While moving to a new home can be an exciting event and an opportunity for a fresh start, it can also be extremely stressful. Packing, cleaning, unpacking, then cleaning again. It feels like a never ending process. This is especially true for seniors, who may not be able to do all the “heavy lifting,” when it comes to the end to end process of the move. The good news is, there are many ways in which you can combat and stress and get through the moving process with ease.
Below, we’ve compiled a list of ideas to help the senior community navigate the relocation process. Keep reading for a few tips on how you can practice self-care during your next move.
Hire Professionals
Whether you’re moving to a new home and plan to take all of your belongings with you, or you’re downsizing to a smaller space and are only packing the essentials, hiring a professional moving company is a great way to take the stress off your shoulders as well as your families. When searching for the right moving company for you, you’ll want to consider the following:
- Price: Is this company within your budget? If so, what are they able to provide you for the price you want to pay? If not, are there specific items on your list you can omit in order for them to be more affordable? These are just a few of the questions you should ask yourself before making a final decision. Sure, price is quite important, but quality is key if you truly want to make this a stress-free experience.
- Customer Service: Before signing any type of contract, you want to do your research. Check into the company website and take a look at their reviews page. If they have received a lot of positive feedback based on their past work, you may feel more comfortable choosing them. On the other hand, if the reviews aren’t so great, or there’s none at all, consider keeping your search going and look into some other options. If you’re not super tech savvy, you can always check around with people you know and go with a company based on word of mouth recommendations. This is, afterall, the best form of advertising! Be mindful of the fact that seniors can be taken advantage of in situations like this and do not let your guard down.
- Licenses and Insurance: When hiring movers, it’s crucial you ensure they have their own insurance and licensing. Any reputable company will carry their own property damage and cargo policy which deems them liable should anything happen to any of your belongings during the move. Movers should also protect their employees by providing some type of workers compensation policy should they get hurt on the job. This also protects you from any liability should an accident happen.
- Equipment: This is especially important if you’re planning to move heavier items such as televisions, washing machines, or any other items that need to be handled with extra care. Sure, a bunch of people may be able to lift these items, but how safe are they really being? The right equipment includes box carts, elastic moving strips and even a small forklift depending on the size of the items. In addition, you’ll want to consider what types of vehicles this company has to offer and if their size is conducive to your items.
Embrace Convenience
When you’re in the midst of a move, or even once you’ve settled into your new home, the last thing you want to do is worry about is an everyday task such as grocery shopping. If you don’t feel like heading out to a store, or simply don’t have time, utilize a grocery delivery service to stock your new space with your everyday essentials. You’d be shocked at just how many items are available for delivery. From bread and milk to cleaning supplies, and even vitamins and over the counter medications, the list goes on and on. Having everything delivered to you, and in a timely fashion, will lend you more free time to get settled in your new space.
Another great way to embrace convenience during your move is hiring a person or a company that specializes in home organizing services. Regardless of whether it’s to help you with packing and unpacking or decluttering, you want to start out in your new space on the right foot from an organizational standpoint. After you’ve lived somewhere for so long, it’s normal to accumulate many items. Sometimes these items can hold sentimental value, making it more difficult to part with them.
That said, it is important to recognize what items you should save and which items you should consider donating or recycling. If you’re curious as to what items can and cannot be recycled or donated, check out our list here. If you feel your problem with holding onto things is more serious, check out our page on chronic disorganization.
Utilize Estate Clearing Services
Sometimes, the move we’re making isn’t always one we make by choice or we’re not able to be hands on in the moving process at all. This is the perfect
opportunity to utilize Estate Clearing Services. Our team provides compassionate and professional care during these critical circumstances and anyone should feel safe knowing we treat your belongings as if they are our own. Families of those who receive our estate clearing services can rest assured that we will handle all items with care and follow directions when it comes to heirlooms and anything else that carries out your desires to preserve your family legacy.
The estate clearing team can assist in any cleaning and decluttering you’d like done as well. This will make the moving process much smoother as you’ll be able to identify the items you’d like to take along with you to your new home as well as those you’d like to sell or donate. To learn more about estate settlement, check out this article from our blog.
Moving on to a new residence can drum up a number of emotions. At Clear Path, we know that moving can signify the beginning of one chapter and the end of another. We’d like to do everything we can to help you throughout this process. We also think it’s important to treat yourself kindly and embrace convenience as much as possible. If you’re a senior considering a move, don’t hesitate to contact us directly to learn more about the ways we can help you!
