Advice On What To Do When Moving Into Retirement Communities
As we age, our lifestyles and living preferences can change. Retirement communities offer a great option for those looking to downsize and simplify their lives, without sacrificing independence or community engagement. However, deciding what to bring with you when moving into a retirement community can come with its own set of challenges and decisions to be made. From precious family heirlooms to everyday possessions, many seniors are surprised by the number of belongings they have accumulated that may not be necessary for their new living space. Our staff at Balfour Senior Living believes that downsizing doesn’t have to be a daunting task if you have a well-thought-out plan in place.
If you fit into this criteria and are currently downsizing for a retirement community, this blog can help you to focus on the most important aspects of your move and help you alleviate the stress that moving can bring.
Establish A Timeline And Plan
Downsizing is a methodical approach to reducing the number of possessions you have. It involves scheduling several days of concentrated effort interspersed with breaks for reflection. To help you switch gears, ask yourself these questions:
-
Should I get friends or family members to help me with sorting through my things?
-
How long do I have before my moving date?
-
Would I benefit from hiring a moving company?
-
What items and pieces should I put in a storage facility?
After establishing some key touchpoints, you can develop a timeline and set specific goals for your downsizing journey. It’s essential to keep in mind that downsizing to a retirement community can be a time-consuming process, particularly if you’re decluttering a significant amount of belongings. Therefore, it’s crucial to allocate sufficient time to go through the process efficiently and without feeling overwhelmed. By breaking down the downsizing process into manageable steps and giving yourself plenty of time, you can ensure a smoother transition to your new living space.
When you know you’ll be moving soon, it’s also a good idea to use a calendar to plan out these productivity days. For each day, set specific goals and identify which people will need to be involved to achieve those goals. It’s helpful to get your friends and family involved early on in the process so they can be prepared to assist you on those productive days. By following this approach, you can make the downsizing process more manageable and efficient.
You should also try and set some rules for yourself on how you will go about sorting through your items when you’re downsizing for retirement communities. Some helpful pointers to keep in mind go as follows:
-
Make a “keep,” “donate to charity,” and “give away” pile.
-
Know the things you have to take with you.
-
Give your precious family heirlooms or antiques to family and friends.
Decide What You Would Like To Take
If you feel it would be beneficial, you can include a close family member or friend in your downsizing process. However, it’s also perfectly fine to take some time alone to create a list of items you want to keep in your new home in a retirement community.
To make this process easier, try not to physically search for items while creating your list. It’s better to rely on memory and intuition to determine what’s most important to you. If you can’t think of something during this exercise, it’s likely you won’t miss it once it’s gone. Writing out your list in this way can help you downsize more effectively and with less emotional attachment to your possessions.
Familiarize Yourself With Your New Home
If you’re looking into retirement communities to move into and have decided on one that suits your needs best, it can be helpful to spend some time in your new senior apartment with your loved ones. Try to visualize where your favorite possessions will go and plan out where to place them. Consider what items may no longer be necessary for your new home. This exercise can help you get a better sense of how much space you have and how to organize your belongings.
When you return to your current home, you’ll have a clearer idea of which items will or won’t fit in your new living space. This can make the downsizing process less overwhelming and more manageable.
If you decide to move into luxury retirement communities, such as Balfour Senior Living, you are always welcome to take a look when you need to before your moving date. In addition, when you take a tour of our community before deciding to move into our retirement community, our staff ensures that you get a thorough look at all corners of our facility so that you can be well-prepared to move and know which possessions to bring with you. Our apartments come furnished and equipped with state-of-the-art furniture and housing equipment, but our residents are always welcome to bring their belongings to make their houses feel more like home.
Know What You Don’t Need
When beginning the downsizing process, it’s often best to start with the more practical items that don’t hold sentimental value. For example, you could begin in the kitchen or garage, where items like duplicate kitchen tools or old power tools may be taking up space. By starting with these areas, you may find it easier to let go of certain possessions and build momentum for the rest of the process.
It’s common to have emotional attachments to our belongings, which can make downsizing challenging. However, by tackling the less sentimental items first, you can ease into the process and feel more prepared to make difficult decisions later on.
Instead Of Throwing Things Out, Set Them Aside
When downsizing into retirement communities, it’s not necessary to dispose of your belongings immediately. Instead of throwing things away, you can set them aside in a designated area, preferably out of sight. This allows you to see how you adjust to living without those items.
