arrange a convenient time with your building caretaker to return your keys and walk through your apartment to show that you are leaving everything clean and in working order. This is important to ensure that you get your deposit back.

Book your movers

When arranging for moving day, let your moving company know important information including:

• date of the move
• hours you have booked the elevator
• if the move will involve flights of stairs
• measurements of your doorways and any awkward angles
• whether any of your furniture is oversized or extremely fragil
• any additional details about your apartment that will have to be taken into consideration

This applies to the new place you are moving to as well.

Arrange for storage

f you have items in your apartment or condominium that will not fit in your new place, you can use a storage facility. Ask your moving company for recommendations and also arrange for your movers to transport your belongings to storage on the date of your move.

Downsize

It always makes sense to clear out clutter and items you no longer use before a move – especially when you're relocating to a smaller apartment or condo. GoGetter can pick up any belongings you wish to discard – both items for donation and junk that is no longer useful. Downsizing is also a good way to decrease your moving costs.

Packing

When you live in a smaller space, packing can be tricky. There's not always a lot of floor space to sort your belongings and finding room to stack boxes can be a challenge. If you can dedicate one room or even a corner to store your packed boxes that can minimize the chaos and keep things orderly. Get creative and use tabletops and shelves to stack your boxes and even use the space underneath desks. If you have a balcony, you can use that space too and simply cover the boxes with a tarp, secured with a bungee cord or rope. The key is to keep your main walkway clear so you can function until moving day.

As you pack, be sure to label the boxes and group them according to the room where they belong at your new destination. If you are moving into an apartment or condominium you probably won't have lots of space to unpack, so having everything sorted and clearly labelled will be very helpful.

See GoGetter's packing tips for some helpful hints.

Cleaning & Repairs

To ensure that you get your deposit back and get a good reference, make sure that your apartment is left in excellent condition. Depending on how long you lived in the apartment, this will likely involve a thorough cleaning (including your oven and refrigerator), patching of any holes, possibly paint touch-ups or even repainting. See GoGetter's Full Service Moving Package for the cleaning options that can be provided.

Return your keys

On the day of the walk-through, give the caretaker all of your keys and entry cards for interior and exterior doors, mailbox, storage areas and laundry room. Make sure to ask about return of your deposit for any extra keys as well. Usually the caretaker will have a checklist that you can both sign indicating that the apartment was left in good order and that all keys were returned.