Seattle and Washington State

Everything you need for a smoother Seattle move.

Step-by-step checklists, a move-out cleaning planner, and plain-English guides to Washington security deposit rules, with the statute cited for every one.

Start the move-out checklist Plan the cleaning

Moving boxes stacked neatly in a bright, empty Seattle apartment with a freshly cleaned floor

Your move at a glance

30 days out

Give written notice, book movers or a truck, start decluttering.
Details: 30 days out
14 days out

Schedule utility stops and starts, file your USPS change of address, reserve truck parking.
Details: 14 days out
7 days out

Pack room by room, plan the move-out clean, find your move-in checklist.
Details: 7 days out
Moving day

Clean the empty unit, photograph every room, return keys, leave a forwarding address in writing.
Details: Moving day
After

Watch for your deposit statement within 30 days, update your address with DOL.
Details: After

Security deposits in Washington

Know the rules before you hand back the keys

Washington gives landlords 30 days to return a deposit or explain, in writing and with documentation, why they kept it. Our guides walk through RCW 59.18 rule by rule, with the last-verified date on every article.

An emptied Seattle apartment with moving boxes stacked by the wall, a set of keys and a plain envelope on a blue stone counter, and a rainy view of the Space Needle through the window.

Security Deposits

Washington Security Deposit Rules

Washington security deposit rules for renters: the move-in checklist, trust account, installments, the 30-day return deadline, penalties, and Seattle add-ons.

10 min read

Close-up of a slate blue wall and white baseboard meeting a clean light carpet, with a roll of blue painter's tape, a putty knife, and a folded cloth on the floor.

Security Deposits

Washington Deposit Deductions

What a Washington landlord can and cannot deduct from your deposit: wear vs damage, carpet cleaning, documentation, partial damage, cleaning fees, and disputes.

8 min read

A hand in an orange sweater holds up a phone, photographing an emptied kitchen with slate blue cabinets standing open, a stainless steel range and hood, white tile backsplash, and moving boxes stacked to the right.

Apartment Inspections

Documenting Your Apartment at Move-Out

A move-out photo and video protocol for Washington renters: compare against your move-in checklist, a room-by-room shot list, file storage, and a forwarding address.

10 min read

Browse by topic

All guides

Browse the full list

A bright living room mid-move with stacks of plain cardboard boxes sealed with blue and amber tape, a rolled rug, a fiddle leaf fig, and a blue armchair beside rain-streaked windows facing evergreen trees.

Moving Checklists

30-Day Moving Timeline

A week-by-week Seattle moving plan: movers, truck parking permits, packing by room, utilities, address changes, and new-resident deadlines.

11 min read

A sunlit hallway in an emptied apartment with honey-colored hardwood floors, an upright vacuum and a slate blue bench holding a caddy of brushes, a spray bottle, and cloths on the left, and taped moving boxes, a folded blue blanket, a wooden stepladder, and a potted olive tree on the right.

Move-Out Cleaning

DIY vs. Pro Move-Out Cleaning

Should you clean your Seattle rental yourself or hire a move-out cleaner? Weigh moving-week time, equipment, condition, your lease, and what pros leave out.

11 min read

Apartment Inspections

Documenting Your Apartment at Move-Out

A move-out photo and video protocol for Washington renters: compare against your move-in checklist, a room-by-room shot list, file storage, and a forwarding address.

10 min read

A clipboard with a pen, a smartphone, a yellow tape measure, and a set of keys on a leather fob rest on a white ledge overlooking an empty room with hardwood floors, white walls, and a large window onto rain-wet trees and houses.

Property Managers & Landlords

Landlord Move-Out Inspections in Washington

For Washington landlords and managers: move-out inspections, documenting deductions, the 30-day statement under RCW 59.18.280, penalties, and a turnover timeline.

11 min read

A bright apartment kitchen with slate blue lower cabinets standing open, an open drawer, an empty refrigerator with both doors open, a dishwasher, a bucket holding orange and blue cloths and a spray bottle beside the sink, three taped moving boxes on a doormat, and a window looking out at trees and neighboring houses.

Move-In Preparation

Move-In Cleaning Checklist

What Seattle renters should inspect, photograph, and clean on move-in day: the signed checklist, deposit receipt, smoke alarms, and repairs in writing.

9 min read

A wooden stool in the doorway of an apartment bathroom holding a gray caddy of cleaning bottles and brushes, folded amber and blue towels, and two phones, with a white vanity, slate blue wall, and glass shower behind it and a carpeted hallway with a view of city towers to the left.

Moving Costs

Move-Out Cleaning Cost

What drives the price of a Seattle move-out cleaning quote: unit size, condition, appliances, access and parking, timing, and how to compare quotes fairly.

9 min read

An empty apartment kitchen with dark blue cabinets, white subway tile, and a stainless oven with its door open and racks clean, with buckets of folded microfiber cloths and amber spray bottles on the counter and the oven door.

Move-Out Cleaning

Move-Out Cleaning Checklist

A room-by-room Seattle apartment move-out cleaning checklist: what landlords check first, appliance steps, rough time estimates, and what cleaning does not cover.

8 min read

An emptied Seattle apartment living room with a stack of taped moving boxes and a blue armchair by the door, a roll of packing tape and a set of keys on the windowsill, and a rainy city view with the Space Needle through the window.

Moving Checklists

Seattle Move-Out Checklist

A phase-by-phase Seattle move-out checklist: written notice, utilities, mail, DOL address change, parking permits, disposal, cleaning, photos, and keys.

12 min read

Security Deposits

Washington Deposit Deductions

What a Washington landlord can and cannot deduct from your deposit: wear vs damage, carpet cleaning, documentation, partial damage, cleaning fees, and disputes.

8 min read

Who publishes this guide

Seattle Move-Out Guide is published by Sweepless in Seattle, a family-owned cleaning company in Seattle. Some articles mention when hiring a move-out cleaner makes sense; most are about doing it yourself. Read our editorial policy and ownership disclosure.