You did it! After all those years of renting and paying someone else’s mortgage, you’ve purchased your own home at last. Now it’s time to get ready to move out of your rental and into your dream home.

But if you’ve never moved from a rental before, or if it’s been a few years, you may have forgot all the things you need to do in order to properly leave your rental so that you get as much back from your deposit as you can. You’ll certainly need that money for your new home, so it’s a good idea to cover all of your bases when moving out of your rental.

Here’s a checklist of the tasks to prioritize so that you can get back your deposit.

Two Months Before the Move:

Examine Your Lease
As soon as you decide to move, you need to ask your landlord or leasing company about the move-out guidelines in your lease. Check your copy of the lease and go over specifics about how much notice is needed, cleaning responsibility, and other essential items.

Asses Damage
Check the areas of your rental to see what needs repair before the final inspection. Go over the list with your landlord to see what items they will fix, and what you are responsible for.

One Month Before the Move:

Give written notice.
Write a letter to your landlord or leasing company with the exact date of your move. Make sure to give notice according to their rules or you may lose your deposit

Cancel or Change Your Renter’s Insurance.
Contact your insurance company to advise them of your move date.

Gather Supplies
Get together all the supplies you’ll need, such as boxes, tape, and packing materials.

Three Weeks Before the Move:

Start Decluttering and Packing.
Start organizing and getting rid of things you won’t need to move. Sell them, donate them, or give them to other tenants in your complex.

Tie Up Loose Ends
Make sure you get time off work, check into boarding pets, and changing utilities such as phone and internet, electricity, gas, and water to your new home. That will make sure you’re not moving in the dark in your new home.