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| As my husband and I are preparing to move for the second time in a year (the first was into my parents’ home; the second will be when our house is finished next month), I’m realizing more than ever that moving is not fun. The amount of “stuff” we’ve acquired in just a few short years is unbelievable. And as I’m rummaging around in the basement, I’m finding more stuff that has been in this house since I was in high school and college. Old notebooks, journals, albums…things I have no real use for but can’t bear to throw out. If I’m having this hard of a time getting rid of things before we move into our new house, I can’t even imagine what it would be like to have lived in a home for 30, 40, or even 50 years and then have to clear out my house in order to downsize. Moving can be an overwhelming task. It’s not only the physical aspects of the sorting and the packing, the cleaning and the moving, but the emotional toll as well. I can only imagine the work that would go into moving after living in your family’s home for several decades. You sift through items collected over the years. As soon as you see them, the memories come flooding back. How do you decide which items to keep and which to pass onto relatives, donate, or dare I say it…throw away? With senior citizens living longer and more active lives, the trend of downsizing from large family homes to condos, villas, and retirement communities is on the rise. Why face the hassles of yard work and home maintenance if you don’t have to? But before you can live the carefree lifestyle of an active senior on the go, you will need to address what to do with the belongings that have accumulated over the years. You have closets filled with clothes from so many eras that you could open your own retro clothing store. And you have a basement housing warped albums, boxes of old reel-to-reel family movies, and a musty set of encyclopedias that address World War I as “The Great War.” It’s time to clean house! As daunting as the task of clearing out your house can be, it is a surmountable one. But even figuring out where to start can be intimidating. Thankfully, there are movers and specialists in organizing and clearing the “clutter” that work exclusively with seniors looking to downsize into a smaller home. Senior move management services is a relatively new field, but it is one that is bound to become much more prominent in the near future. According to the National Association of Senior Move Managers, by 2030 the 65+ demographic in the U.S. will jump by 80%, a dramatic increase brought on by the retirement of Baby Boomers. Currently, the fastest growing group in the U.S. population is made up of Americans ages 85 and older. And with this demographic often comes the want and need to move to a smaller, more accessible home. Senior move managers are professionals trained in the various aspects of organizing and moving, and they are especially knowledgeable in working with seniors. Many older Americans may not be physically able to orchestrate such a large move. Even those who are physically able to do the packing and cleaning can easily be overwhelmed with such a big undertaking. Seniors may not live near family who are able to help. Whether they are moving across town or across the country, senior move managers can help you get the job done, from start to finish or anywhere in between. There are many services that these licensed and insured move managers can assist you with. Things such as sorting, clearing, cleaning, packing, and even disposing of unwanted items through estate sales, auctions, and donations are examples of what they can help you or your parents with when preparing to move. They can also assist you with finding a realtor, unpacking after the move, and getting you set up in your new digs. They can even figure out which larger furniture items will work in your new space by customizing floor plans. After family and friends have decided which items they will keep and other items have been given away, you’ll probably need to find a place to store the remaining heirlooms until they can find a new, permanent home. Try to avoid storing the rest of them in someone’s attic or basement. That will inevitably become the same “stuff” for someone else’s move in the future. The best option is to use a storage facility. Then you know that eventually the storage unit will need to be cleaned out, and it can be a good time to step back and have a little breathing room. Moving can be a very stressful time, especially a move like this. Emotions are bound to be in the forefront, and giving some space to the situation will probably help you to make more objective decisions. Perhaps you want to store your belongings in a traditional storage unit similar to a garage. Or you could choose the newer option of a self-contained, portable unit that can be delivered directly to your house. There are benefits to both kinds of storage units, depending on your needs. While you may want to ease the burden for Mom or Dad by using a senior move manager, it is still important to include them in the process of the move. Don’t rush them. Start small, perhaps by spending just 15 or 20 minutes a few times a day going through boxes or sorting through closets. Allow for time to reminisce and share stories. Take photos of special items that are not able to be kept but can still be remembered. Whether the move allows the senior to live a simpler life in a retirement community or condo, or the move is necessary for their health and safety, it will still most likely be a difficult one. Senior move managers can help to make the process go as smoothly as possible. Sources for this story included: www.elderoptionsoftexas.com/article_seniors_get_help_with_downsizing.htm, www.easymoveforseniors.com, and www.nasmm.org. |
Preparing for Senior Downsizing |
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