Vacating Your Apartment

As you begin the move-out process, it's important that you work cooperatively with your Community Adviser to make sure you avoid unnecessary charges or delays. The first step you need to follow is to make an appointment with your CA for an exit orientation. During this meeting, your CA will provide you with helpful hints and suggestions concerning the condition of your apartment. Aside from normal wear and tear, your apartment should meet the conditions outlined below.

The most important thing to remember is to prepare your apartment as best you can and to work cooperatively with your Community Adviser when checking out.  As always, contact Housing and Residence Life at 906-227-2620 or housing@nmu.edu if you have any questions.

To prepare your apartment prior to vacating, please pay attention to the following areas:

Empty the apartment of all personal furnishings and property. Clean tops and insides of desks, chests, countertops, and other furniture with an all-purpose cleaner.

Empty cupboards, drawers, closets, and storage areas. Clean the inside and outside of cupboards and drawers with an all purpose cleaner.

Clean the oven with an oven cleaner, making sure that you follow the manufacturer's instructions and all safety precautions.  Do not use oven cleaner on any other part of the stove.

Remove the grates and lift or remove stove top to expose burners.  Soak grates in hot soapy water.  Wash stove top and area below the burners.

Be sure the unit is turned off and is cool before removing the elements. Remove the elements by tilting up and pulling out of their receptacles. Wipe elements with a damp cloth; do not immerse elements in water. Remove drip pans and rings and wash in hot soapy water. Wash the stove top and the area below the burners by lifting (gently) the stove top.

Remove dirt and grease with a non-abrasive cleaner. Be sure to clean the area under the hood and around the fan cover. Soak the fan filter screen in hot soapy water, scrub it clean, then rinse thoroughly.

Defrost! Turn the freezer and refrigerator controls to off and leave the doors open. To help speed the defrosting, put a large pan of hot water in the freezer and place a second pan or towels under the freezer section to catch dripping water. Never use sharp objects to defrost the freezer. Use of such items may puncture the evaporator lines in which case you would be charged to replace (not repair) the refrigerator. Clean all racks, shelves and bins with warm soapy water. Be sure to remove any marks, stickers, or tape residue from the outer surface. Dry both the inside and outside of the unit. Leave the refrigerator plugged in, turn the freezer and the refrigerator controls to their lowest settings. Do not leave the refrigerator turned off with the doors closed.

Remove all adhesive paper and stickers. Clean the inside and outside surfaces with a non-abrasive cleaner and dry thoroughly.

Clean tub, sink, and tiled areas with a bathroom cleaner. Remove any mildew with bleach diluted in water. Clean toilet bowl and all outside surfaces. Wash the medicine cabinet inside and outside and clean mirror using appropriate glass cleaner.

Brush off screens, but leave the screens in the window. Clean inside windows with a glass cleaner and make sure to clean all window tracks of dust and dirt.

Clean all walls and doors of marks, fingerprints, and tape (and tape residue). Remove cobwebs if present. Remove all tape and stickers. Clean walls and doors with a non-abrasive all-purpose cleaner following the manufacturer's instructions. Our maintenance staff will remove any adhesive hooks.

Remove any carpeting or rugs you have installed. Sweep and mop non-carpeted floor surfaces. Vacuum all carpeting.

Sweep or vacuum couch and chair cushions. Wash/wipe down kitchen table and chairs with mild soapy water. Dust all wood furniture.

Check stairwell areas and storage bins for personal property. Dispose of all trash and discarded items. Remove nametag from your mailbox. Secure all windows and turn off all the lights in your apartment. Lock your door.

You must return your keys once you've moved out of your apartment.  If you move out between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, return your keys to the Housing and Residence Life Office in 3502 C.B. Hedgcock. 

If you move out after 5:00 p.m. or on the weekend, you may turn your key(s) in to Public Safety and Police Services.  Please put them in an envelope with your name, apartment address, and the date clearly indicated on the front of the envelope.

For single student apartment tenants, you must sign a Contract Termination Form when you return your keys to the Housing and Residence Life Office during regular business hours.

Please remember to change your address with or notify the following organizations or offices that you have moved:

U.S. Post Office Children's school(s)
Creditors and subscriptions Secretary of State's Office
Insurance companies Medical, Dental and legal offices
Banks NMU Records Office

Please also remember to cancel any local club memberships, return any library books you may have borrowed, and to cancel any newspaper deliveries.

All apartments are inspected by maintenance personnel after they are vacated to assess required cleaning and to identify any needed repairs. Charges for damages and/or cleaning will be charged to your student account.

Please contact the Housing and Residence Life Office at 906-227-2620 or housing@nmu.edu if you have any questions.