This Big Canoe moving checklist will help you prepare for a full-time relocation or a move into your vacation or second home. From packing and furniture deliveries to gate access and mountain roads, a little planning can make your arrival much easier.
Use this Big Canoe moving checklist to work backward from your arrival date. A full-time move may involve your entire household, while a second-home move may focus on furniture, essentials, and separate deliveries.
Start Your Big Canoe Moving Checklist Six to Eight Weeks Before Arrival
- Confirm your closing and possession dates before booking movers or deliveries. Build in flexibility if those dates may change.
- For a full-time move, sort what to keep, donate, sell, or remove from your current home. For a second home, make a room-by-room list of what you will bring, buy, or deliver separately.
- Request a moving estimate. Share your inventory, both addresses, stairs, steep or narrow driveways, and any heavy or fragile pieces.
- Decide whether you will pack yourself, request professional packing, or use a combination of both.
If you are keeping your primary residence, decide which essentials belong at each home. That simple list helps prevent duplicate purchases and forgotten items on your first visit.
Four weeks before: Check Big Canoe access and truck size
- Review the Big Canoe Property Owners Association’s current moving truck guidance and share it with your mover.
- Schedule and pre-authorize the moving company for admission through the North Gate. The POA notes an exception for large trucks serving Blackwell Creek homeowners through the Main Gate.
- Confirm the length of the moving van. The POA says moving vans over 36 feet cannot enter and must be unloaded off-site; ask Public Works about the unloading location if this applies.
- Explain your driveway grade, turns, parking space, and the path from the truck to your door.
- If furnishing a second home, coordinate delivery dates and gate access for each furniture or appliance provider, not just the moving company.
These details matter when choosing a vehicle and estimating the time needed to load or unload. If anything about access is unclear, verify it with the POA and your mover before moving day.
Two to three weeks before: Handle the household details
- Arrange utilities, internet, and other services before arrival. If the home will be used part time, decide how you will manage service and maintenance while away.
- For a permanent move, update your mailing address and notify banks, insurers, healthcare providers, and subscriptions. For a second home, decide which mail and deliveries should go to each address.
- Order packing supplies and label boxes by room and contents. Mark fragile items clearly.
- Photograph valuable furniture and electronics, and keep a simple inventory of items that need special care.
- Plan how pets and children will be cared for while doors are open and people are carrying furniture.
One week before: Confirm the route and essentials
- Reconfirm your moving date, arrival window, crew details, vehicle size, and gate authorization. Confirm any separate deliveries, too.
- Share the exact address and a backup contact number. The POA cautions that GPS and mobile service can be unreliable in parts of Big Canoe, so have a community map or written directions available.
- Pack a first-night bag with medications, chargers, toiletries, clothing, basic tools, and important documents. For a second home, include anything needed before later deliveries arrive.
- Finish most packing and set aside items that should travel with you rather than on the truck.
Moving day: Keep access clear and stay available
- Make sure the moving crew has the approved gate instructions and can reach you if needed.
- Keep the loading area and route through the home clear. Do not block a road or emergency access with a vehicle.
- Walk the home with the crew to identify fragile pieces and boxes that need to be accessible first.
- Check closets, cabinets, attic, garage, and outdoor spaces before the truck leaves.
- At the destination, direct boxes to their labeled rooms and check large items before the crew departs.
After the move: Settle in
- Unpack essentials first and note any questions about the move promptly. Full-time residents can prioritize daily routines; second-home owners can check that the house has what they need for the next visit.
- If you are a new Big Canoe owner, ask the gate attendant about your temporary pass and transponder application after closing, then complete your property owner access setup.
- Break down boxes and check current community guidance before taking packing waste or unwanted items to the disposal area.
- If the property is a second home, make a final list of unfinished deliveries, supplies, and maintenance tasks before leaving.
Ready to put your Big Canoe moving checklist into action?
Whether you are relocating your entire household or furnishing a mountain retreat, JSO Logistics Moving & Delivery can help. Request a moving quote and share your timeline, inventory, and access details so we can help you plan.
Local guidance for review: bigcanoepoa.org/property-owners/public-safety/access-control/ and bigcanoepoa.org/visitors/
