Have you or an older loved one made the decision to transition to a senior living community? The process of moving to independent or assisted living is an exciting time—but downsizing your family home can also be daunting and overwhelming. At Country Place Senior Living, we are here to help incoming residents and their families make the transition as smooth as possible. Here are some helpful tips for moving into a senior living community.
Start the process early
After decades spent living in the same house, the idea of sorting through your things and moving can feel both physically and emotionally taxing. For this reason, it is best to start the process of downsizing sooner rather than later to make the transition a lot less stressful for everyone involved. Create a plan and set deadlines for finishing tasks. Getting a head start also gives you extra time to reminisce over old photos and mementos as you sort through your belongings.
Take one room at a time
Downsizing your home isn’t a job that can be accomplished in a single day. The majority of people have more stuff in their homes than they even realize. Moving is an ideal time to sort through your items to figure out what you will bring with you to your new place and what can be tossed out, passed down to family members or donated. To make packing and sorting your possessions more manageable, start with one room at a time, or even closet by closet, rather than trying to tackle every room at once.
Map out your new living space
Ask the community you are moving to for dimensions of your new living space. Is your new home fully furnished? Is there space for storage? What you take with you and what you leave behind will depend largely on the floor plan of your new home. It’s also helpful to take note of the specific amenities available within your community. At Country Place Senior Living, each of our spacious suites feature a private bathroom, kitchenette and distinct bedroom and living areas. Residents also have access to a variety of amenities including:
- A full-service dining room
- Exercise area
- Meeting room
- Activities space
- Central TV / Entertainment area
- Furnished backyard patio
- Emergency Alert System
- Commercial kitchen and housekeeping/laundry facilities
Sort by keep, toss or donate
As you go through your belongings, create a system for determining which items you will keep, donate or throwaway. Define what items will be most essential to your quality of life in your new home. For instance, collections and other types of heirlooms may not be suitable for your new downsized life. If you have trouble parting with your favorite keepsakes, it may be time to pass them on to a loved one. Remember, downsizing is an opportunity to lighten your load and start fresh. As a rule, if you haven’t used the item in a year, it’s probably time to say goodbye.
Use this as an opportunity to bond with loved ones
For seniors, it is a major life event to downsize and move to a senior living community, and they shouldn’t tackle it alone. Close friends and family can provide a lot of help and support as you begin downsizing your home. As you pack and sort items together, you’ll also have the chance to spend quality time with loved ones before your big move.
Embrace new changes ahead
Finally, as you prepare to downsize your home, remember that moving is easier when you have an exciting destination to look forward to. At Country Place Senior Living, our residents enjoy beautiful, spacious living arrangements and a variety of on-site services and amenities. We’d love to show you around our residence and answer any questions you have about downsizing to a senior living community. To schedule a personal tour, contact Country Place today.
