8 Moving Tips for Seniors
Moving is a task that never quite gets any easier, and when you’re a senior, it can be especially hard to leave behind a home that you’ve spent years raising a family and living your life in.
To help you through your upcoming moving process, review the moving tips below. They will help eliminate your stress and frustration. You’ll have a better idea of how to prepare for a major life change and care for yourself throughout.
1. Plan Ahead With a Moving Schedule & Checklist
Having an understanding of moving tasks that need to be completed and when they need to be completed by will go a long way to minimizing the overwhelm that moving can introduce into your life.
Start the planning two months before your official move day, setting milestones for the tasks you know will be the most difficult (or most hated!). Then, write the dates on your calendar in your favorite color or one you know you can’t miss.
2. Get a Floor Plan of Your New Space
What is your new place going to look like? Are you moving to a place that has a bigger or smaller living room, kitchen and bedroom than where you are currently? Can you couches and grandfather clock fit into the new space as well as the current one? These questions shouldn’t be answered after you move to a new location, but before.
With accurate measurements in-hand, it becomes much easier to understand which large items, such as furniture, can and cannot come with you to your next place. Another benefit is that you can start planning your new layout in advance.
3. Downsize & Declutter
You may be moving to a smaller home or apartment, or simply need to clear out unused and unwanted belongings – either way, sorting through your possessions is a process that can be long and challenging.
Start by categorizing your items into one of three groups: keep, give away/sell or throw out.
Make life easier by getting rid of things you no longer need.
4. Get Your Family Involved If You Need Help
The process of reducing the amount of belongings in your home can be long and challenging – don’t go at it alone! Ask family to give you a hand sorting and organizing.
If you have vintage items you want to hand down, make sure your children or grandchildren actually want to keep these items in the family. Having direct conversations will help you get rid of unnecessary things.
5. Let Technology Give You a Hand
Don’t bother trying to remember how things are arranged or setup. Instead use your smartphone camera to keep track of everything.
Take pictures of the way you have arranged your current home as well as electronics equipment so you can put it back together if you are not hiring movers to help you.
6. Tackle Packing in a Smart Way
Focus on packing one room at a time, making sure to label each both with the room it belongs in and any important contents within the box.
Packing in a systematic way can make it much easier to get settled into your new home.
7. Be Aware of Your Limits & Your Mental Health
Moving is exhausting at every age and it’s very important to honestly assess how much you’re able to handle on a daily basis.
Get plenty of rest and check in within yourself for signs of anxiety, confusion and depression which can be occur when you’re detaching from your current home and the items you are leaving behind.
If you find yourself overwhelmed, consider hiring professional movers.
8. Say Goodbye to Your Residence in Style
Ever heard of a house cooling party? It is exactly the opposite of a housewarming and can be a great (and beneficial) way to say goodbye to your home. Take plenty of pictures and ask guests to share their favorite memories in your home.
Set the Tone of Your Move with Confidence
Moving is time-consuming and difficult. For senior citizens, additional layers of complexity can arise that you don’t think of until it is too late.
Fortunately, there are many ways to make the moving process easier and smoother, and with these tips, you’ll know what’s ahead and have a good idea of how to handle it all.
