Scaling Down (almost) Painlessly

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

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

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

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.

This is also the perfect time to have a certified appraiser come in to appraise items that may be of significant value. Very expensive items may be auctioned at an auction house such as Christy's or Sotheby's. Less expensive items can be sold to local antiques dealers. By having an idea of their value before going to dealers, you reduce the chance that dealers can scam you.

You could also consider selling items through an on-line auction. If you do so, remember that you will be responsible for shipping items and ensuring their condition to successful bidders.

Distribute Items to the Intended Recipients

Schedule a single day for distribution of items. In-town relatives can come to pick up items intended for them; they may also be helpful by taking bags to charities, books to resellers, boxes to storage, and trash to dumps.

Use this day for shipping as well. Small items can be shipped via UPS or FedEx; large pieces of furniture and antiques may require special handling by movers. Once you've finished distribution, you should have a considerably reduced pile of boxes and furniture. These boxes should contain only items to be moved to the elder's new residence or to storage. Remaining items should be those to be sold in an estate sale.

Move the Elder to His New Residence

Will the mover actually show up on time? Will the mover actually show up at all? Increase the probability of a good outcome for the move by contacting the mover to confirm arrangement a week ahead and the day before the actual move is scheduled. Of course, missed appointments may still occur, but if you've checked out the company with the Better Business Bureau and reminded the company of your appointment, the chances are good that the move will go as planned.

Accompany your elder to his new residence and help him with the moving-in process. Even if not all boxes can be emptied in a single day, he will feel more comfortable if a few items that are meaningful to him are unpacked and placed where he can find them.

Hold an Estate Sale

Once the movers have left the premises, the estate sale professionals should come in to evaluate and price items for the estate sale. Give them a key to the house, and then get out of their way. If you have chosen well, these professionals can do a great job of pricing items to sell and clearing the house of whatever remains. They will take a percentage of the sale receipts as compensation.

The days of the sale are good days to keep your elder busy elsewhere. A tearful elder does nothing to help sales.

Schedule a professional cleaning service to clean the house once the estate sale is over. When that has been completed to your satisfaction, turn the keys over to your senior real estate professional and give yourself a big pat on the back. You're done!

Click here for a checklist to help you through this process. Or copy this address into your browser address bar.
http://www.thebestisyet.net/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/pando19/start.cgi/movechecklist.htm< /p>

About The Author

Phyllis Staff, Ph.D. - Phyllis Staff is an experimental psychologist and the CEO of The Best Is Yet.Net, an internet company that helps seniors and caregivers find trustworthy residential care. She is the author of How to Find Great Senior Housing: A Roadmap for Elders and Those Who Love Them. She is also the daughter of a victim of Alzheimer's disease. Visit the author's web site at http://www.thebestisyet.net

pando19@yahoo.com

---

Stair Lifts - Straight and Curved Rails

There are two types of stairlift. Straight and curved. The... Read More

Compare Nursing Homes

Finding the best nursing home is easier than you might... Read More

Assisted Living Facilities ? What Are They?

Assisted Living facilities are generally for person's 60 years of... Read More

Prepare to Make Long-term Care Choices

Several months ago, I was coming out of a gas... Read More

Caregiving Across The Miles?Tips for Successful Long Distance Caregiving

Caring for a parent or a loved one is a... Read More

Respiratory Help Is Available For Seniors With COPD

As HMOs Continue to Drop Coverage for Seniors - Now... Read More

Just Give Them a Lot of Love and You?ll be Fine

It was right about this time, 19 years ago. My... Read More

What Most Long Term Care Professionals Don?t Know

Medicare recognizes this need and, therefore reimburses your residents to... Read More

New Hope for Alzheimers Treatment

There is now widespread agreement among research scientists and medical... Read More

Caring for Aging Relatives

It happens somewhat slowly in the beginning, maybe with a... Read More

Hinged Rail Stair Lifts

If a door at the top or the bottom of... Read More

10 Tips to Keep a Family Caregiver from Losing Their Mind

Caring full time for a loved one can be a... Read More

Strategies on Paying for Nursing Home Care and Medicaid

The decision to place your loved one into a nursing... Read More

Short Trips Can Stimulate Alzheimers Patients

Severe degradation of short-term memory means that my father, an... Read More

Scaling Down (almost) Painlessly

Moving to a smaller house or apartment in a retirement... Read More

Marketing, Selling, and Serving the Older Adult, Senior Citizens, Family Caregivers

Are your clients pleased by the fine quality service that... Read More

Retiring Abroad and Leaving the Grey Skies of the UK

Retiring abroad needs careful planning. Not all countries have the... Read More

Skilled Nursing Homes - What Are They?

A skilled nursing home is a medical facility providing services... Read More

Arizona Assisted Living Homes -- The Alternative to High Priced Senior Care

The cost of skilled nursing care is slowly rising. Currently,... Read More

Feeling Lonely?

Q: I hate Alzheimer's disease, not only has it robbed... Read More

Whos Gonna Take Care of You When Youre Old?

I finally went to the doctor this morning for my... Read More

Introducing the Best Available Long Term Care Policy Guarantee

If you're 60 to 70 years old ... or have... Read More

Stair Lift Buying Guide

There is no doubt that having a stair lift in... Read More

Baby Boomers: Will They Be Able to Afford Their Parents?

Do you worry about whether your aging parents have their... Read More

Board and Care Homes ? What Are They?

Board and Care homes (also known as RCFE's - Residential... Read More

Long Term In-home Care Options

Are you worried that you may lose all your life's... Read More

Angels Are Reaching Out to the Elderly

I am reminded time after time of the profound effect... Read More

Honey, Where Are The Car Keys?

Q: My mother is always losing, hiding and hoarding things,... Read More

Review of the Changing Protein Requirements for Seniors

Youth, it is said, is wasted on the young. Too... Read More

The Truth About Christmas

Every year, as Christmas approaches, you hear Christmas carols everywhere.... Read More

Arizona Assisted Living: Resident Rights

According to the Arizona Administrative Code (R9-10-710), those who reside... Read More

Nursing Home Staffing Levels: How Much Is Enough?

During the week of February 17, 2002, headlines screamed the... Read More

Scaling Down (Almost) Painlessly

Moving to a smaller house or apartment in a retirement... Read More