senior moving tips

It’s a challenge to make the move to a new place after all the years you’ve spent creating and taking care of your current home.

You’ve decided your home may be too large, too costly to maintain, too difficult to maintain, too unsafe without expensive safety features to meet your needs, too far from transportation, or too far away from shopping centers and medical offices.  Your home has become an inconvenience and now you’ve decided to buy or rent a smaller home or apartment. 

It’s a challenge to make the move to a new place after all the years you’ve spent creating and taking care of your current home.  If you own your home and plan to sell you need to consider how your life and financial status has changed.  Your current home is an asset, find out how much it’s worth.  Talk to your realtor about a Competitive Market Analysis so you can estimate a selling price.  If you are renting and you need some advice on your move you can always find a moving coordinator to help you make the transition.  Of course, many people simply choose to rely on family and trusted friends to help them make a move.  You’ve spent your life helping them out, now it’s their turn to help you.  We’ve put together some moving tips that should make your move easier.

 Decide where you want to live. 

Seems pretty simple, but consider many things.  Would you like to be close to family, friends, shopping centers, healthcare facilities?  Will you need to use transportation other than your car?  Will you have access to recreational activities?  Do you want to climb flights of stairs?  Do you want maintenance-free living?  Is it secure and safe?  Do you need assistance with daily activities?  Can you keep your pet?  Research new home alternatives long before you make your move.  Spend time in the area where you plan to move and get answers to all your questions. 

Clear out the old.

Whether you are moving to a smaller home, apartment, or senior residence you need to downsize your possessions.  Sort through your belongings and keep what you absolutely need.  Go to the least used rooms and areas first.  Sort only a few hours at a time to avoid being overwhelmed.  At this time you should create a floor plan of your new living space showing each room and the placement of each piece of furniture.  Take measurements of each room. Make a note of doors, windows, outlets.  Take measurements of your furniture.  Give the remaining items to family and/or friends.  Think about having an estate sale, a tag sale or donating belongings to charities (many charities will pick up the items at your home).  Keep in mind space limitations.  Let family members know what you plan on taking with you.  Make a schedule of the times when you expect to have family members, friends, or charities pick up the items.  Clearly label all items, use colored stickers to mark what will or will not go to your new home.  This will help you remember what goes where when you begin packing.

Get your house ready to sell.

If you plan on selling your home it’s time to make minor repairs and note major repairs which you should report to your realtor.  Small repairs make the home look well cared for and usually cost little time and money.  These details make a difference in how the buyer views the home.  Itemize cosmetic changes such as fresh paint or new carpets.  The home looks ready to move into.  Be sure to keep up the exterior maintenance of your home.  Remove interior clutter.  All of these tips create a favorable impression on a buyer.  Renters make sure your apartment is clean and contact your apartment manager to discuss what time your apartment will be shown.

Pack it up.

Packing should be easy for you and your family or professional movers if you’ve already labeled and sorted your belongings.  If you are doing the move yourself be sure to have enough boxes, packing materials, and tape.  Do not wait until the last minute to decide whether or not to keep an item.  Make all decisions about the belongings you intend to keep long before packing day arrives.  Try to do packing a day or two before you move if you are doing it yourself.  Of course if you hire professional movers, let them do the packing for you.  It will be less stressful on you and will guarantee that the moving company insures the contents of the boxes in case of damage.  Also keep in mind that if the move takes longer because you are disorganized, the movers may charge more.  Label each box with the room where it will be placed and list a few of the items contained.  You can even photograph your belongings so you have a record of their condition before the move.   Take special care of your smaller valuables.  You’ll want to keep them separate from the other boxes.  Carry them on your person, or place them with your personal items.  You may even want to place them in a safe deposit box during the move.

If you choose a professional mover be sure to consult two or three reputable companies and always get a written estimate.  If you label all the belongings that are to be moved this will help you to receive consistent bids from potential movers.  Once you decide on a mover you should sign a contract showing a specific price.  Be sure to understand the amount of insurance that is provided by the mover before you sign a contract.   If you have access to the internet or a library try to research what the law requires of moving companies.  You’ll be better prepared to ask the right questions.  You can even hire a Senior Move Manager or a Moving Coordinator to take care of all the moving details for you.  This person can handle your move from assessing your belongings to decorating your new home.  The National Association of Senior Move Managers has guidelines for many of these professionals.  If you find the thought of a move overwhelming you may want to consider contacting a Mover Manager.

Notify your service companies.

Contact your utility companies and let them know what day you plan to move.  Fill out change of address forms for the post office seven to ten days before moving day.  Make sure you have phone service at your current home and new home on moving day.  Have the name of the contact of your new apartment or senior residence ahead of time.  Know the name of the person you need to contact if a situation comes up on moving day.  Some residences will have you reserve a freight elevator.  Make sure you know the time of the reservation.  If the residence has a dining room, be sure to schedule your move around the meal times.

Call on help.

On moving day have your family or friends help out even if you have hired professional movers, you may need to put them in charge if you find you need to take a rest from all the activity.  Be sure to give the movers the floor plan with furniture placement.  This will prevent confusion at your new home.  Have an overnight bag packed a few days in advance of the move.  This bag should have all your medications, checkbook, traveler’s checks if you are moving a distance or cash, keys, phone numbers, address book, jewelry, toiletries, night clothes, day clothes and anything important you need to have close to hand on moving day.  It also doesn’t hurt to keep a few snacks and drinks handy.  Keep this bag close to you and away from movers so not to have it accidentally placed with your other belongings.  Have pets transported safely to your new home.  If you are moving a distance make sure family and friends have a copy of the route and schedule including all stops you will be making.  Check all drawers, cabinets, shelves, attic and garage to be sure they are empty.  Leave keys/garage door opener with new homeowner or apartment manager.  Set aside time to say goodbye to your neighbors. 

Settle in.

When you get to your new home try to unpack as much as possible the first day.  This will make you feel more comfortable.  Check to see if the telephone is working, if you have electricity, check appliances.  Ask the mailman for mail that might have been held for your arrival, notify everyone of your new change of address, make note of old mail that is still addressed to your former home.  

Have your new address recorded on your driver’s license, contact city offices for voter registration, register your car/license plates if moving to another state, make arrangements for local doctors, dentist, and veterinarian.  Get a list of important local phone numbers and call for a local phonebook if you don’t already have one.  And finally, introduce yourself to your new neighbors.