You may be surprised at how little you miss them, or even how much you enjoy having less clutter in your living space. By taking a gradual approach, you can ease into the process and adjust to living with fewer belongings. Additionally, this can help you avoid making hasty decisions and potentially regret getting rid of something that you may have found useful or valuable later on.
Try To Donate or Recycle
Instead of throwing away your possessions before moving into a retirement community, you can explore options to give them a new life with someone else. It may be easier to let go of familiar items when you know that someone else will enjoy them just as much as you did. You could consider donating your items to a local charity, thrift store, or community organization. Alternatively, you could sell them online or in a garage sale. By doing so, you’re not only decluttering your living space but also helping to reduce waste and support others.
However, if you’re unable to give the items away, you can try to recycle them whenever possible. This can help to minimize the environmental impact of your downsizing process and ensure that your belongings are repurposed in an eco-friendly way.
Make It Enjoyable
Downsizing presents an opportunity to cherish the possessions that hold significant value to you and bid farewell to those that no longer serve a purpose. It’s a chance to curate your collection of belongings and create a living space that truly reflects your identity and preferences.
As you embark on this process, you can involve your friends, family, and loved ones to make it feel more meaningful and enjoyable. You can even raise a glass of wine to celebrate the start of this new chapter in your life of moving into a retirement community. It’s important to acknowledge the emotional attachment we often have with our possessions and recognize that downsizing can be a challenging task. But by focusing on the positive aspects of the experience of sorting through your things and involving others, you can make the process less daunting and more gratifying.
Book A Tour Of Our Retirement Communities
Downsizing from your current home and moving into a retirement community can be challenging in many ways, but our staff at Balfour Senior Living is committed to helping you ease the stress. When you choose our retirement communities, you are guaranteed a hassle-free experience as our facilities are well-equipped with all the items to make you feel comfortable. Our senior apartments are furnished with luxury, modern decor to give them character and allow you to feel like you’re at home. Choose from various options depending on your needs, such as:
-
If you are interested in our retirement communities in Michigan and Colorado, get in touch with our staff today to inquire about setting up a tour at one of our facilities.
As we age, our lifestyles and living preferences can change. Retirement communities offer a great option for those looking to downsize and simplify their lives, without sacrificing independence or community engagement. However, deciding what to bring with you when moving into a retirement community can come with its own set of challenges and decisions to be made. From precious family heirlooms to everyday possessions, many seniors are surprised by the number of belongings they have accumulated that may not be necessary for their new living space. Our staff at Balfour Senior Living believes that downsizing doesn’t have to be a daunting task if you have a well-thought-out plan in place.
If you fit into this criteria and are currently downsizing for a retirement community, this blog can help you to focus on the most important aspects of your move and help you alleviate the stress that moving can bring.
Establish A Timeline And Plan
Downsizing is a methodical approach to reducing the number of possessions you have. It involves scheduling several days of concentrated effort interspersed with breaks for reflection. To help you switch gears, ask yourself these questions:
-
Should I get friends or family members to help me with sorting through my things?
-
How long do I have before my moving date?
-
Would I benefit from hiring a moving company?
-
What items and pieces should I put in a storage facility?
After establishing some key touchpoints, you can develop a timeline and set specific goals for your downsizing journey. It’s essential to keep in mind that downsizing to a retirement community can be a time-consuming process, particularly if you’re decluttering a significant amount of belongings. Therefore, it’s crucial to allocate sufficient time to go through the process efficiently and without feeling overwhelmed. By breaking down the downsizing process into manageable steps and giving yourself plenty of time, you can ensure a smoother transition to your new living space.
When you know you’ll be moving soon, it’s also a good idea to use a calendar to plan out these productivity days. For each day, set specific goals and identify which people will need to be involved to achieve those goals. It’s helpful to get your friends and family involved early on in the process so they can be prepared to assist you on those productive days. By following this approach, you can make the downsizing process more manageable and efficient.
You should also try and set some rules for yourself on how you will go about sorting through your items when you’re downsizing for retirement communities. Some helpful pointers to keep in mind go as follows:
-
Make a “keep,” “donate to charity,” and “give away” pile.
-
Know the things you have to take with you.
-
Give your precious family heirlooms or antiques to family and friends.
