When you’re planning a move, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the little details that need your attention. Moving is a hectic enough time without having to worry about if you’ve remembered everything.
Creating an apartment move in and move out Handyman Checklist is an excellent way to help track what needs to be done and when.
How To Create A Handyman Move In/Move Out Checklist In 5 Easy Steps
Developing The List
The first step in developing your list is deciding precisely what ‘category’ or types of jobs you want to cover, such as electrical, plumbing, cleaning, or painting. You can even create a separate list for each of these categories if you like.
Once you’ve decided on the list items, go through your house and start marking off things that need attention in each category as you discover them – such as electrical outlets that don’t work, ceilings with water damage, cracks in walls, etc.
Prioritizing Your List
The next step is to prioritize your list according to what needs to be done first and what can wait until later. This will depend entirely on your situation, but here’s an idea:
PAINT: If you’re living in a rental property and it’s time to renew the paint job, then definitely do this right away since landlords may charge for this expense. If you’re in a deed-restricted community, check with your homeowner’s association to see if any walls or trim must be painted before moving out.
TILING: Similarly, if any tiles need replacing, such as broken floor tiles or bathroom wall tiles, these should also be done right away because they may cost quite a bit and make the property less attractive to potential renters. The same thing goes when checking out the new place you are moving to.
ELECTRICAL: As always, safety is an issue, so make sure all electrical outlets and lights work correctly and have enough electrical sockets available for plugging in lamps, etc., especially if you have a home office where computers, printers, and other electronic equipment will need power.
PLUMBING: This is another safety issue because faulty plumbing can result in flooding and water damage. You don’t want to deal with a flooded house when you get home from your holiday! So make sure all faucets, toilets, and showers work correctly, that there are no leaky pipes, clogged drains, or faulty water heaters.
CLEANING: Whether you’re selling or renting out your property, it must be thoroughly cleaned before moving. This means scrubbing walls and floors down, including window sills and door frames, etc., plus power washing outdoor siding if needed.
It also means cleaning the inside of kitchen cabinets, ovens, and fridges along with windows and light fixtures on the outside of the house during summer while they’re still easy to reach.
Testing Each Job
After you’ve prioritized your list and developed a checklist of tasks, the next step is to go through each job that needs attention and test it to make sure it’s going to work.
It’s very easy to say “change the filters in the furnace” or “clean the carpets,” but if they don’t fit in their respective slots on your checklist, put an ‘X’ next to them so you know they have been tested and function properly.
Grouping Jobs According To Each Room
The final step when developing your move-in and move-out checklist is grouping all jobs by room. This ensures that every room gets its share of attention before moving out; the same goes with moving in. Plus, depending on your situation, it can help potential renters and buyers know if and when the house last had a ‘renovation.’
Checking The List Before Moving In and Out
Finally, before moving out to your new place, recheck your list and look for any items that may have been missed or overlooked. You also need to place all job costs into one of three categories:
- Repairs that will be paid by the landlord, such as damage caused by the tenants.
- Repairs that will be paid for by the tenant, such as replacing broken light bulbs.
- Maintenance issues that concern only the tenant include painting over marks on walls in preparation for moving in.
There’s nothing more frustrating than getting home from your holiday and finding half of your deposit withheld because you failed to notify your landlord about a broken window!