When Mom is moving from a family home into a senior living or assisted living apartment, downsizing is often the hardest part. Here’s a room-by-room approach. Your MoveMyMom Advisor can help you plan the next step, and our help is always at no cost to families.
Talk to your MoveMyMom Advisor
Begin with a closet or drawer, not the attic.
Keep Mom’s favorite chair and a few photos. Measure the new apartment first.
Assisted living communities usually provide meals. Keep a few mugs, plates, and favorite utensils.
Bring the bed if it fits, a nightstand, and a familiar blanket.
Keep clothes for every season, about a week’s worth.
Leave these for last. Estate sale and cleanout pros can help.
Offer heirlooms to family first. Take photos of items Mom can’t keep.
Use four labels for everything: Keep (going to the new apartment), Family (offered to children and grandchildren), Sell or donate, and Toss. Colored stickers make it easy for movers and sale pros to follow. Decide the Keep pile first, based on the floor plan, so the rest becomes easier.
Sorting a lifetime of belongings is emotional. Short sessions of an hour or two work better than marathon weekends. Let Mom tell the story behind items. Taking a photo of something before it goes can help her let go. If family members disagree about what to keep, a senior move manager can help everyone agree on a fair way to decide. Learn more about how a senior move manager can ease family tension.
Gather important papers into one folder: wills, powers of attorney, deeds, insurance policies, and tax records. Family photos can be scanned so everyone gets a copy and Mom keeps her favorites in an album.
Old paint, pool chemicals, and pesticides shouldn’t go in the regular trash. Ask your cleanout crew how they handle them, or ask the county about drop-off options.
Many charities accept furniture and household goods in good condition, and some will pick them up. Call ahead to ask what they take.
A senior move manager can guide the process. Your MoveMyMom Advisor can connect you with one.
It depends on the house. Start as early as possible.
A move manager can help her focus on what matters most. Start with the things she uses every day, and decide the rest a little at a time.
Getting Mom settled is the goal, and we’ll help you get there. Pick up the phone and dial 877-575-9900, or tell us about Mom online.
