A big move can be very stressful. You may be moving to a smaller place, a new home near friends and family, a senior living community, or even with a relative. These tips can help you cope with the move easier.
Step One: Take a Look at Your New Home
Before you relocate, you should assess your new home carefully. You need to know:
The amount of space you’ll get
The layout of the rooms
The storage options
How close you’ll be to your neighbors
Any changes you will need to make for safety reasons
Your new space may differ a lot from your current one. Many seniors have to downsize when they move to an assisted living facility or another new place. If you’re moving from a house to an apartment, you may have to get rid of some furniture or find storage. Knowing your space can help you with the move.
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Step Two: Assess What Help You Will Need
For many seniors, moving is not as easy as putting all of their belongings into boxes and loading everything into a moving truck. One of the most important moving tips for seniors is to be honest about what you can do on your own and when you will need help. Think about:
Do You Need Help Packing Boxes? If it is hard for you to bend down to put items in boxes or to move heavy boxes to another spot, you may want to arrange for help packing, unpacking, and moving those boxes. Also, consider whether you know how to pack fragile objects, especially those that may be going into storage for a long time. How to Handle Furniture and Belongings by Yourself
To move on your own, you need to plan and stay safe. You may have to lift heavy furniture or big boxes. If that is hard for you, get someone else to help you.
Are You Stressed about Packing Your Home? You may have many things after years of living. Packing and moving can be very stressful. If you cannot do it alone, ask for help from friends, family, or professional movers.
A full-service moving and relocation company can help you move more easily if you don’t have friends and relatives to help. Ask local movers what services they provide and what advice they have for seniors who are moving.
How to Choose a Moving Company? For many seniors, a full-service moving company is a better and more convenient option for a big move. How do you choose a moving company? Think about what services you need and check if the company you’re interested in offers those services. If you want a moving company who will handle your move from beginning to end, the company should
Provide Packing and unpacking
Furniture disassembly and reassembly
Moving and storing your items
Trash removal
You can decide what services you want based on what you can do and how much time and money you have. Think about your needs and budget when you plan your move.
You can also visit the National Association of Senior Move Managers to find out more about the options for senior citizens who are planning a big move. Older adults may have special needs, and senior movers know the tips and tricks for seniors that can help you reach your goals.
Step Four: Make a Moving Schedule
You need a schedule to help you plan and manage your move, whether you’re moving locally to an assisted living community or far away to another state. Moving can be hard. A schedule can help you do all the important tasks on your list. Start from the end to make a good schedule. When do you want to be in your new home? You may have a fixed move-in date, often given by nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Or you may have more flexibility — a goal to reach your new home by a certain date, but the ability to adjust your plans a bit, for example.
Pro Tip: The time you have to complete your move will determine your move timeline. If you have a short notice that a bed is available in the nursing home you want or that there is an immediate opening in an assisted living community, you may need to move quickly.
Start getting ready at least eight weeks before your move. Set up an organization system. Will you prefer virtual moving checklists on your phone or computer, or a hard copy list? What documents will you need for the move? Start a file with all the important documents. You will need to:
Start thinking about downsizing, if necessary.
What possessions do you plan to take with you?
What possessions do you no longer want to keep?
Plan a yard sale, if needed.
Set a date and plan to have everything ready to go by that time.
Collect your medical records, especially if you have a medical condition that needs to be monitored.
Research professional movers, if you haven’t already.
Keep in mind that you may need to get on their schedule early.
Buy supplies for your move.
Set a moving budget. Moving can be expensive, and you need to know what funds you will have on hand.
What Supplies Do You Really Need For Your Big Move?
As you prepare for your move, make sure you have the right supplies on hand. You will need:
Boxes in multiple sizes
Packing materials, including packing peanuts, bubble wrap, or other padding for delicate items
Permanent markers for labeling boxes
A utility knife or scissors to help make opening and unpacking easier
Small plastic bags for screws and smaller items
Your moving company may provide many of these supplies, especially if you opt for a full-service move. Consult your moving company to learn what supplies they have available and what you will need to purchase or prepare on your own.
As your move draws closer, you need to start making critical decisions and packing up your possessions. You may need to:
Decide how you’re going to handle storing or rehoming possessions that you don’t want to take with you when you move.
Hold your yard sale.
Make sure you have movers scheduled, if needed.
Arrange for friends and family members to come help on the day of the move.
Notify utility companies, your landlord, and anyone else who needs to know that you’re planning to move out.
Schedule move-out inspections.
Start packing non-essential possessions, especially things you plan to place in storage or things you know you will not need before your move.
Book travel arrangements, if needed.
Make arrangements to cancel memberships and services you no longer need. This might include a membership to a local gym or senior center that you will no longer be able to access after your move.
Moving Tips for Seniors Three Weeks Before the Move
With three weeks left before moving day, you need to:
Make arrangements for moving your pets. Your moving company does not take care of this task. This is especially important if you’re planning a long-distance move and cannot transport your pets on your own.
Decide how you want to handle moving plants. You may not want to leave your plants, especially delicate ones, in the hands of the movers. Make arrangements for a friend or family member to move them if needed, or plan to drive them yourself.
Make arrangements to change your address with any regular deliveries or services that you use.
Notify banks, credit cards, insurance companies, and other providers about the coming address change. Officially file your change of address forms on the USPS website, and handle all your other change of address to-dos.
Make plans for how you will handle the rest of your food. If you’re just moving across town, you may be able to move some of your food supplies. If you’re moving cross-country, on the other hand, you may want to plan to empty your freezer and fridge as much as possible ahead of time. Keep in mind that anything you have left over, you have to manage!
