As an older adult, moving may have become a huge hassle. However, you may need to plan an upcoming move for retirement or another reason. Whether you are moving into a smaller home or to a new city, it’s important to understand a few of things about senior moving.
Is it the Right Time to Move?
Before you start putting together a good plan for moving, it’s often smart to make sure it’s the right time to move. Sometimes, you need to take care of other things before it’s time to move, such as downsizing your belonging for a smaller home. Some of the main reasons seniors move include:
- A decline in health or mobility
- A feeling of isolation
- Not much support in the area where they live
- Time to downsize to a smaller home
- Ready to retire to a new state/country
If you have experienced a decline in health or any of the other reasons apply to you, it may be time to move. Make sure you evaluate the reasons for moving to ensure you are making the right decision.
Downsize before You Move
In many cases, seniors will be moving from a larger home to a smaller condo, apartment or home. Sometimes, they will even be moving into a nursing facility or long-term care housing.
Whenever a senior moves from a larger place to a smaller home, they will need to downsize. This could mean giving away or selling some of your belongings. Do this before moving so that moving becomes easier.
Take your Time With Packing
There’s no reason to rush the move, if you don’t have to. Often, you will have plenty of time to prepare for the move. If you don’t have to rush to get out of your current home, take things one step at a time. Start small with just preparing one room at a time until your entire home is ready to go.
Obtain a Layout of the New Home and Plan the Move
A layout of your new home will help with the planning of the move. Since most moves with seniors will include downsizing, it’s smart to understand how much space you will have in your new home. This will help you to part with the right items and only take what you can fit in the new place.
You will also want to plan the actual move down to labeling boxes properly and the timing of the move. If you feel better in the morning, plan your move for the morning. Taking care of the actual moving process during the best time of the day for you will make a difference in how the move will affect you physically and mentally.
Hire Outside Help
Most seniors don’t want to deal with packing and moving all of their belongings. Some may not even be physically able to handle the moving and packing process. Plenty of professional movers will help you get all of your belongings packed and moved to your new home. Don’t be afraid to hire outside help, as it may be the best way to ensure your move goes smoothly.
When you are a senior and you plan to move from one home to another, it can be a stressful time. With outside help and the tips listed above, you will be able to take the stress out of moving, even as a senior.