Decide What You Would Like To Take
If you feel it would be beneficial, you can include a close family member or friend in your downsizing process. However, it’s also perfectly fine to take some time alone to create a list of items you want to keep in your new home in a retirement community.
To make this process easier, try not to physically search for items while creating your list. It’s better to rely on memory and intuition to determine what’s most important to you. If you can’t think of something during this exercise, it’s likely you won’t miss it once it’s gone. Writing out your list in this way can help you downsize more effectively and with less emotional attachment to your possessions.
Familiarize Yourself With Your New Home
If you’re looking into retirement communities to move into and have decided on one that suits your needs best, it can be helpful to spend some time in your new senior apartment with your loved ones. Try to visualize where your favorite possessions will go and plan out where to place them. Consider what items may no longer be necessary for your new home. This exercise can help you get a better sense of how much space you have and how to organize your belongings.
When you return to your current home, you’ll have a clearer idea of which items will or won’t fit in your new living space. This can make the downsizing process less overwhelming and more manageable.
If you decide to move into luxury retirement communities, such as Balfour Senior Living, you are always welcome to take a look when you need to before your moving date. In addition, when you take a tour of our community before deciding to move into our retirement community, our staff ensures that you get a thorough look at all corners of our facility so that you can be well-prepared to move and know which possessions to bring with you. Our apartments come furnished and equipped with state-of-the-art furniture and housing equipment, but our residents are always welcome to bring their belongings to make their houses feel more like home.
Know What You Don’t Need
When beginning the downsizing process, it’s often best to start with the more practical items that don’t hold sentimental value. For example, you could begin in the kitchen or garage, where items like duplicate kitchen tools or old power tools may be taking up space. By starting with these areas, you may find it easier to let go of certain possessions and build momentum for the rest of the process.
It’s common to have emotional attachments to our belongings, which can make downsizing challenging. However, by tackling the less sentimental items first, you can ease into the process and feel more prepared to make difficult decisions later on.
Instead Of Throwing Things Out, Set Them Aside
When downsizing into retirement communities, it’s not necessary to dispose of your belongings immediately. Instead of throwing things away, you can set them aside in a designated area, preferably out of sight. This allows you to see how you adjust to living without those items.
You may be surprised at how little you miss them, or even how much you enjoy having less clutter in your living space. By taking a gradual approach, you can ease into the process and adjust to living with fewer belongings. Additionally, this can help you avoid making hasty decisions and potentially regret getting rid of something that you may have found useful or valuable later on.
Try To Donate or Recycle
Instead of throwing away your possessions before moving into a retirement community, you can explore options to give them a new life with someone else. It may be easier to let go of familiar items when you know that someone else will enjoy them just as much as you did. You could consider donating your items to a local charity, thrift store, or community organization. Alternatively, you could sell them online or in a garage sale. By doing so, you’re not only decluttering your living space but also helping to reduce waste and support others.
However, if you’re unable to give the items away, you can try to recycle them whenever possible. This can help to minimize the environmental impact of your downsizing process and ensure that your belongings are repurposed in an eco-friendly way.
Make It Enjoyable
Downsizing presents an opportunity to cherish the possessions that hold significant value to you and bid farewell to those that no longer serve a purpose. It’s a chance to curate your collection of belongings and create a living space that truly reflects your identity and preferences.
As you embark on this process, you can involve your friends, family, and loved ones to make it feel more meaningful and enjoyable. You can even raise a glass of wine to celebrate the start of this new chapter in your life of moving into a retirement community. It’s important to acknowledge the emotional attachment we often have with our possessions and recognize that downsizing can be a challenging task. But by focusing on the positive aspects of the experience of sorting through your things and involving others, you can make the process less daunting and more gratifying.
Book A Tour Of Our Retirement Communities
Downsizing from your current home and moving into a retirement community can be challenging in many ways, but our staff at Balfour Senior Living is committed to helping you ease the stress. When you choose our retirement communities, you are guaranteed a hassle-free experience as our facilities are well-equipped with all the items to make you feel comfortable. Our senior apartments are furnished with luxury, modern decor to give them character and allow you to feel like you’re at home. Choose from various options depending on your needs, such as:
-
If you are interested in our retirement communities in Michigan and Colorado, get in touch with our staff today to inquire about setting up a tour at one of our facilities.
