A first apartment is a short list of big decisions and a long list of small ones. The big ones are the lease and the deposit. The small ones are the lamp, the shower curtain and the trash cans, which is how people end up on the first night with a bed and nothing else. This guide takes the first apartment in the order it happens.
The lease comes first
Read the whole lease before you sign. Look for the monthly rent, the length of the term, the due date, late fees, pet rules, guest rules and who pays which utilities. Ask what happens if you leave early. Landlord and tenant law for Nevada is in NRS Chapter 118A, and HUD publishes a plain-language summary of tenant rights. If a clause confuses you, ask before you sign, not after.
Deposit and move-in condition
Nevada limits the amount a landlord may demand as a security deposit, and the rule is in NRS 118A.242 along with the landlord's duties and the process for an itemized accounting at move-out. On move-in day, photograph every wall, floor, appliance and window, and email the pictures to the landlord with the date. The file is your proof of what was there on day one.
Reserve the building
- Ask whether the building has a freight elevator, a loading zone or move-in hours.
- Book the elevator in advance if the building has one, and ask about a deposit for it.
- Measure the stairs, hallways and doors for a couch or a mattress.
- Park a truck as close to the door as the rules allow, and keep a spot clear.
- Tell the neighbors if you will block a shared hallway.
Utilities and the basics
Call the electric company, the internet provider and, if the lease says so, the water and trash services about two weeks before the move, and ask for service to begin on the day you get the keys. The USA.gov moving checklist covers mail forwarding, driver license address changes and voter registration. See how to transfer utilities and the change-of-address checklist.
Pack a small first load
Most first apartments are a one-bedroom or studio, and the belongings fit in a few boxes and a few pieces of furniture. Pack a first-night box with bedding, a towel, a toothbrush, shower curtain, a lamp and a phone charger. What goes in a first-night box lists the rest, and the apartment moving checklist puts the weeks in order.
Help with the heavy parts
Friends are great for boxes, but a couch, a mattress and a dresser on a third-floor walk-up are another matter. O'Brien's does apartment and condo moves in Reno and Sparks, and moving out of your parents' house and moving on a budget cover the other choices. Call the office and ask about the free in-home estimate and the 10 free heavy-duty boxes that come with it.