How to Prepare for Senior Moving
No one looks forward to moving as they get older. It can be a very stressful and overwhelming process. However, if you are prepared for it, it will be much smoother. There are things you can do to make the coming days less stressful.
Follow these tips to help make your senior move as easy as possible.
Evaluate Your New Home
Apart from making sure your new home is senior-friendly, you must evaluate it in terms of space and floor plan. The majority of senior moves are usually from a full-size or a larger place to a smaller abode like an apartment or a condo unit. Thus, you should be prepared to organize, downsize, and move your belongings. You’ll be able to gauge how much work is ahead of you when you know the amount of new space you have to work with. Having this information makes it easier to mentally be prepared to fit in your new home and start the moving process.
Analyze Your Current Belongings
You’ve probably accumulated a lot of stuff over the years at your home or apartment. The truth is you might not really need all of it. As you get older, it becomes more difficult to keep up with cleaning and organizing a large home. The senior move is the best opportunity for you to go through all your belongings and get rid of the things you no longer need or use. Let’s dive into how you can streamline your things:
Make Two Piles
The first step is to sort through your home items and make two piles. Categorize them into the things you still use and the things you no longer need.
To Keep
This pile will most probably have your essential household items, basic furniture, documents, medicine, and last but not least possessions with sentimental value. Some things are just timeless and priceless, and should never be let go. We suggest screening each and every item of your house carefully and making a checklist of items that you would not want to let go of.
To Donate or Sell
This pile will have all the things you do not need and would not mind getting rid of. These may include clothes you never wear, the furniture you no longer need, and other household items that are just taking up space. You can also donate some of these items to charity if you do not want to sell them.
Take Help with Heavy Items
To see what is stored within, you may need to shift around furnishings or lift heavy boxes. These movements can cause pain and discomfort, so it is important to take care when trying to access stored items. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from a friend or family member to assist you. Some organizations and companies specialize in placing senior move managers to help you prepare for a move while staying safe.
Keep Your Cool
You have had years to accumulate a large range of possessions. For many seniors, packing and moving can be stressful. If you do not feel able to take on the task yourself, reduce the stress by arranging for friends, family members, or moving specialists to come in and help.
Top Tip: With a full-service moving company, you don’t have to worry about coordinating schedules with your friends and family. Instead, they will work around your schedule to handle the move for you.
Senior Moving Checklist when Looking for a Moving Company
A full-service moving company is often the simplest way for seniors to execute a move to new senior housing. But what qualities would seniors need in a moving company? Consider what services you require and whether the business you’re looking at offers them. If you want a moving company that will handle your relocation from beginning to end, make sure it comprises of:
- Affordable prices
- A good reputation
- Punctuality
- A wide range of services
- Licensed and insured
Most moving companies will allow you to pick and choose the services you require based on your needs and the time you have. As you consider how you want to handle your big move, consider which services you need and your budget.
Consider hiring a senior mover such as Casimir Moving Express providing long-distance move as well as move to an assisted living community. They understand that each senior has different needs and they make sure to tailor their services keeping the requirements of seniors in mind. Older adults, especially those with certain health risks, may want to confirm with the moving company that takes necessary safety measures for senior care making transitioning to a new home smooth and quick.
Top Tip: Moving companies not only facilitate the move itself, but many are helping seniors move their stuff to storage spaces. You’ll want to find a company that matches both your budget and is near your new home for easy accessibility.
Start Packing
For most people when moving to a smaller home, packing is the most stressful component of relocation. If you’re concerned about how much it will cost to pack your belongings and handle your things on your own, don’t be. Moving as a senior can be daunting, but you don’t have to go through the process alone – caregivers, friends, family members, or professional movers can help with moving into a new home.
There are a few different ways to approach packing, and the method you choose will ultimately depend on your budget and how much time you have before your move.
You can pack your belongings yourself, hire a professional packing service, or use a combination of the two. If you decide to pack your belongings yourself, you will need to purchase packing supplies and set aside a significant amount of time to get the job done. If you decide to hire a professional packing service, you will need to find a reputable company in your area and budget for the cost of their services.
The most important thing to remember when packing is to label all of your boxes clearly. This will make unpacking much easier and will help to ensure that all of your belongings end up in the right place.
Hire Movers or a Moving Truck
The next step is to decide whether you want to hire professional movers or rent a truck and do it yourself.
If you decide to hire professional movers, you will need to find a reputable company in your area and budget for the cost of their services.
If you decide to rent a truck, you will need to factor in the cost of the rental, gas, and insurance. You will also need to make sure that you are physically able to handle the task of loading and unloading the truck.
The most important thing to remember is that hiring professional movers will save you a lot of time and stress. If you decide to go this route, be sure to get multiple quotes and read reviews before making a decision.
Make a plan to Prepare for a Move
Whether you are moving by yourself or with the help of a senior citizen’s professional movers, it is important to plan to move. This will help you stay organized and on track throughout the process.
A Month Before the Move
As your move date approaches, you will need to start making more crucial decisions, such as what to pack and how. Whether you are moving into an assisted living or a home that’s smaller, you might have to:
- Cancel or transfer your utilities
- Get rid of furniture or other large items
- Change your address
- Pack up your belongings
- Arrange for transportation
- Notify your friends and family about your upcoming move
One Week Before the Move
As your move gets closer, you may feel more stressed. To combat this, make sure to take time for yourself and relax when you need it. Take some time and speak to someone, distract yourself, and picture the wonderful things you’ll encounter in your new senior center or space. Also, in the final days before your major move, you should:
- Defrost your fridge and freezer
- Do a final sweep of your old place
- Collect all important documents
- Arrange for pet care, if needed
- Pack a bag of essentials for the move
- Confirm your travel plans, if needed
The Day of Your Move: Final Moving Tips for Seniors
You’re ready for moving day if you’ve followed all of the preparation stages meticulously. On the day of your move, unexpected issues might arise since moving is hard – but with your plan, you’d be prepared to deal with them. Make the moving process smoother by following these steps:
- Wake up early
- Check that all of your belongings are packed
- Do a final walkthrough of your old place
- Say goodbye to your old home
- Get settled into your new place
Unpack
The most stressful part of relocating is packing, but unpacking comes with a unique set of difficulties as well. You might be exhausted from the move, and the task of unpacking everything may seem daunting. To make it more manageable, unpack one room at a time and take breaks when you need to.
As you unpack, you should:
- Inspect all of your belongings for damage
- Put away all of your essentials first
- Unpack your clothes next
- Enlist help to set up your furniture
- Hang up pictures and other wall decors
- Put away all of your dishes, cookware, and food
Casimir Moving Express has been helping seniors with their moves for over 25 years. We understand the challenges that come with senior moving and are here to help make the process as easy and stress-free as possible. Contact us today for a free consultation. We’ll be happy to answer any of your questions and help you plan your senior move.
