By Phyllis Staff, Ph.D.
Moving to a smaller house or apartment in a retirement community
almost always involves a certain degree of trauma, both for the
elder who's moving and for family members. However, by planning
ahead you can reduce the discomfort involved and turn what might
well become a nightmare into a pleasant event.
Begin by
Planning for the Move
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Where is the elder moving? Go to the actual
house or apartment with tape measure, pad and pencil and write
down measurements. Floor space is important, but don't forget
about ceilings. Many elders own large pieces of furniture that may
not fit into rooms with low ceilings. Your work here will
determine which pieces can move with your elder.
And while you're at the actual location, talk to several other
elders who already live there. What is their life style? Do they
go outside the property on frequent trips? How do they dress?
Casual lifestyles will require an entirely different style of
dress than more formal ones.
Gather
Supplies and Contact Helpers
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Having all the supplies you will need in one
place will speed your task. You'll want a number of storage bins;
five or six should be sufficient to hold sorted items. Plastic
bags can be used for discarded belongings and as a container for
articles to be donated to charities. Packing boxes and supplies
such as padding materials and wide sealing tape are must-haves.
Labels and dark marking pens are essential to ensure that boxes go
to their intended location.
While you're in the gathering stage, begin to contact helpers
you'll need. Among these may be:
- estate sale professionals
- certified appraisers
- moving companies
- house cleaners
- repair specialists (electricians, plumbers,
carpenters, painters)
Ask friends, relatives, and senior real estate
specialists for recommendations. Also, check with the Better
Business Bureau to ascertain whether problems have been reported
about particular companies or individuals.
Approach Your
Task One Room at a Time
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Who should help? The elder and one family member
should assume responsibility for sorting all items and some
packing. Do not include everyone in the family if you want to make
the job quick and easy because distractions increase in geometric
proportion to the number of persons doing the sorting.
Sort all the items in one single room at once, beginning and
ending in the kitchen. Why start there? Because kitchens in small
houses and apartments typically are short on storage space, and
the elder needs time and experience to determine which items are
true necessities, and which may never be used. If you reduce
kitchen items to a bare minimum at the beginning, your elder can
determine what's needed and what's not by living with them ahead
of time. After living with fewer items, your elder may find that
items once thought essential may not be needed. Complete work in
the kitchen at the very end of your tasks.
Even though you intend to stay in only one room, distractions will
occur. Resist them by stacking items that belong in another room
at the door. A bin or box placed just inside the door can contain
all the items that have homes elsewhere.
Make your motto One Thing at a Time; One Time for each Thing.
Once you've picked up an item, decide then and there what its fate
should be. Place it in one of the bins you've labeled:
- Discards
- Donations
- Distribution to Relatives
- Keepers
- Uncertainties
Large collections of books may require their own
bins. You might have bins for Collectors' editions, books to be
stored, books to be sold to book dealers.
When you have finished categorizing all the items in the room,
start the packing process. Items in the Uncertainties bin can be
packed for storage.
If an unbreakable item is to be moved only a short distance, don't
waste time on elaborate packing and padding. Items like crystal
and china, however, require excellent packing, regardless of the
distance they will be moved. If you can't do a great job, leave
packing fragile items to professionals.
Mark boxes as you go.
Mark boxes as you go.
Mark boxes as you go.
Nothing is more frustrating than finding that you've shipped your
elder's bed linens to Aunt Minnie and kept a silver salver you
meant to send your nephew.
Don't try to do everything at once. Do only one room on any given
day, and take the time to enjoy reminiscing as you sort items.
Scaling Down Continued ---> |
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