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Quick answer: First apartment, dorm-to-apartment move or new roommates? On move-in day, take dated photos, test the smoke and CO alarms, and find the breaker panel and water shutoff. When something breaks, try the safe free checks first, and put anything about health or safety in writing to your landlord. This is general guidance, not legal advice; your lease and local rules matter.

Hey, it’s Rosie. Renting for the first time is a lot: keys, roommates, a lease you skimmed. This page is your shortcut. Tap the moment you’re in and jump straight to the guide. Every guide starts with the easy, free fixes and tells you when it’s not your job.

Jump to: Move-in checklist · Fix it or text your landlord? · Move-in day · Something broke · Gross stuff: mold & pests · Safety & security · Small-space storage · Getting your deposit back

Print the move-in checklist ↓

Fix it yourself vs. text your landlord

Usually fine to try yourselfText (in writing) your landlord
Safe resets: a tripped breaker or a GFCIA breaker or GFCI that keeps tripping or won’t reset
Plunging a clogged toilet or a slow drainLeaks, water damage, no hot water, no heat
Wiping small surface mold on grout or a sillMold larger than about 10 sq ft, inside walls, or after a leak (details)
Changing a slide-in furnace filter, cleaning hood filters (check your lease)Furnace service, broken fans, CO alarm issues
Cleanup and sealing food away for ants or fruit fliesBed bugs, mice or a bigger infestation
No-drill security and storageChanging or rekeying locks, drilling, hardwiring

Read the full breakdown: Renters: What You Can Fix vs. Call Your Landlord.

⚠ Emergencies first: smell gas? Get out and call 911 from outside (see the Day One guide). Then tell your landlord.
Tip: “In writing” can be a text or email. Keep copies and add photos or video of the problem (source on this guide).

📦 Move-in day

Do these before you unpack. Each one takes minutes.

Know These 5 Things on Day One
Water shutoff, breaker panel, gas smell, GFCIs, smoke & CO alarmsRekey or Change the Locks First
Old keys stop working. Renters: ask your landlord firstSmart Devices & Wi-Fi Basics
Change default passwords on your router and gadgetsChange the Furnace or HVAC Filter
Find the size on the old filter, arrow the right wayUtilities & Change of Address
Use USPS.com only, skip fee-charging lookalike sites

🔧 Something broke

Try the safe, free checks first. If it doesn’t work, text your landlord.

Fix It vs. Call Your Landlord
What’s usually on them vs. on you. Not legal adviceBreaker Tripped
Safe reset, and when to stop and report itOutlet Not Working
Tripped breaker or a hidden GFCI, usuallyGFCI Won’t Reset
Bathroom or kitchen outlet with buttons that won’t resetLights Flickering
Loose bulb vs. warning signs to reportClogged Toilet
Stop flushing, shut the valve, plunge the right wayToilet Keeps Running
Fill valve or flapper? Diagnose, then reportSlow Sink or Tub Drain
Clear the stopper and plunge before calling anyone

🪳 Gross stuff: mold & pests

Small stuff you can clean. Leaks, big mold and infestations go to your landlord, in writing.

Renters & Mold: You vs. Your Landlord
What you can wipe up and what to reportMold Prevention Habits for Renters
Fans on, humidity down, report leaks fastBathroom Mold on Grout & Caulk
Clean small patches safelyBlack Spots on Window Sills
Why windows sweat and how to cut itMold Under the Sink
Stop the leak, dry it fast, clean small areasMusty Closet Smell
Usually means moisture somewhereBed Bugs: How to Check
Look for signs on seams, then call your landlord or a proCockroaches
Clean up, seal cracks, baits over spraysSigns of Mice
Droppings, gnaw marks and sealing gapsAnts in the Kitchen
Food cleanup, seal entry points, baitsFruit Flies & Drain Flies
Find where they breedSpiders & Silverfish
Less moisture and clutter firstRenters & Indoor Air
What you can do vs. what goes to your landlordDust & Allergy Relief
Remove sources, ventilate, then filterChoosing an Air Purifier
Pick a CADR big enough for your roomClean Hood & Bath Fan Filters
Greasy hood filter and dusty fan cover

🔒 Safety & security

No-drill upgrades first. Lock changes and drilling usually need permission.

Renter Security Upgrades That Protect Your Deposit
Bars, dowels, timers and plug-in lightsSliding Door & Window Locks
Stop a slider from being forced or liftedSecurity Lighting
Motion lights and timersRekey or Change the Locks
Ask your landlord firstStrengthen a Door
Ask before swapping screws or hardware in a rentalSmart Locks, Cameras & Wi-Fi
Strong passwords, updates on

🗄️ Small-space storage

Storage that comes out clean when you move out.

Renter-Friendly Storage Without Drilling
Hooks within their rating, door racks, tension rodsSmall Kitchen Storage
Go vertical, bins, rolling cartCloset Organizing
Sort, measure, use the door and high shelfUnder-Sink Storage
Keep the shutoff valves reachable

💸 Getting your deposit back

Proof from day one, careful removal at move-out, and fixes in writing.

Fix It vs. Call Your Landlord
Damage beyond normal wear and tear is usually on youNo-Drill Storage
Remove adhesive hooks slowly, exactly as the package saysSecurity Upgrades That Protect Your Deposit
What’s no-drill vs. what needs permissionMold Prevention Habits
Report leaks right awayMove-Out Cleaning & Walk-Through
Clean, photograph, walk through. Laws vary by statePatch Small Nail Holes
Check the lease and ask first

🚚 Moving out (or moving in)

Plan the move, hire movers safely, and pack without breaking anything.

Moving Checklist: 8 Weeks Out
Notice, movers, packing, utilities, photosHiring Movers & Avoiding Scams
Check the USDOT number, red flagsPacking & Moving Appliances
Fridge, washer drum, gas dryer = pro

Printable move-in checklist

Do this on day one, before your stuff covers everything.