“I wouldn’t know where to begin…..”
Many older adults have that reaction when faced with the prospect of sifting through a lifetime of precious memories (and in some cases, miscellaneous junk) in preparation for a move to a senior living community. The accumulation of furnishings, paperwork, trinkets and heirlooms that result from a life well lived can’t be sorted through in a weekend. But, with the right kind of help, it doesn’t have to take forever.
Businesses that offer professional organization and downsizing services for older adults, sometimes known as senior move managers, can be a huge help when it’s time to move. Unlike your standard moving company whose only job is to pack up and move your possessions to your new home, senior move managers take on a much larger role.
Comprehensive Move Management
One of the greatest benefits of hiring a professional organizer to help you downsize is, well, to help you get (and stay) organized. While not all downsizing services offer exactly the same services, you can count on the service to help create a plan for sorting through all your possessions and coordinating the move, help you sort and pack and get you unpacked and organized in your new home. Many seniors find that having a non-family member lead the downsizing activities helps to reduce the stress and facilitate faster decision making.
Space Planning
Furnishing a senior living apartment can be tricky when downsizing. Obviously, you won’t have as much space in your new apartment. A professional organizer, particularly one that is familiar with your new senior living community, will be able to help you decide what will reasonably fit into your new living space. With their experience and expertise, they should be able to tell you how a specific piece of furniture will (or won’t) work in a room, how the pieces will relate to the rest of the furnishings and the best arrangement for traffic flow and aesthetics.
Getting Rid of Stuff
Getting rid of the stuff you don’t want to take with you can be a big job. Estate sales, consignment shops, and online auctions are all options, but coordinating these activities can be time-consuming. If you don’t want to spend the time or energy it takes to dispose of it all yourself, a professional organizing service will often coordinate the sale and donation of these items.
At Melrose Meadows, we understand that downsizing is an important part of transitioning to an independent or assisted senior living community. We recommend using the professional organizing and moving services offered by the professional organizers at Get Organized. In fact, every person who puts down a deposit at Melrose Meadows receives two free hours of their professional services.
Are you or a loved one exploring senior independent living communities or assisted living communities? Melrose Meadows is a certified assisted and independent living community in Iowa City, Iowa. We provide an independent, secure lifestyle for our residents in a vibrant, all-inclusive setting. Schedule a tour today to see if Melrose Meadows is a good fit for your future.