Moving can be an incredibly time-consuming and emotional event — especially if you have lived in the same apartment or house for many years. In the midst of that emotion, it can be difficult to keep track of everything, the status of the property, and how that property will be protected after you leave.
Fortunately, an experienced San Jose moving company can help you maintain control. Here are three reasons why you should always do a final walkthrough before leaving your home for the last time:
To Ensure You Have Everything
First and foremost, a final walkthrough is essential to guarantee you have collected and moved all of your belongings. Far too often, items are left behind for new owners or a maintenance team to find. At that point, you may never see that item again.
Even when you carefully pack your boxes before the movers arrive, the fact is not everything can be neatly packed into a box. There are items that don’t fit in a box, like brooms, or stepstools. When doing a final walkthrough make sure to open up all drawers and cupboards especially in the kitchen and bathrooms as well as open up all the closets. Always double-check you got it.
What about the attic or up in the rafters people often forget about these hard-to-reach areas. Remember you must do a walk-through prior to the movers driving away. If the movers have to come back because you forgot something most likely you will be charged for an extra trip OR have to come back to retrieve it yourself.
To Assess The Final Condition of Your Home
It can be difficult, or impossible, to truly assess the state of your home or apartment until all furniture, decorations, and boxes have been removed. Once everything is gone, a final walkthrough can make it clear just how much wear-and-tear you caused over the years.
For renters, this can give a strong indication of how much of your security deposit you should expect back. For homeowners, this can bring forward new issues you may want to let the new owners know about.
While you may not be obligated to fix any problems if the sale has already gone through, you will be able to pass along new information to your buyers.
To Protect The Property
There is a certain element of safety that should be considered when you move out of an apartment or home. After you leave, it could be several weeks before a new tenant arrives.
Make sure all appliances are empty, all doors and windows are shut tightly and locked. Otherwise, the property could be infested with animals or severely damaged by the time the new tenants arrive. If you are leaving the refrigerator leave it on and running. You can adjust the temperature so it’s not as cold as it is normally to save energy while no one is living there but you should not turn it completely off.
Contact an Experienced San Jose Moving Company for Assistance
Are you preparing for your next move? Looking for assistance with organization and lifting? An experienced San Jose moving company can help. Contact our team at All Reasons Moving & Storage by calling (408) 351-9515.