Cleaning Out Your Dorm Room: A Checklist for Your Last Week in the Dorm

Exams are over, your lease is almost up, and your dorm room is still full. A mattress, a desk, a mini-fridge, boxes of course materials, and a bike that hasn’t worked for months. Everything has to go before you return the key—and preferably without your parents having to drive over three times.

In this article, you’ll learn how to move out of your student apartment on time, where to take your belongings, and how to get your full security deposit back. These tips apply to any college town: Antwerp, Leuven, Ghent, Brussels, or wherever you’re living as a student.

1. Start on time

Your final weeks will be busy: exams, saying goodbyes, packing everything up. So start two weeks before you leave. Ask your landlord when the property inspection will take place and how to return the keys. Also check your lease agreement: it usually specifies the condition in which you must leave the room.

2. What belongs to the dorm, and what belongs to you?

Many student rooms are furnished. The bed, desk, or closet provided by your landlord will remain in the room. Refer to the move-in inspection report or inventory list when you move in, so you’ll know what belongs to you. Everything that belongs to you must be removed. Don’t forget the basement, the bike shed, and the communal kitchen.

3. What’s still in good condition: pass it on, sell it, or give it away

• The next tenant: Maybe the new student would like to take your office chair, your mini-fridge, or your lamp. Talk it over with your landlord so it's clear what can stay.
• Fellow students and 2dehands.be: New students look for things for their dorm rooms in the summer and in September. A desk, a small refrigerator, or a bike often sell out quickly during that time.
• The Thrift Store: We are happy to accept usable items. Please always contact us first via kringwinkel.be.

4. Where do you take your trash?

As a student, you’re usually not registered as a resident in the city where you live. In many cities, you can still use the recycling center with a special card. Here are a few examples:

• Antwerp: The city’s recycling centers are for Antwerp residents, but students can apply for an access card by presenting their enrollment certificate and rental agreement. Be sure to make an appointment. Bulky waste costs €22.50 per m³, with a minimum charge of €11.25 for half a m³. At the Kiel recycling center, you pay per kilogram: €0.11 per kg. More info at antwerpen.be.
• Leuven: Students can apply to the city for a free temporary access card, which is valid for three months. You do have to pay for the waste itself, according to EcoWerf’s rates. In the summer of 2026, the city also set up temporary collection points in student neighborhoods, where bulky waste cost €8.40 per half cubic meter or part thereof. Visit leuven.be what's happening this year.
• Ghent: Anyone who is not registered in Ghent needs an IVAGO recycling center card. Students can also apply for one; it costs €15. More info at ivago.be.
• Other cities, such as Brussels: The rules vary by city. Check with your city's waste management department or your school's student services office.

You can also dispose of small electrical appliances, such as a kettle or a lamp, at a Recupel-collection point, such as those found in many stores that sell electronics.

You are not allowed to simply leave bulky trash on the sidewalk. Find out why in our article about Bulky trash on the sidewalk and a GAS fine.

5. Don't have a car? Have it picked up

Without a car, it’s hard to get to the recycling center, and a mattress won’t fit on your bike. We’ll pick up everything that needs to go in one trip: mattress, desk, cabinets, boxes, and trash. Send us a photo of your room, and we’ll give you a fixed price upfront. You can find our estimated prices on the prices page. We serve Antwerp, all of Flanders, and the Brussels Region. Outside of Antwerp, a travel surcharge of €30 to €150 applies, depending on the distance. This is always included in your price upfront.

Tip: Do you live with other students in the same house? If so, schedule a single pickup together so everything can be hauled away at once.

Before and after: an apartment in Leuven that we cleared out.

6. Here's How to Get Your Full Security Deposit Back

• Leave your room empty and clean: the floor, desk, closets, refrigerator, and the bathroom, if you have one.
• Complete the move-out inspection with your landlord, and take your own photos with the date on them.
• Return all keys and badges, and have that confirmed.
• The security deposit will be released with the agreement of both you and your landlord. If you cannot reach an agreement, the justice of the peace will decide. Read more in our article about Getting Your Security Deposit Back.

Are you leaving some belongings behind? If so, your landlord can't just throw them away, but they can charge you for storing them or removing them. You can read about how that works in Dorm Supervisor: What can you do with items a student leaves behind?

Frequently Asked Questions

As a student, am I allowed to visit the recycling center in Antwerp?

Yes, with an access card. You can apply for one by submitting your enrollment confirmation and your lease agreement. Then make an appointment.

What happens if I leave my belongings behind in my dorm room?

They remain your property, but your landlord can charge you for the costs of storing or removing them. Your security deposit can only be withheld with your consent or through a justice of the peace.

Can you guys pick it up after I've already left?

Yes, if your landlord lets us in or gives us a key. Just make sure to check with your landlord first.

Are you guys coming to Leuven, Ghent, or Brussels, too?

Yes. We operate throughout Flanders and the Brussels Region. Outside of Antwerp, we charge a travel surcharge of €30 to €150, depending on the distance. You’ll receive a fixed price upfront.