10 Moving and Downsizing Tips for Seniors
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about a third of American homeowners are over the age of 60. While many choose to remain in their homes, plenty of soon-to-be retirees plan to move and downsize.
Whether it's because they got tired of the upkeep their property requires or they want to be closer to their children, seniors across the country are embarking on a major life change. We've compiled a list of 10 moving and downsizing tips to help you through this adjustment.
1. Start early
Experts suggest taking a couple of weeks to a month is a realistic timeframe for this process. You don’t want to feel rushed since that will add to the stress that comes with any life change. So, make a plan and take your time knowing that you started early enough.
2. Make a floor plan
It would be helpful if you already had an idea of where you’ll be moving. Knowing the floor plan of your new home will make moving and downsizing much easier. Firstly, you’ll know exactly how much you can take with you. Secondly, it will make packing and unpacking much easier, as you can pretty much do it room by room once you start going through your belongings.
3. Eliminate large areas
When you choose what to keep according to your new floor plan, you will naturally have to eliminate entire areas or rooms. For example, if you won’t have space for a home office or a garage, pretty much everything that you kept in these rooms will have to go.
Sort through all of these items because you’ll still be able to make use of some of them. But knowing that most of them will have to go will provide you with the decisiveness to go through these areas quickly and efficiently.
4. Declutter
Downsizing will take a lot of time and effort. However, people often disregard the amount of emotional labor that goes into getting rid of their precious belongings. It can feel impossible to make so many decisions and part with so much of what made your life what it was.
Go through your belongings and sort them into three groups: keep, toss and give away. You can use colorful sticky notes to mark your bulkier items.
Being able to donate some of your items or give them away to friends might make you feel better about downsizing. If there are still items you want to keep but aren't sure whether they will fit in your new floor plan, consider renting a storage unit before you settle in a different city or town.
5. Get rid of duplicates
One of the most efficient moving and downsizing tips for senior citizens is to get rid of all duplicates. Rooms such as your kitchen are rife with multiple items that serve the same purpose. If you have four spatulas or two roasting pans, try to pack one of each. Dishes can be quite difficult to part with as they're often viewed as family heirlooms. Consider giving it away to a child or grandchild that you know will make great use out of it.
6. Start small
You can start with a smaller project if you're wary of this whole process. Try sorting through a drawer, a desk or a shelf. Getting this done will give you the push you need and a sense of accomplishment.
When preparing for moving and downsizing, another good tip is to start with an area that you don’t use every day. Perhaps it’s a shed or a garage. This way, starting the process won’t disrupt your everyday life.
7. Get large items out of the way
If you're still unsure where to begin, we suggest dealing with large pieces of furniture first. Sort through them using sticky notes and give away everything you plan to. Also, you can disassemble and pack some of the items that you won’t need before the move and get them out of the way.
8. Create a timeframe
The key to moving and downsizing seamlessly is careful planning. You have a sorting system in place, but you also want to add more structure to the proceedings.
Separate your home area by area and determine how much time each of them warrants. Then, set aside a couple of hours every day and work without distractions. Having a plan and starting on time will remove any stress you might be feeling about these changes.
9. Packing
Once you’ve settled on what you’ll be taking with you, you can start packing bit by bit. Gather all of the packing supplies and pay special attention to your valuable or fragile items.
This part of moving can be quite stressful and time-consuming, especially for someone who just went through the process of downsizing. If you opted for selling some of your items, that money could just as well go toward hiring movers that will handle the packing for you as well.
One part of packing that you should do yourself is set aside a suitcase or a box with some of the essentials you’ll need during the first 24 hours in your new home. A couple of changes of clothes, a first aid kit, sets of dishes, towels and sheets are all things for which you shouldn’t have to rummage through the boxes.
10. Time for reminiscing
When you’re setting a deadline for yourself, try to be realistic. You want to ensure that it's ambitious but also attainable. One of the things that are sure to distract you, no matter how focused you are, is reminiscing.
Preparations for moving and downsizing can make you feel quite nostalgic and emotional. Allow yourself some time to feel your emotions and reminisce about the objects you're handling. If something isn’t particularly practical but feels impossible to let go of, keep it. This is a major change you're going through, so be kind to yourself.
This article is brought to you by Arella Forest At Woodland.
