Categories: Moving for Seniors

Stress-Free Moving Tips

Moving is one of the most stressful events for seniors as it involves a lot of time and emotions. Staying organized is key in preventing a stressful move.

Here are important reminders and tips that will make the move stress-free:

Plan the Move Carefully
Create A Checklist
Scale Down
Stay Organized
Unpack Strategically
Take it Easy

1. Plan Carefully

Once you make the decision to move, you will need to start planning on where, when and how to start packing all your belongings. Being emotionally prepared is very important because you will have to do a lot of sorting and disposing. Planning things carefully and preparing emotionally will help reduce stress.

2. Create A Checklist

With so many things to do, it will be helpful to make a checklist of things to remember like, transferring your prescription, filing a change of address with the post office, calling your utility service companies to schedule disconnection for your old house and connection date for your new place, etc. Read Moving Checklist For Seniors for more information.

Create a timetable for packing, moving and unpacking to guide you through the whole moving process.

3. Scale Down

Through the years, you probably have accumulated a lot of things, which you will no longer find useful. It might be necessary to scale down the things you will bring to your new home. Therefore, you will need to decide whether to throw, sell, donate to goodwill or give unnecessary things to friends and family.

This will not only avoid clutter in your new place, but it will also help you unpack easier and faster.

4. Stay Organized

Organize and pack things by rooms will make the packing process easier. This way, all your things won’t get mixed up, thus making it easier to unpack and find things.

Don’t forget to label all the boxes with the following information:

Room of origin
Contents
“Open Me First” box

Create an “Open Me First” box. Be sure to put important things that you will need first in this box to help you get settled in your new place. You can put items like toiletries, beddings, towels, phones, snacks, paper plates, utensils, plastic cups, etc.

5. Unpack Strategically

Unpack one box at a time to help avoid clutter and keep things organized.

Open boxes according to importance so you won’t be too overwhelmed. It will be wise to focus on your bedroom first so that you can unpack all the important things you’ll need like toiletries, beddings, your clothes, etc.

6. Take it Easy.

Relax. Take your time packing and unpacking your things. Do not exhaust yourself too much and make sure you get enough rest.

Related Articles:

Kate Allado | Senior Advocate / Care Advisor( State Licensed Certified Administrator | Co-Founder at SeniorCareHomes.Com )

Catharine “Kate” is a Certified Administrator for Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFE) and an Expert Senior Care Advisor. Kate’s grandmother battled Alzheimer’s Disease and Kate personally understands what millions of families are going through. Kate and her team are very passionate in empowering Seniors and their families by providing them with the Best Available Senior Care Options based on Senior’s care needs, preferred location and family’s budget.