The Final Walkthrough: Last Things to Check Before You Hand Over the Keys

That Cleaning Girl · Move-In / Move-Out

You have packed, moved, cleaned and you are ready to lock the door for the last time. Before you do, take one more walk. The final walkthrough is your chance to catch the forgotten box, the wet towel in the dryer or the oven light left on. The first week in a new home was the focus of Your First Week in a New Home: A Simple Cleaning Routine. This is the last step at the old one.

Walk it like you are the next person

Start at the front door and walk the house the way the landlord, inspector or new owner will. Turn on every light. Open every door. Look up, look down and look inside things. Fresh eyes catch things a tired mover misses.

If you can, bring someone who was not part of the packing. A friend or a family member who did not spend the week in the house sees it differently, and they will spot the box on the closet shelf you stopped noticing days ago.

The kitchen

• Open the oven and check the racks and the drawer below.
• Open the fridge and freezer. Make sure nothing is left inside.
• Check the dishwasher for a forgotten dish or utensil.
• Open every cabinet and drawer.
• Look under the sink.
• Check the microwave and the pantry.
• Turn off the stove and oven lights.

Bathrooms

• Open the vanity and every drawer.
• Check the shower and tub for leftover bottles or razors.
• Look behind the door and in the medicine cabinet.
• Flush every toilet once to make sure nothing is running.
• Turn off the exhaust fans.

Bedrooms, closets and the laundry room

Check every closet shelf, the floor in the back corners and any built-in drawers. Look inside the washer and dryer for forgotten clothes and check the lint trap. Glance behind doors, where things hang on hooks and get forgotten. Look at the window sills for little items left behind, like a phone charger or a child's toy.

Check the outlets as you go. Night lights, plug-in air fresheners and phone chargers are some of the most common things left in an empty house, because they sit low and blend in. Glance at the ceiling too. A smoke detector chirping for a new battery is the kind of thing that greets a new owner on night one, and it is easy to sort before you go.

Garage, attic and outside

The garage is the most common place for forgotten things: a box on a high shelf, a ladder or a bag of yard tools. Check the attic access if you used it. Outside, walk the yard and patio, look in the side yard and make sure the trash cans are where they belong. Pick up any last pet waste.

In North Texas, a last-minute gust of wind or a dusty afternoon can blow leaves and pollen onto a patio you swept that morning. A quick sweep on the way out is a nice final touch.

Then check the settings before you lock up:

• Set the thermostat to a reasonable setting, or as your landlord or buyer asked.
• Make sure every faucet is off.
• Turn off lights, unless you were asked to leave some on.
• Lock every window and door.
• Check that the garage door is closed.

Coordinate the timing of utility transfers so the next person has power and water when they arrive. If you are renting, ask the landlord whether utilities should stay in your name until a certain date, and write it down so you do not forget to call.

Photos, keys and paperwork

Take a slow video of every room, with the date, and photos of the appliances, bathrooms, floors and garage. For renters, keep these until the deposit is settled. For sellers, keep them through closing. It takes a few minutes and gives a lot of peace of mind.

Gather every key, garage remote, gate fob, mailbox key and any parking tags. Leave them where you were told, or hand them over in person. If you are renting, get a note or email confirming you returned them and give your forwarding address in writing. If you are selling, leave appliance manuals and labeled paint in a kitchen drawer. A small labeled envelope of keys taped inside a kitchen drawer is an easy, friendly way to hand things off to new owners, whether you are leaving a home in Mansfield or one down the road in Cedar Hill.

Close the door with confidence

When you have walked every room, checked every cabinet and taken your photos, you can close the door knowing the home is ready for whoever comes next. That is a good way to end a move. For help with the clean before your walkthrough, see our move-out cleaning services.