How-To

Apartment Cleanout Checklist for Chicago Renters

· 5 min read

Moving out of a Chicago apartment is stressful enough. Add the question of what to do with everything you’re leaving behind, and it can feel overwhelming. This checklist walks you through every step of a proper move-out cleanout.

6 Weeks Before: Start Deciding

  • Walk through every room and decide what you’re taking, donating, selling, or disposing of
  • List large items that won’t fit in the new place (furniture, appliances, exercise equipment)
  • Check your lease - many Chicago leases require the unit to be left “broom clean” and free of personal property
  • Review your building’s move-out rules - when can you use the service elevator? What’s the loading dock schedule?

3–4 Weeks Before: Line Up Disposal

  • Schedule donation pickups - if you have good-condition furniture to donate, services like Habitat for Humanity ReStore need advance scheduling
  • List items on Facebook Marketplace - give yourself 2–3 weeks for a buyer to appear
  • Book junk removal - if you have items to haul, schedule junkMOOvers in advance (same-day is available, but booking ahead guarantees your spot)
  • Identify electronics - TVs, computers, and other e-waste cannot go in the trash in Illinois

Move-Out Week: Room by Room

Living Room

  • Sofa, loveseat, sectional - donated, sold, or removal scheduled?
  • TV and entertainment unit - e-waste drop-off or junk removal
  • Rugs, curtains, window treatments - donate or trash
  • Bookshelves - donate or haul

Bedroom(s)

  • Bed frames - junk removal (most donation centers don’t accept used frames)
  • Mattresses - junk removal or seal in mattress bag for city bulk pickup
  • Dressers and wardrobes - donate or haul
  • Bedside tables - donate or trash

Kitchen

  • Appliances you’re not taking - sell, donate, or schedule removal
  • Pantry items - donate to a Chicago food bank
  • Trash all expired and open items

Bathroom

  • Dispose of all personal care items
  • Medicine disposal: don’t flush - Chicago has prescription drug drop-off programs at pharmacies

Closets and Storage

  • Clothing - donate to a Chicago clothing drive
  • Boxes - break down and recycle cardboard
  • Miscellaneous junk - one haul takes it all

The Night Before Move-Out

  • Remove everything from walls (patch nail holes per your lease)
  • Clean inside all cabinets and appliances
  • Leave only what you’re hauling out the next day
  • Schedule junk removal for moving-out day morning if you have a last load

What Happens if You Leave Stuff Behind

Under Illinois law, a landlord can charge you for removing items you left in the unit. They can deduct these costs from your security deposit. The cost they charge is usually much higher than what junk removal would have cost - so it’s always worth scheduling professional removal.

Schedule apartment move-out junk removal → or call (773) 377-4148.