The furthest I have ever moved is about 75 miles from where I grew up, and that was to go to college. I have never moved to another state. I know that we will need to find a place to live, change our drivers licenses, register our cars there, find new medical homes... and most importantly, I need to find a new brand of milk that I like. Long story short, I'm a picky milk drinker and I only like the milk with the purple label from King Soopers (Kroger) which happens to be a Colorado brand. But back to the other stuff.
So, do you have any advice for moving to another state? What all needs to be done as far as transferring records, establishing residency, registering to vote, etc.? Is there a specific order I should do things in? Are there things I shouldn't do for a while? Are there any additional resources that I should check out? How can I sample new milk brands? (haha!) I would love any advice you have!
Thanks so much for your help!
For moving as often as I do I really don't have answers to many of your questions. lol I will suggest though, making sure you take some time to have fun, do some touristy things. Moving can be stressful, and you don't want to hate where you live. So, make a point to go out, learn about the area and enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteWell first things first, about the milk (really?) FYI, Kroger is not just a Colorado company, they are in California too, and their stores are called Ralphs. Chances are you may just be able to get the same thing. However, be sure to check out the milk at Trader Joe’s – it’s cheaper and you’ll learn to love it! (Try!)
ReplyDeleteSeriously, the first thing to do is to pray about this before you move, during your move and after your move. This will be the most exciting adventure you’ll have, but also the most stressful. Find a church and get plugged in there. Until you get to know new people, you may feel alone in a strange place, and it will give you comfort to have a group of people to care about you. And don’t fall into the habit of constantly comparing things to Colorado. The people there don’t want to hear about it, will resent you, and you’ll be slowing down your own adjustment. The key? Look for similarities and not the differences.
There are websites that give you some basics about moving to California: http://www.ca.gov/HomeFamily/MovingToCA.html and the area Chamber of Commerce may also have information: http://www.livermorechamber.org/about-livermore/new-residents.aspx
According to the California DMV, you have 10 days to get a California Driver License and 20 days in which to register your car. Some people have been known to go years without registering their car or getting a California license – because it was hard to let go, and because of the cost. As with everything else, hold on to your wallet, things cost more in California! Back to the DMV – it’s a nightmare! There are some things you can do online, and once registered, you can renew and pay for your registration at the AAA office and get your new stickers that day. You can find out more about the DMV at the following link: http://dmv.ca.gov/newtoca/newtoca.htm
I believe you may also be able to register to vote at the DMV, but here is a link about that:
http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_faq.htm California is full of flaming liberals, but hopefully you can help change that, one vote at a time! :) The state is broke, and is trying to make up the deficit from the taxpayers.
Your employer’s medical insurance may dictate where you go for medical care, and HR can probably highlight the good Doctors for you. It’s always good to ask people at work, neighbors, etc to recommend Dr’s and Dentists, and hopefully you’ll hear a name more than once.
This will give you enough to chew on for now. I think you have relatives that live in California, and I’m sure they can be a resource at all stages through this process. Hang on to your hats, it’s going to be an exciting ride! More later.