Tips for Downsizing Seniors into a New Home or Assisted Living Facility

Tips for Downsizing Seniors into a New Home or Assisted Living Facility

If it is time to downsize mom and dad into a smaller home or an assisted living facility, we understand your stress. This is a tough obstacle for both you and your loved one, and more than likely something neither of you have experienced before. To reduce the stress associated with this move, follow these tips.

The 4 Best Tips to Follow When Moving a Senior into a Downsized Home

1. Start Early: If your mom or dad has started to express interest in downsizing into a smaller home or assisted living facility, start sorting through their belongings now. The sooner you can start getting things organized to move, the better. Downsizing is a lot of work and can be very overwhelming. Staying on top of the move will help to mitigate stress for both you and your mom and dad.
2. Get Rid of the Maybe Pile: Sorting through a lifetime of belongings is an unbelievably overwhelming task. When narrowing down items to “keep” and “get rid of” it would be easy to form a “maybe” pile. It makes sense for your mom or dad to be hesitant to get rid of some items. Between the reality of parting with so many things, and the uncertainty of not knowing which items will be needed at their downsized home, it can be hard to decide which items to keep and which items to get rid of. When moments like this arise, remind them that it will be impossible to fit all of their items into their downsized home.
3. Choose One Item to Represent a Collection: Collectors will spend an entire lifetime locating potential pieces for their collections. Unfortunately, it may be impossible to take the entire collection to a downsized home. Instead, consider suggesting that your parents choose their favorite piece from the collection to take with them to their new home. This way, they still have the comfort of having part of their collection with them at their new home.
4. Rename the “get rid of” pile: Instead of merely labeling unneeded items as “get rid of”, consider labeling the piles as “donate”, “sell”, “give away” or, if broken, “dispose”. If your parents grew up in a generation where items weren’t often thrown out, they may have a hard time with choosing to simply get rid of some items that are still usable. Seeing the value of getting rid of some unneeded items may help them to realize that they are not being wasteful.

The Benefits of Renting a Storage Unit When Moving Seniors to Assisted Living or a Downsized Home

Sometimes it may not be possible to bring every item to a downsized home. When this is the case, a storage unit is a smart middle ground. Seasonal items like decorations, coats and boots can be stored in a storage unit until they are needed. Renting a storage unit to store the items that will not fit is a smart way to hold on to seasonal or sentimental items, while keeping them from cluttering a smaller home. Are you interested in learning more or finding a Tri-Village self storage facility near you? Contact us today!