A big move at any time can be a stressful experience, especially for seniors. Whether you’re downsizing, moving closer to family or friends, moving into a senior living community or even moving in with a family member you can find yourself struggling with all that a move entails. Here are 4 important home moving and packing tips for seniors and caregivers from our house movers in Calgary:
Tip #1: Take a Look At Your New Home
Before you move, it’s important to look at your new home and evaluate how much space you have, what room you have for storage and any modifications you will need to make for your overall safety. Many seniors may be in a situation where they need to downsize. If you’re moving from a full-size house to an apartment, you may need to reduce your furniture or search for storage.
Tip #2: Evaluate What Help You Will Need
Packing Boxes
If bending down and placing items in boxes or trying to move heavy boxes within a room poses a significant physical challenge, you may want to arrange for help with packing and unpacking. Most home movers offer partial and full-service packing services to assist you in this process.
Moving Your Furniture
You may need to move heavy and bulky furniture or large heavy boxes during your move. If you foresee moving these items as a challenge, you may want to consider hiring home movers to move the belongings of your house.
Tip #3: Create A Moving Timeline
Regardless of where you are moving to, it is recommended to create a moving timeline to help you plan for your move and keep everything on track. Moving can be overwhelming, but a timeline can prevent you from missing any important tasks on your to-do list.
We’ve created a moving checklist with four categories: Notify, Discontinue, Transfer and Items to Carry.
Notify
- Post office
- Credit card companies
- Bank / Finance companies
- Government (family allowances, etc.)
- Insurance Agent
- Utility companies
- Lawyer
- Doctor / Dentist
- Accountant
- Friends / Relatives
- Subscription accounts
- Vehicle registration bureau
- Church
Discontinue
- Electricity
- Cable rentals
- Internet service
- Garbage collection
- Food service
- Laundry / Dry cleaning service
- Gas / Fuel / Oil
- Phone & Internet
Transfer
- House / Car insurance, etc.
- Club memberships
- Bank records
- Legal contracts
- Medical / Optometrist records
- School records
- Veterinarian records
- Pet’s licenses
- Dental records
Items to Carry
- Passports
- Birth certificates
- Driver’s license
- Marriage certificate
- Divorce papers
- Visas / work permits
- Medications
- Valuables
Tip #4: Prepare to Downsize
For seniors moving into a smaller house, you will want to consider downsizing and decluttering your home prior to move day. Below are 6 steps to start the process:
- Put aside time to go through your belongings.
- Make 3 piles: “Keep”, “Sell” and “Donate”.
- Take it one room at a time.
- Consider your new lifestyle.
- Evaluate your furniture.
- Develop a plan and timeline.
Tip #5: Consider Hiring Professional Home Movers
Our last tip is to consider the cost-benefit of hiring professional home movers to move the contents of your house in Calgary. Below are some pros and cons of hiring home movers for your upcoming move:
Pros
- Less work and time than moving yourself.
- Movers do all the heavy lifting from point A to B.
- Movers are trained, which results in efficiency.
- Movers typically offer protection plans.
Cons
- Your move typically takes place within their timeline.
- Less control over how the move goes.
- More costly than moving yourself.
If you are a senior looking to move your home in Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto or beyond, contact Matco Moving Solutions today for a free quote.