• Redirect your mail – this is easy to do on-line through Australia Post, you’ll need to allow 3 working days after lodging for the service to start.
• Register with the AEC (Australian Electoral Commission) either as an overseas voter or remove yourself from the electoral roll.
• Register with Smart Traveller – hopefully something you’ll never have to use but plan for the best, expect the worse. You also get updates from them via email which I’ve found useful.
• Notify your banks that you’re going overseas and also get a card that will work with minimal fees when you first get there.  We’ve found the Citibank debit card is the best, you can apply and get it in Australia and there are Citibanks everywhere in America, it’s also the default ATM in all 7 Elevens.  There are no ATM fees when you withdraw money and it’s a better conversion rate than the big 4.  Do advise them that you’re going overseas once you get the card and keep in mind that the limit to withdraw each day is USD$500.
• Take copies of your important documents such as passports, birth certificates and visas and send one set of copies to an on-line source such as dropbox or your email and another physical copy with family.

Most household items were sold on Gumtree and for women’s clothes I found that Carousell was great, I used the app and found it super easy – I’ve never had much luck on Ebay.  Anything that was left that hadn’t been worn in the past year went to charity.

In the end we each took one large and one small bag with us, which was all we had for 2 months before our shipment came.  When looking what to pack in your bag just remember that your jar of Vegemite can’t be taken in hand luggage, I learnt the hard way! put it in your checked in luggage. It look several weeks to find a jar here and cost $9, don’t worry about Tim Tams though  – they’re everywhere.

Around mid-April 2016 we got the call – my husband (then fiancee) got a job offer in the U.S starting early June, so we got married, sorted U.S visas, rented out our place and packed up.  I wouldn’t recommend doing all that in 6 weeks, but we made it happen…

We set the wedding date for the end of May, on a Friday – a Friday in low season helped us to get most suppliers we wanted and we got a good deal on the reception venue. The day was perfect, Perth’s weather did not disappoint and we had a beautiful day in front of 110 family and friends.

The job and the move completely depended my husband getting his E3 visa approved, there was no reason for it not too go through but we were still a bit anxious about it.  The process does take a bit of time, there is a lengthily online questionnaire and you want to make sure you get everything right, but once it was approved his passport was back to him within a week with the U.S visa sticker.  My visa was trouble free and easier – I only need to supply minimal information in comparison, I went and got my marriage certificate a few days after we got married and I then had my U.S Embassy appointment that week.  The staff at the Embassy were lovely and it was a quick and easy process, I did see them turn away a few people who did not follow the instructions – it clearly states that your photograph needs to be taken with the last 30 days but people were bringing in the same photo they’d submitted on their application two years prior, another applicant tried to pay for an application with AMEX but there was a sign clearly stating it wasn’t accepted.  I got my passport back with the U.S visa within 5 business days.

On the recommendation of friends we got a great real estate agent to rent our place in South Perth, we had strong interest but after a few viewings we were getting the feedback that our kitchen was too old so we got in a cabinet maker (the fantastic team at KR Enterprises) to replace the doors and hinges, and make a space for a new oven.  We loved the results and got new tenants signed just before we left.

Before and during renovation – goodbye wood ‘features’ and impractical oven

After renovation – significantly better

Luckily we had help from my husband’s new company to relocate so we had packers come in, which took 2 days.  We weren’t taking everything so it had to be sorted then we sold a heap of electronics and white goods on Gumtree.  It was then time for my husband to fly to L.A so I stayed back to get the townhouse cleaned and final bits wrapped up and I headed off a week later.

The 6 weeks were fun, stressful and eventful – it seemed crazy when we were doing it and there were many trying moments but we got through it, and it’s been worth it.

No matter how far I roam, I still call Perth – Australia, home.