How to Clear an Apartment Before Moving
Clearing an apartment is a different exercise from clearing a house, because every decision eventually becomes a question about a staircase.
Call (972) 093-0938
Everything is a stairwell question
In a house you decide what goes, then move it out. In a walk-up apartment the two are the same decision, because a piece that will not turn on the landing has effectively decided for itself — it comes apart, or it stays and becomes a charge.
So the useful first step is walking the route before you plan anything. Where does the truck stand, how far is the carry, does the stairwell turn, and is there anything on the route that cannot be moved out of the way. Ten minutes of that prevents most of the problems people have on the day.
The order that works
- 1
Walk the route first
Truck position, carry distance, stairwell turns, and door widths. This determines what is realistic before anything else.
- 2
Empty the furniture
Drawers, wardrobes and desks. A full dresser is a completely different weight, and it is how things leave that you meant to keep.
- 3
Clear the hidden spaces
Balcony, exterior storage closet, top shelves, under the sink. These are what move-out charges come from.
- 4
Deal with the hazardous items
Paint, cleaning chemicals, propane for the balcony grill. County drop-off, not the truck and not the dumpster.
- 5
Book the clearance for after the movers
One window, the day before handover, reserved in advance.
What the building will not allow
Leaving anything in a common area, however briefly. A sofa on a landing while you work out what to do with it is a fire-route obstruction and, in most leases, a violation.
Blocking a fire lane with a vehicle, which is the fastest way to have a community complain about a move that was otherwise fine.
And putting bulky items in the dumpster or beside the corral, which is separately chargeable at almost every property.
- Nothing staged in stairwells or breezeways
- Fire lanes kept clear at all times
- Bulky items never left at the corral
- Quiet hours observed where the property sets them
Tell us the floor and the stairwell
Those two details size the crew more reliably than the item list does.
FAQ
Related questions
- What if a piece will not fit down the stairwell?
- It comes apart. Sectionals separate at their brackets, bed frames disassemble, and crews carry tools for exactly this. It is a normal outcome on a walk-up rather than a failure.
- Can I put things in the breezeway while I sort them out?
- No — common areas are fire routes and most leases prohibit it. Anything left there becomes the property's problem and usually your charge.
- Where do the paint and cleaning chemicals go?
- A county household hazardous waste drop-off. They cannot go in the dumpster, they cannot go on a moving van, and they cannot go on our truck.
Ready when you are
You point. We haul. That is the whole arrangement.
Choose a window from the live Arlington calendar, or send a few photographs and get the number first. Homes or businesses, one item or a whole property.
Or call (972) 093-0938
The Arlington branch
Junk Koala Arlington
1140 W Pioneer Pkwy, Ste 1144E
Arlington, TX 76013