A move has dozens of small tasks that are easy to forget until you are standing in an empty house wondering why the water is still running at the old address. This checklist is built for the Fox Valley — the utilities, the providers, and the local details that apply to Appleton, Green Bay, Oshkosh, and the surrounding communities.
Four to six weeks before the move
- Get moving quotes. A walk-through or detailed photo set produces a far more accurate flat rate than a phone estimate.
- Sort and purge. Go room by room and set aside anything you will donate, sell, or discard. Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Appleton and Goodwill locations across the Fox Valley accept furniture and household items. Less volume means a lower moving cost and a faster move.
- Notify your landlord if you are renting. Most Fox Valley leases require 30 to 60 days written notice.
- If you have children, contact the school district — Appleton Area, Green Bay Area, Oshkosh Area, Kaukauna, or Kimberly — to start the enrollment transfer.
Two to three weeks before
- Book the movers and confirm the date in writing.
- Transfer or set up utilities. In Appleton, WE Energies handles electric and gas; in Green Bay it is Wisconsin Public Service. Water is typically through the municipal utility. Internet providers vary by address — call early, because installation appointments fill up.
- File a change of address with USPS and update your address with your bank, insurance, employer, and the Wisconsin DMV (you have 10 days after moving to update your license).
- Start packing non-essential rooms: guest bedrooms, storage areas, the garage, seasonal items.
One week before
- Pack the kitchen and the remaining bedrooms. Leave out only what you need for the last few days.
- Confirm the moving date, arrival time, and parking plan with your crew.
- Prepare a box of essentials — medications, phone chargers, toiletries, a change of clothes, cleaning supplies, and basic tools — that travels with you in your car, not on the truck.
- If you are moving in winter, arrange for the walkway and driveway to be cleared and salted at both addresses.
- Defrost the freezer and clean out the refrigerator. Movers will transport a fridge, but it must be emptied, unplugged, and dry.
Moving day
- Walk the house with the crew lead before loading begins. Point out fragile items, note anything that needs disassembly, and confirm where things go at the new house.
- Keep children and pets out of the work area. A friend, a neighbor, or a day at one of the Fox Valley dog parks solves this.
- Do a final sweep of every room, closet, attic, and the garage before handing over the keys. Check the washer, dryer, and behind appliances.
- At the new house, direct placement as items come off the truck — it is far easier to have a dresser set in the right bedroom on the first carry than to move it again later.
After the move
- Unpack the essentials box first: beds, the bathroom, and the kitchen.
- Check that utilities are running at the new address and that the old ones are scheduled to disconnect.
- Update your voter registration with the Outagamie, Brown, or Winnebago County clerk.
- Inspect your belongings and note any damage promptly. Reputable movers have a claims process — use it within the carrier's stated window.
A move is a project, not an event, and the work you do in the weeks before determines how smoothly the day itself goes. Get a flat, no-obligation quote and we will handle the heavy part.