Senior home relocation planning
Before deciding what to pack, take time to understand the new space. Consider:
- Which pieces of furniture are essential for each room?
- How can frequently used items be stored in an accessible way?
- Which items have sentimental value but may not have a practical place?
- Are there building policies to keep in mind, for example, move-in hours, elevator reservations, or rules about mounting items on walls?
- Important items, such as medications, identification, financial papers and other essentials should always be kept separate and readily accessible.
Before deciding to bring large items of furniture, measure them and measure again! Make sure to allow for packaging as well as turning corners, going through doorways and fitting into elevators. Always check the dimensions of the smallest space furniture must pass through on its journey into your new space.
Relocation Support Covers More Than Moving Day
A move later in life is much more than getting belongings from one residence to the other. There are practical matters to consider, like figuring out how to make things fit in a new space and sorting through a lifetime of accumulated belongings. There are family considerations, like figuring out logistics with adult children who live far away. And then there’s the emotional challenge of leaving a familiar home.
Relocation services for older adults can ease the process by breaking the move down into manageable steps and looking beyond moving day to everything that comes before (planning, sorting/downsizing and packing) and after (setting up in the new space); the practical side of Cincinnati senior movers relocation services starts there. Taking this comprehensive approach can help avoid moving items you ultimately don’t want in your new space, only to have to arrange to have those things hauled away later on.
Sort Practical Items Before Sentimental Ones
Moving boxes and household belongings
If you’re moving from one residence to another furnished residence with only a handful of pre-selected items to take with you, you may not need much in the way of relocation services beyond help with packing and transporting your things. But if you’re dealing with the accumulation of a lifetime, it’s helpful to slow down and find a sorting system that works for you and your family.
It can be helpful to start with less emotionally-charged categories of belongings, such as:
- Extra linens
- Duplicates (for example, small kitchen tools)
- Paper clutter
- Garage/closet items you’re unsure about using again
Save more meaningful items, like photographs, mementos, family heirlooms, etc., for when you have more time and energy to thoughtfully sort through them. Try not to let well-meaning relatives rush you through the downsizing process. It can help to break belongings into piles labeled keep, give to family, donate, sell, recycle, discard and so on. Otherwise, it’s easy to end up with one giant “maybe” pile!
Put One Person in Charge of Move Details
With multiple family members helping with a move later in life, details can fall through the cracks. From transportation logistics to changing utilities to figuring out where important documents are, a written timeline can help keep track of details and who is responsible for each task. Try to nail down specifics like:
- The date and time window for loading/delivery
- Who has keys/access codes and knows how to get into the space(s)
- Anything that needs to be scheduled in advance (like an elevator or parking/loading area)
- What boxes should be unpacked first
- What’s going to happen with unwanted belongings
It can also help to designate one person as the go-to contact for coordinating a move. That doesn’t mean this person has to take charge or make all the decisions, just that there’s one person responsible for gathering and disseminating information so it’s not scattered among sticky notes, text threads, phone conversations, etc.
Pack for an Easier First Week
Beyond simply making sure things get from point A to point B safely, a packing system can also help a person feel more at home and settled-in as soon as they arrive at their new residence. It can be helpful to set aside an “open first” collection of items (including things like clothing, toiletries, bedding, phone chargers, glasses, medications, mobility aids, comfort items, etc.) and label boxes with the room they belong in and their contents, rather than vague labels like “misc.”.
It’s also a good idea to pay special attention to packing and transporting breakables and other precious/sentimental items and keep track of where these things are headed if family members are taking some of them with them.
Leave Room for the Emotional Side
While downsizing/moving later in life may be a welcome chance to get out of a larger, higher-maintenance home, it can also stir up emotions and lead to fatigue/stress. Even if a person is excited about a move, they may grieve the loss of their home (I bookmarked https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24787-grief for this), neighbors, familiar spaces, daily routines, etc. Resist the urge to “fix” this or push through it!
Start With Three Concrete Decisions
Instead of feeling overwhelmed by all the moving/downsizing that needs to happen, start with measuring the new space, making a list of necessities for the first week in the new place, and writing down just the next three things that need to be decided or done.