Americans on average move up to 6 times before their thirties. Certainly Lafayette, IN residents at the median age of 32.4 like to move around a lot. However, nothing comes close to the thousands of Purdue University students who move out each May. The entire process of moving can quickly turn into a nightmare as move out day looms. Each year, we see dumpsters overflow, and students failing to return their dorm and apartment keys on time; often due to fully booked(overbooked) storage units, UHAUL trucks and cleaning companies.

To ensure a painless moving experience, make sure to take note of the following seven items before you move out from your apartment:

1. Start selling/donating items you don’t plan to keep way before your move out day. Post these items to Facebook groups for Tippecanoe County or relevant ones just for Purdue students. Get rid of as much as you can so move out this time round isn’t the headache it was last year.

2. Gather the keys you were given for your home or apartment, including any access cards or mailbox keys. You may be asked to pay up to $50 for replacing each key/card.

3. Read the lease! Some landlords include a long list of conditions. Be aware to avoid unnecessary penalties. E.g. Cover holes with spackling paste, replace blinds, repainting or cleaning carpet stains.

4. We’re in a college town with plenty of options but things can get crazy right after finals. Reserve Lafayette cleaning companies, moving services, trucks, carpetcleaners and storage units in advance. It’s always smart to moveout your belongings first, clean the home after and clean carpets last.

5. Pack everything but leave out items you use on a daily basis (e.g. toilet paper, kitchen towels, Keurig, Water Pitcher, Hairdryer, chargers). Make sure items you still need isn’t packed and sealed in a box. You definitely won’t want to unpack and go through each box looking for an electric toothbrush charger then repack everything again.

6. Hire a professional housecleaner if possible. Returning anything less than a “broom clean” apartment or house may cost you a huge chunk of your security deposit and some property managers are very picky when they inspect the place. It’s to your benefit to hire a professional housecleaning service as you would ensure the return of your full deposit. Unless your landlord is being unreasonable, there’s no argument to the spotless cleaning job we do. Contact us at CleanMyTribe if you are looking for a move out cleaning. Do not forget to schedule a walkthrough inspection and take good photos as evidence until you receive your deposit.

7. If you’re going the DIY move out cleaning route, schedule your moving and cleaning to take place on separate days and seek help from friends or family. It’s not impossible but both are physically (and mentally) exhausting. Move your belongings first, then come back the next day to clean out the empty apartment (or have a housecleaning service come in and do it for you).

8. Write a list of all the institutions and subscription companies that will need your new home address. This includes Amazon Prime, your bank, credit union, Purdue, your resume and more. Once you’ve updated your address with everyone, make sure you head to the USPS website and set up mail forwarding so you don’t miss out on important mail, bills or packages.