Whether you’re glad to be escaping the place or already planning a return trip, Germany will want you to officially say goodbye before you leave. You’ll need to de-register your presence and address with the Einwohnermeldeamt and cancel your phone, internet and cable contracts. Your landlord should probably be the first to know you’re leaving because a notice of three months is required on most leases. Mobile phone contracts often contain a clause that lets you off the hook if you’re leaving the country, though you may have to return a subsidised handset. Utilities will ask you to provide a final reading of your meters, which also protects you from having to pay for some of your successor’s usage. If you want to sell a few things, advertise a Wohnungsauflösung (apartment sale) in Zweite Hand magazine. You’re likely to be free of all extra baggage in a single Saturday provided it’s priced cheaply. Hanging onto a bank account is a good idea for any forgotten debts or credits. It can be cancelled by mail later.