Move-out cleanout checklist for renters and home sellers

Short answer: start four weeks out by deciding what you won't move. Sell or donate in week two, book junk pickup for two or three days before move-out, then clean an empty home. Everything you don't move is one less box to pack and pay a mover for.

Four weeks out: decide what's not coming

• Walk every room with three labels: move, sell/donate, haul.
• Measure big furniture against your new place. If it won't fit, don't move it.
• Check closets, under beds, the attic, the garage and the shed. They're where move-out surprises hide.
• Ask your landlord, HOA or buyer what condition the home must be left in.

Three weeks out: sell and donate

• List furniture and appliances online with a firm pickup deadline.
• Schedule donation drop-offs or a charity pickup for usable items.
• Give away moving boxes and garden supplies you won't need.

Two weeks out: book the junk pickup

• Book a hauler for two to three days before you leave. That's after the last sale and donation, and still leaves time to clean.
• Send photos to get a price. Most move-out loads are a quarter to a full trailer ($125–$450) with PickUp Haulers.
• If you plan to use city bulk pickup instead, check the dates now. Round Rock's free pickup must be scheduled at least a week ahead, and Austin's on-demand pickups are limited per year. See our bulk trash rules guide.

Move-out week

• Kitchen: empty the fridge, freezer and pantry. Donate unopened food.
• Bathrooms: toss old toiletries and medicine. Take medicines to a pharmacy take-back.
• Garage: separate paint, chemicals and propane. They need a hazardous waste drop-off, not the junk load.
• Outside: clear the patio, the side yard and any brush piles.
• Junk pickup day: point the crew to everything that's going. Mark what stays.

After the junk is gone

• Clean top to bottom: ceiling fans, baseboards, inside the oven and fridge, cabinets, floors.
• Patch nail holes if your lease asks for it.
• Take dated photos of every room. They're your proof for a deposit or a buyer's walk-through.
• Return keys, garage remotes and gate fobs.
• Leave a forwarding address in writing. In Texas, a landlord isn't required to send your deposit refund until you do.

Renters: protect your deposit

Landlords can deduct for damage beyond normal wear and tear and for items you leave behind. A mattress, a broken couch or a garage full of boxes can turn into a charge that's larger than a hauler's price. Clearing everything yourself is almost always cheaper. Read about move-out cleanout costs for real numbers.

Sellers: empty means sold faster

Most purchase contracts require the home to be free of personal property and debris at closing. Clear the garage and yard as well as the rooms. Buyers will check them at the final walk-through.

Book a move-out pickup

Text photos to (512) 861-7732. We're often same-day or next-day in Pflugerville, Round Rock and Austin.