Moving to a senior living home for retirement means leaving behind many things, anything from family gifts that hold deep sentimental value to those easily-forgotten knick knacks that you picked up on your last vacation to Florida.
One thing is certain, you need help downsizing to a retirement community.
In today’s post, Ivy Knoll, a premier independent living facility in Covington, KY., gives helpful downsizing tips for seniors.
1. Start Early and Plan it Out
Make a list of what you absolutely need to take with you and what you no longer need. The earlier you start, the more wiggle room you’ll have to adapt to anything that might come up along the way.
Planning is one thing; doing is another. Set deadlines for yourself. Get your friends and family in on it. If you don’t find ways to hold yourself accountable, time might get away from you.
2. Start Small
In general, moving can be downright overwhelming, especially if you’re a “packrat” or someone that likes to save things for a rainy day. The best piece of advice when downsizing to a retirement home is to start small. Even if it’s just one room!
Focus on going through a few of your belongings every day. Narrow it down by concentrating on a single room or a closet space. Go for the easy targets. Get rid of any throwaway items first, things that you definitely won’t miss and won’t need.
3. Organize
You can pick out what you don’t want and leave the rest. Or conversely, you can pick out what you really want to save, put it in a separate section, and sell, donate, or throw away the rest.
4. Clarify & Prioritize
State the purpose behind each of your items. Don’t throw things away immediately. Wait while you put it somewhere away from the other items that you’ll be decluttering and removing.
5. Leave Space to Feel
It’s okay to get sentimental. If something is really important, get a family member to store it in their home or take it with you. If you’re unsure, it’s okay to leave it in a separate pile or area.
6. Eliminate Room by Room
If you have various rooms at your house, you’ll need to go room by room and check to see what can fit and what simply can’t. Start how you want, from large to small, or vice versa.
Have each room be a project in and of itself, focusing only on that particular area, and sorting through one thing at a time.
7. Safeguard Special Memorabilia
Family heirlooms, gifts, and any item that has sentimental value should be put in a special place, separate from the cluttered, busy mess of your room.
If you’re storing your special items somewhere, make sure it’s secure, and in a place where you won’t soon forget it.
You could also ask a family member if they can hold onto it for a while, just until you finish your move and get settled into your new home.
8. Declutter Large Items
Moving isn’t cheap. The larger the items and the more stuff you have, the higher the price of moving. Avoid it by getting rid of the majority of your things in advance, well in advance.
Join the Ivy Knoll Community in Northern Kentucky
Are you ready to move? Contact us today and schedule a tour of one of our gorgeous, spacious floor plans: (859) 491-3800.