water fountain question

I just got a Drinkwell Platinum for my boy, and today I cleaned it for the first time. It's on the floor near his food, but when I unplugged it and picked it up (carefully) to bring to the sink, the water in the fountain sloshed all over my kitchen floor.

I know that some of you must know how I can avoid this mess the next time.
I've thought of perhaps using a bucket to empty the fountain right there in place before I move it. Any better ideas?

That happened to me the first time - it's gotten better since then!

Dumb question, but you're taking the reserve bottle out, then the little top, and then walking over to the sink? That seemed to help me. Also, took me a week or three to realize the power cord is a two-piece deal - unplugging from the middle 'joint' helped my juggling act as well.

I've been using distilled water (99 cents at Dominicks) and replacing each week - makes the cleaning very easy. I gather it's important to take the little motor apart and rinse it, but that, even for unmechanical me, was very easy.

Bucket will work, but, honestly, in the few months I've had it the spillage has really decreased.

No, NOT a dumb question--I'm the one who is dumb! I didn't take out the reserve tank nor the top. That will probably help a lot because the fountain was probably unbalanced with the tank in--thus the big spill.

Yes, it was easier to clean than the directions indicated. They seemed so complicated that I was almost afraid to take the fountain and motor apart, but I was encouraged by all the people on this site who said it was easy--it is.

I tried to do it during one of my boy's naps, but, of course, he came to see what I was doing and "supervised" from the kitchen table, vocalizing constantly. I think he was complaining that I had touched his "thing." It's really tough being ruled by a feline!