Moving Doesn’t Have to be Chaos — in fact it’s a great opportunity for a fresh start and reorg! Plus, there’s nothing more exciting than the special touches you will bring to your new home at Fox Creek!  Download a PDF copy of this page, here: Fox Creek Moving Checklist.

3 Months Before—Sort and Purge:

• “A Room a Day”—Go through each room of your house and decide what to keep and what you can get rid of. Don’t forget the garage and storage! Now is the time to sort through closets, drawers, and cupboards to weed out what you don’t want or need. Don’t give up— it’s always darkest before the dawn and purging is great for your well being! Hold a yard sale, give stuff to friends and family and donate unwanted items to charity. Be willing to MOVE IT FAST and let someone else enjoy it.
• Check the room dimensions of your new Fox Creek home to make sure furniture will fit the way you want. You may find you have a piece that is too small or large, and worth reselling or giving away. Do this now, while there is plenty of time to dispose of unwanted pieces.
• Create a Moving Binder— It’s not too soon as you use this binder to keep track of everything—all your estimates, your receipts, checklists, tasks, timelines, and the inventory of all the items you’re moving.
• Inventory the Valuables— As you sort, create a list of items that will require special packing or extra insurance coverage. Determine replacement values for insurance purposes. Take note of where those items are currently located. Take note of the items you will want to carry with you on the day of the move; valuables and items movers prohibit carrying.
• Having moved more than a few times, I have often combined my sorting and purging with boxing items I know I don’t want to get rid of, but won’t use for a couple months. This can include offseason clothes, holiday dishes, extra linens, games, sports equipment, tabletop items, Tupperware and baking dishes, extra small appliances etc. My rule was “Sort A Room a Day and Pack 2 Boxes a Day” and it’s amazing how easy it made the move go when the time came!

2 Months Before— Cost Estimates and Management:

• Obtain written estimates from several moving companies and carefully select one. This will be the most important step you take. Ask for an on-site estimate, especially if you have a lot of items, or many valuable items. You will be surprised at the cost differences and ultimately you want to select a company you feel confident will handle your belongings with the TLC they deserve.
  Be sure your estimate has a USDOT (U.S. Department of Transportation) number on it. Make sure you are using a reputable company, so check with your state’s public utilities commission, moving association, or Better Business Bureau.
• School Records— Go to the kid’s school to arrange for the transfer of records to their new school district. Keep copies and annotate who you spoke with and when. Contact the new schools for enrollment information.

6 Weeks Before—Getting Lean and Tightening Down:

• Order boxes and other supplies including tape, paper, bubble wrap, and permanent markers. Don’t forget to order specialty containers, such as wardrobe boxes. The smartest purchase you will make is wrapping paper (a box costs about $8) — do NOT use newspapers to wrap as they transfer newsprint ink onto EVERYTHING. Do look online (Craigslist etc.) for good used boxes to save a bundle. Professional moving boxes (vs back of the grocery store boxes) make all the difference when it comes to stacking, labeling, storing, and loading, especially if you are self-packing or self-moving. Again, money well spent.
• Using your bold Sharpie, label and number each box with its contents and the room it’s destined for on top and on the side. As you box, note in your binder items valued over $100 per pound, such as a computer. You will want to declare these items when moving.
• Make an effort to use up frozen and perishable foods, open food such as condiments, cleaning supplies, cosmetics, shampoos, paper products etc. Don’t buy anything you don’t have to during the next 6 weeks— it’s just more to move!
• If moving to Fox Creek from out of town:
• Line up your travel arrangements and travel plans, whether driving or flying. (Flights, a hotel room etc.)
• Obtain copies of medical records for each family member.
• Ask doctors to recommend colleagues in Bullhead City and around Fox Creek.
• Consult insurance agents (Home, car etc.) to find out if changes to policies are needed.

1 Month Before— One Foot Out the Door!:

• Notify USPS of change of address, easiest way is online.
• Notify charge accounts, subscriptions, memberships, clubs, banks, brokerage houses, newspapers, magazines, your employer’s human resources department and family and friends of your change of address.
• Notify utility companies (water, gas and electric, trash) to disconnect/turn off services the day after your move day and to have new service activated several days before you arrive at your new Fox Creek home. If you have a landline, arrange a disconnect date for just after your move out date. Cancel/notify internet service, cable TV, security, pest control, pet service, pool service, house cleaning services, lawn maintenance, etc. As a courtesy, let your personal care professionals (hair stylist, personal trainer etc.) let them know you are moving and will not be using their services going forward. Arrange for any refunds that are due.
• If you will need a storage facility, arrange for a space in Bullhead City.

1-2 Weeks Before— Focusing on Your New Life!

At this point, you’re probably so excited to move into your brand new Fox Creek home that the final packing and labeling seems like a breeze! You’ve done all the prep work little by little, so you’re not overwhelmed, worn out or panicked and you can focus on your new and exciting future at Fox Creek!

• Pack and label “essentials” boxes of items you’ll need right away. Make sure you set or label them so the movers know you want them loaded last and unloaded early.
• Time for a thorough house cleaning, including cleaning rugs, patio furniture etc. you are taking with you. This can be a good time to clean upholstery so it is really fresh before you move into your new house.
• Make a “final clean up” closet or garage area of items you have set aside for the touch ups and/or clean up.
• Confirm delivery date with your movers. (This is important.)
• If traveling by air with pets, obtain health certificates from your veterinarian.

The Week of The Move—All Systems Go!

• Make sure the large appliances are cleaned, defrosted and any last minute cleaning before move day is done.
• Finish up final packing and be sure all items are boxed and ready to go prior to the movers’ arrival. You don’t want to be scrambling with the weird “extra bits” when the movers arrive.
• Confirm your drivers have written directions to your new home, cell phone numbers, and re-confirm delivery date.
• Arrange payment or deposit for movers/drivers and be sure to have some cash on hand to tip movers and for the trip.
• Pack suitcases you plan to move yourself with clothes, toiletries, jewelry, and important documents.

Moving Day—

• Make sure you are present when the movers arrive so you can walk them through the home and any special needs
• Once all belongings are loaded onto the moving truck, take a final walkthrough. Turn off all lights and thermostat, lock all windows and outside doors.
• Head to your new home, and new adventures, at Fox Creek!