So you’ve decided to move from Oregon to California. Depending on where in Oregon you’re leaving and where in California you’re traveling to, you might find yourself experiencing some culture and climate shock. A cross-state move is hard, and it’ll be even harder if you’re not organized. Here’s a checklist of things to remember during your move:

• setting your schedule
• planning your transportation
• changing your address
• updating your driver’s license and vehicle registration
• updating your car insurance policies
• canceling old utilities
• starting new utility services

Scheduling the Truck or Movers

You have to know when you’re going to move. Only when you have a particular date can you get your other planning in place.

You need to know when you’re leaving so you can rent a moving trailer or truck. You also need to know how long it’s going to take you to drive to your new location, so you can budget time accordingly.

Alternatively, if you’re hiring movers, you also need to make sure you schedule them in advance. The industry advises booking interstate movers at least 2-3 months before your anticipated move date. Particularly during the summer months, moving companies book up quickly. Scheduling your move now ensures you’ll have the help when you need it!

Additionally, you need to know where you’re staying on the way, when you’re arriving, and where you’re staying if you don’t have permanent housing in California yet.

Plan everything to keep your move organized.

Some things that might impact your schedule include:

• starting and ending dates of any jobs
• the end date of your current lease
• start date of your new lease
• the time of year that you’re moving
• whether you’re bringing pets who can’t handle the stress of the road for many days

Transportation Planning

You need to know how you’re getting from Point A to Point B. More than that, you need to know how your stuff is getting from Point A to Point B.

The most economical option is to bring as little as possible. Maybe you can stuff it all into your car or a couple of suitcases, which cuts down on complications. More likely, though, you’ll need a moving truck, or you’ll need to hire movers.

Some costs to factor in:

• price of a moving trailer/truck or moving company
• price of shipping one or more of your vehicles
• price of gas (estimate high because of the decreased gas mileage from towing) or a plane ticket
• price of hotels, motels, and lodging (if you’re driving)
• price of food

Consider setting a budget for all your moving expenses.

Changing Address

As soon as you have your new address, you’ll want to set up mail forwarding with the United States Postal Service. They’ll send mail from your old address to your new one without any issue.

Updating Paperwork

Once you’ve established residency in California, time is of the essence. You have:

• ten days to get your California driver’s license
• 20 days to register your vehicle
• until your vehicle is registered to switch insurance policies
• about a week before your new lease begins to contact your new utility companies
• immediate need to cancel old utilities to avoid bills for services you aren’t using

If you don’t get these things done in time, you could end up having to pay a fine.