Arrange to transfer your home insurance, if needed.
Confirm dates to turn on utilities at your new home, if needed.
Keep packing.
You’re settling into crunch time, and you want to be sure that everything is ready to move into your new home. This week, you’ll need to:
Pack up any particularly valuable items and arrange for how you want to handle them. This could include heirlooms or items to which you attach special memories. You may not want movers to handle some of your most valuable possessions, so make sure you know what you want to do with them!
Dispose of any dangerous items, like paint, industrial cleaners, or hazardous materials that you cannot move with you.
Create a plan for cleaning your home before you move out. If you have challenges like mold, make sure you have a plan for addressing them.
If you’re planning a long-distance move by car, get your car serviced this week so you know it will carry you safely to your destination.
Keep packing. Arrange for loved ones to come help you pack, if possible. If you’re having movers pack up for you, you may still want to pack up any items that require special care or that have significant sentimental value.
Create a plan for your “essentials” boxes and bags.
Pro Tip:
If you need to arrange for a final cleaning before moving out, consider bringing in a cleaning service. It will help relieve stress since you won’t have to worry about handling the cleaning yourself. It will also ensure a deeper clean than many people can get on their own, increasing the odds that you’ll get your deposit back.
Your move is getting closer. You may feel your stress mounting as your move gets ever closer. Make sure to take time to sit back and relax if you need it. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, especially as you wrap up the entire process.
Confirm all the details. Make sure you confirm your dates with your moving company. If you’re moving into an assisted living facility or nursing home, check your move-in dates a final time.
Finish packing.
Clean out the cabinets and dispose of unneeded food in the freezer or fridge. Consider donating it or giving it to friends and family members.
Make any final plans for the big day.
Prepare your “essentials box” with items that you will need on your big day.
Arrange to move any items that won’t be going to your new home to storage.
What Items Need to Go in Your Essentials Box or Bags for Moving Day?
There are some items that you will need immediately when you arrive at your new home. You will want to include:
Enough clothes for a few days. Make sure to include clothes that you can get dirty. Unpacking can be a messy business.
Cleaning supplies, especially if you suspect you will need to deep clean your new home before you can move in
Toiletries
Toilet paper
Paper towels
Coffee maker and coffee
Pet food and dishes, if needed
Bedding
An emergency kit
A shower curtain, if needed
A towel (or towels, if you’re moving with your spouse)
Tools
Important records and paperwork
Your medications
A phone charger
Any other items you know you will need immediately or in the first couple of days after your move
Pro Tip:
Consider buying an extra container of your most important toiletries so you can pack them in your essentials box ahead of time.
If you’ve followed all the preparation steps carefully, you’ll be ready by the time moving day arrives. Inevitably, surprises will crop up on the day of your move — but you’re prepared to handle them. On moving day, you should:
Take a last look through the house to make sure you haven’t missed anything. Check for last-minute items you may have used the night before, including toiletries.
Meet your movers or the people helping with your move. Coordinate as needed.
Turn in your keys or any important paperwork.
Move to your new home!
Make sure that the movers take care of any necessary tasks, including reassembling furniture if that’s part of your contract. Double-check important items before they leave.
After the Move
Unfortunately, your job isn’t done when you finish packing up your old home. Fortunately, however, the hardest part is now over. After you complete your move, make sure that you:
Unpack.
Arrange for a new driver’s license if you’ve moved to a new state.
Register your car in your new location.
Make plans to meet friends and neighbors. If you’ve moved into an assisted living facility or nursing home, check out the schedule and learn what events you have available!
Older couple going through belongings as they pack for a move
One key advantage of following these moving tips for seniors and getting started early is you can take your time at every stage of the move. Start by taking a look at your possessions. If you’re moving to a smaller home, including a nursing home or assisted living facility, you will need to find a way to reduce the number of possessions you will take with you on moving day.
For seniors moving into a smaller environment, you have several options for downsizing. Consider these moving tips for seniors who want to declutter and downsize:
Sell specific items that have value but that you no longer want or need.
Donate items as needed. You may want to donate to a local shelter or find a secondhand store.
Hold a yard sale.
Give items to friends and family members.
Throw away items that you no longer want and that you cannot sell or give away.
Store items you will use periodically but which won’t fit in your new home. Choose a suitable storage unit or other storage space. This might, for example, include holiday decorations.
As you prepare to downsize, set aside a box or bag for each purpose. You may want to pack many of your possessions as you go to make it easier to get through each room.
Pro Tip:
Search for storage near you to learn what options you have available and what it will cost to store your possessions. This can make it easier for you to decide what will fit your budget and help you streamline what you want to keep.
Packing is the biggest part of the moving process and the part that can cause the most stress. Unpacking, however, brings with it its own challenges. As you plan to unpack, consider these factors:
If you’re moving out of your own home into a shared environment, work with your new roommate to share space effectively.
Unpack the kitchen first. It’s one of the most-used rooms in your home and will help you feel more at home in your new environment.
Take it a step at a time. Just like packing to move out, unpacking can be a process. Give yourself enough time to take care of all of the tasks on your list.
Arrange for help if you need it. You may need to direct friends and loved ones in where things go or simply trust that they can handle many of those tasks, like filling bookshelves or placing items in your linen closet.
Making a move as an older adult can bring with it considerable stress and other challenges. With a solid plan in place and these moving tips for seniors in mind, however, you can reduce your stress and make the move easier to manage.