Tips to Help Your Senior Loved One Downsize Without Stress
The face of retirement is changing, and one popular trends for retirees is to downsize to a smaller home. With kids grown and out of the house, you don’t need as much space, and downsizing can free up your time and cash to do more in retirement. With so many things to consider, going through this process can be a little overwhelming. These tips will help reduce the stress, answer your questions and make you feel more at ease with the change.
Find a Home That Fits Your Budget and Lifestyle
Downsizing gives you the chance to find a home that suits what you want and need in retirement. Think about your reasons for downsizing when making a list of what to look for. Are you hoping to save money? Do you want less upkeep to worry over? These questions will point you in the right direction. Be sure to think about the importance of proximity to family, what kind of lifestyle you want and any safety features you may need as you get older.
A condo or smaller single family home will usually come at a lower price than something larger, but be sure to set a budget you’re comfortable with. Doing some online research will help you get an idea for the prices of homes that fit the size you’re looking for in the location where you want to move. As of the end of September, homes in Nashville, Tennessee, have sold on average for $289,000 in the last month.
Lower the Stress of Downsizing Possessions
Most of us have accumulated possessions over a lifetime, but when you move into a smaller home, not everything can come with you. Deciding what to keep and what to part with can be emotional. To lessen the stress, focus on the practical things first. Use a checklist of items you only need “one of” to help you determine what to keep and what to give away.
House Beautiful advises that you keep important paperwork, family heirlooms, photos and other special memorabilia. If you don’t have time to sort through everything thoroughly or you have items that won’t fit in your new home, it may help to use a self-storage facility. Look for nearby self-storage options to find the best deals where you live. In the last six months, the overall average price of a self-storage unit booked in Nashville, Tennessee, was around $93.20.
Pack Like a Pro
The key to moving with less stress is packing smart. Don’t be afraid of getting too many boxes (for as little as 99 cents apiece) and don’t just toss things in them without a plan. You Move Me recommends packing items together if they’re used together and keep items that go in the same room together, too. Along the same lines, make sure all boxes are clearly labeled. Some people like to use a different color marker or tape to designate which room in the house each box belongs in. These packing strategies will make unpacking go much more smoothly.
Ease the Moving Process
Even with the best packing strategies, moving isn’t easy, so don’t try to do it alone. Ask family members and friends for help, and don’t hesitate to hire professionals. Plan out everything that needs to be done, starting a few months ahead of time and up to moving day with this senior moving checklist from Moving.com. Besides easing the stress on moving day, planning ahead can also help you settle in and start to feel at home faster. This way, you won’t forget to get utilities, TV and Internet set up, and you’ll be prepared to unpack the comforts of home first.
Having these comforts will be essential to settling in and feeling at home. As the old saying goes, “Home is where the heart is.” While downsizing may feel strange at first, you can always make a new house feel like home when you bring the ‘heart’ of the home with you.
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