What to Do with Your Stuff When You Sublet Your Room

Furnished or Unfurnished

For a stay of a few months, leave the room furnished. Someone coming for a summer or one semester usually does not own a bed in New York, and you do not want to move yours twice.

For a longer sublet, such as the rest of a lease, ask the person. Some will bring their own furniture, and then you need a plan for yours.

Whatever you choose, say it clearly in the listing and the sublease: a list of what stays is better than the word "furnished".

What to Leave

• Bed frame and mattress, with a mattress protector.
• Desk, chair, dresser, shelves, lamp, mirror.
• Curtains or blinds, and the air conditioner or fan.
• Hangers and some empty closet and drawer space.
• Kitchen basics you are happy to share: pots, plates, cutlery.
• Cleaning supplies, a spare light bulb, the router.

Take your own sheets, pillows and towels or wash and bag them. Most people prefer to bring their own bedding, so say which it is.

What to Lock Up

If you have a closet, cabinet or trunk that locks, use it for things that are personal but not valuable: off-season clothes, books, kitchen items you do not want used, decorations.

Tell the subtenant which space is locked and off limits, and write it in the sublease. Do not lock up anything they need, such as the fuse box or the only storage in the room.

A locked closet is fine for a winter coat. It is not the place for a passport.

What to Take or Move Out

If it does not fit in your luggage, leave it with family or a friend you can rely on, not in the apartment.

• Passport, ID, bank cards, checkbooks and any document with your personal details.
• Laptop, tablet, camera, hard drives.
• Jewelry, watches and anything sentimental or irreplaceable.
• Prescription medication.
• Mail and paperwork with account numbers on it.
• Anything you would be upset to find broken.

What to Store

Bulky things that are in the subtenant’s way, such as a bike, extra furniture or boxes, can go to a friend’s place, your family’s home or a storage unit. Ask your building whether it has storage for tenants.

Before you pay for storage, compare the cost with the value of what goes in it. Storing a $60 bookshelf for four months can cost more than replacing it. Get the real price from the storage company for the months you need.

Make an Inventory with Photos

1. Go room by room and list every item that stays, including shared things in the kitchen and living room that belong to you.
2. Photograph each item, plus a wide shot of each room. Take close-ups of existing scratches, stains and dents.
3. Note the condition in a few words: "desk, good, small scratch on left edge".
4. Send the list and photos to the subtenant by email and ask them to reply that they agree, or to tell you what they see differently within a day or two of moving in.
5. Attach the list to the sublease, and use it again for the walk-through when you come back.

Agree the Basics About Your Things

Put three lines in the sublease: the subtenant may use the listed items with normal care, they tell you if something breaks, and they do not move your furniture out or bring in large items without asking.

Ask your renters insurance company what your policy covers while someone else is living there. Policies differ, so get the answer from them, not from a guess. Your subtenant’s own belongings are generally theirs to insure.

And before any of this, make sure you have your landlord’s written approval for the sublet.

• Checklist Before You Leave
• What a Sublease Agreement Should Include