Moving Tips For Seniors: How to Pack and Ship Furniture and Other Belongings
Making the decision to move a parent or grandparent to a smaller space or perhaps assisted living home can be a difficult one. At Pack n Send, we see a fair share of downsizing that comes with age, and so we wanted to provide you with 3 tips on moving a senior into an apartment, senior living center, or nursing home that will help make the transition easier for you and your loved ones.
1) Determine the Size of the New Space
Depending on where you are moving your loved one, you will have varying square footage to work with. When dealing with a nursing home move in Houston, consider that a nursing home can place several residents in the same room. If this is the case for you, you may have very little space to work with and have to find other homes for most of your loved one’s belongings. To learn more about the best nursing homes in Houston, check out this ranking from U.S. News and World Report.
If you are simply moving your loved one out of their home to a smaller apartment so they have less space to care for, you may be working with a little less than 1000 square feet for a one bedroom apartment or a little over 1000 square feet for a two bedroom apartment. Again, this is likely much less space than your loved one had before, so not all of their furntiture will be able to make the transition!
2) Sort Through Belongings and Furniture
To downsize requires getting rid of a lot of possessions and furniture. As seniors age, they may be relieved to have less things to care for, but it can still be emotional and painful to let go and move on. If your loved one is having a hard time letting things go, you may want to consider having them read The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. This book helps readers discard, declutter, or downsize by focusing on what to keep instead of what to get rid of and only keeping items that spark joy.
3) Send or Store Belongings and Furniture
After your loved one has decided what they want to keep, the rest needs to find a new home! You can pack and ship items to other family members, including shipping small amounts of furniture. You can also place things in storage, which will allow you to go through them at a later time, perhaps when more family can be present. The right shipping company will carefully help you redistribute possessions to other family members or even take items to storage for you if needed.
Pack n Send is Here to Help Make the Transition Easier
At Pack n Send, we frequently help families navigate nursing home moves in Houston and senior downsizing. Please contact us today to see how we can help make the transition easier for you and your loved ones!
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