Moving out of your present home is a physical, mental and psychological challenge. There is a lot to think about, a lot to do and a lot more to consider before you finally make a decision to leave your home and neighborhood behind. As a homeowner, the responsibility of making the decision to move to a new locality, neighborhood, city or state lies squarely on your shoulders.

For this reason, we believe that the moving out process should be analyzed at every step. The most important considerations should be highlighted, discussed with family members and then accepted as part of the intangible costs of moving.

To make this stressful process easier and more manageable, we have put together the top 5 things to consider before picking a new location as your home. The importance of these 5 criteria may vary depending on the structure of your family, their needs, your income and your lifestyle; nonetheless, they largely determine whether the decision to move is appropriate or not.

Today is the day to move and you are probably ready to head out the door and get a move on. While it is exciting, you need to slow down for just one moment and make sure that you have all of the essentials before you jump in the moving truck.

Often times, people tend to forget some of their most important items, this can lead to confusion, and a successful moving day can be turned into a terrible moving day.

1. Documentation and Paperwork

Did you know you should to gather all of your most important paperwork for your move? While you probably stuffed these items into boxes somewhere, you will need to gather items such as any rental paperwork, sales documents for your home, wills, bank account information, insurance cards, and any other relevant and important paperwork.

2. Pet’s Necessities

When you started packing, you probably threw Fido’s bowls into the box and loaded them into the truck, right? Well, how is he going to eat and drink now? You should set your pet’s food and water bowls to the side and remember to leave them out so they are easily accessed when needed.