If you've lived in the same home for several decades, there's a good chance you have thousands of items to sort before your move. To reduce stress, start the process as early as possible. It's much easier to sort through 10 or 15 items per day than to rush through every room and try to figure out what you want to save and what needs to be donated or thrown away.
No one expects you to pack up an entire house on your own. If family members can't help due to work or family obligations, don't be afraid to hire professional help, such as a moving company or an individual who advertises via TaskRabbit or a similar marketplace. Before you hire someone, check their references. If you hire a company instead of an individual, make sure you verify the business license before you allow any employees to handle your belongings.
One of the many benefits of assisted living is that you no longer need to worry about maintaining a huge home. Unless you currently live in a tiny apartment, you'll probably have less storage space once you move. To prevent frustration, assess your new living space long before you start packing your belongings. If possible, take photos of your living quarters to help you determine how much you can fit into each room.
Now it's time to sort through everything you have in your home. As you examine each item, think about whether you should keep, toss or donate it. You should discard broken, stained and torn items, as other people may not have a use for them. If you have usable items that won't fit your new living space, donate them to an organization like Goodwill or Dress for Success.
Consider keeping the following items:
Some assisted living communities provide furniture, while others allow you to bring your own. Before you move, contact the admissions director at your community to find out if you need to bring your own dresser, coffee table or nightstand. If not, donate your furniture or ask family members if they'd like to keep it.
Moving is stressful enough without worrying about damage to your most cherished possessions. To make your move even easier, use the right supplies. In addition to sturdy boxes and packing tape, you'll need the following:
If you've been dealing with the same piles of paperwork since the Carter Administration, start shredding. You don't need sales receipts from 30 years ago or warranty cards for products you no longer own. If you aren't sure about a document, use an app like Genius Scan to turn it into a PDF. This makes it possible to shred the original paperwork without losing access to potentially important information.
Once you move to assisted living, you won't need to maintain electric, gas, water, sewer or trash service at your previous home. Before you leave, contact each utility company to submit a cancellation request. If you're worried about losing utilities before your move, schedule the disconnect for a few days after your moving date. It won't cost too much to keep the services a little longer, and it can give you extra peace of mind.
If you don't change your address right away, you may miss important information from banks, service providers and health care professionals. Before you move, go to the USPS Change-of-Address website to update your contact information. The U.S. Postal Service allows you to choose a mail forward date, so you can submit the card ahead of your move, eliminating frustrating delays. It costs $1 to submit a change-of-address request online, but it's free to make the change at your local post office.
If it's been a while since you wrote your will or created an estate plan, just before a move is the perfect time to update your legal documents. You may need to choose a new executor, include new beneficiaries or add to your list of assets.
If you've developed a chronic health condition, you may need to create or update an advance directive for health care. Advance directives tell health care providers what type of care you want to receive if you're incapacitated. Your attorney may also recommend creating a durable power of attorney.
