If it’s been a while since you last moved, you might not be doing cartwheels at the thought of moving again. But much has changed in the last several years. The first baby boomers turned 65 in 2011, and with many of them choosing to retire, an entire industry has cropped up to make moving far easier for older adults than it once was.
Destination (un)known?
If you’ve chosen your new home, congratulations! That’s a big item to check off your to-do list. If not, then it’s time to start looking around. Fortunately, it’s also much easier to shop for a new home these days than it used to be.
Most likely you have a good idea of where you want to go. You can begin your search online, whether you plan to move to another home in an “all ages” neighborhood or to a retirement community.
Once you’ve narrowed your choices to a specific geographic region, a reputable real estate professional can help you with the first of those two options. Ask friends and family to recommend someone they’ve worked with and trust. When you have several names, searching for reviews and other information about them online may be useful in making your final selection.
If you’re ready to exchange the responsibilities of maintaining a home for the active lifestyle that independent living offers, then a residency counselor just might become your new best friend. You can tell a lot about a retirement community from its website, but there’s so much more you can learn from a residency counselor who works there. He or she can answer questions for you on the phone initially if you prefer. If the answers are to your liking, then the next step is to take a tour and get a feel for the “personality” of the community. Take a friend or family member along with you, and ask additional questions as they arise.
Eventually, you’ll find a home within a community that feels like the right choice.
Moving on
Before you get too far into the planning process, heed this one piece of advice: Buy a notebook and use it to keep all kinds of move-related information, including lists, notes and important phone numbers. Even if it’s not super organized, at least you’ll have all of that information in one handy place.
Lists, lists and more lists
Lists do more than keep you from forgetting things. They’re also good for setting your mind at ease. Once you’ve jotted down a list, you can mentally let it go.
Below are a few ideas for lists you’ll want to create in your notebook.
- Services, subscriptions and memberships that will need to be canceled or transferred (e.g., utilities, cable provider, magazines, health and social clubs, homeowners association)
- Places of businesses that you’ll need to notify of your new address (e.g., insurance company, banks, post office, DMV, voter registration)
- The benefits you’ll be gaining by moving (you might find yourself going back to this list often!)
Choosing a move date
Your particular situation may or may not allow a lot of flexibility with regard to when you move. If you’re moving to a retirement community, check with the residency counselor to see if there are any move-in promotions. If so, that might influence when you move. While you’re at it, ask if the community provides assistance with moving. If you intend to hire professionals, the residency counselor might also be able to make recommendations.
When you’ve targeted a date for moving, you can work backward to develop a timeline for completing the steps that need to be done. Many websites offer suggestions for timelines and checklists, such as this one from moving.com.
Start thinking about moving day
Whether you have weeks or months before your intended move date, it’s never too early to begin planning at least some of the logistics. For instance, if you’re moving hundreds (or thousands) of miles away, will you drive or fly? Will you hire a professional moving company, or will family and friends be helping you move? Your budget might answer some of these questions for you.
Moving out
As you start contemplating life in your new home, you’ll also need to make preparations for leaving the one you’re in now. If you currently own your home, you’ll need to get it ready to be sold.
If you’re moving within the same geographic area and used a real estate professional to find your new home, the same person can help you sell your current home. If you’re talking with a residency counselor at a retirement community, he or she may be able to refer you to a real estate agent. Some real estate professionals specialize in working with older adults who are moving to retirement communities.
Before putting your home on the market, you might need/want to:
- Have repairs made
- Make upgrades
- Enhance the landscaping
- Hire a home staging specialist
- Give it a thorough cleaning
Remember, you can always find a professional to take care of any or all of these steps, freeing up your time and energy for other tasks.
What to move?
Deciding what not to take with you may be more difficult than deciding what to take. The sooner you can start sorting through your belongs, the better. Know that this will probably take longer than you think, and plan accordingly. If you have several weeks or longer before you’ll be moving, consider spending half an hour to an hour each day on this. That way, you’ll continue to make progress but you won’t feel overwhelmed. Asking friends and family to help can speed things up and might also make it more fun.
Additional tips:
- Create a floor plan of your new home, complete with measurements, if possible. (Many retirement communities have these available for their living spaces.) Use it to determine what furniture and other items will fit.
- One approach is to choose only what is most important to you. Then, you can decide what to do with the rest — sell it, donate it, pass it along to other family members or find another home for it. You could also hire an estate sale company to handle everything you won’t be taking with you.
- Have your adult children collect belongings you’ve been storing for them. The less you have to look at, the easier the sorting process will seem.
- Depending on how quickly you’ll be moving, you might want to rent a storage unit or portable storage container for items you’ll be taking with you but won’t be using before you move. Getting them out of the way will help you concentrate on what’s left.
Moving assistance
Move managers are professionals that specialize in helping older adults downsize and move. If you decide to move to a Sun Health Community location, we can pair you with a personal relocation manager through our collaboration with Moving Station for support throughout your move.
If you’re planning on hiring a professional moving company on your own, give yourself plenty of time to research your options. Here again, you can ask friends and family members for suggestions. If you’re searching online, there are plenty of websites with good advice, such as this one from Real Simple.
Be sure to allow enough time to schedule the moving company you want for your move date. During busy seasons, moving companies can get booked up for weeks at a time.
Other important considerations
- If you’re moving far enough away that you’ll need new health care providers, start researching them well ahead of your move — particularly if you have a chronic health condition or other ongoing medical concerns. Your insurance provider may be able to help you with this. You might want to schedule certain appointments before you move. Arrange to have your current physician’s office transfer your medical records to the new one. If you take prescription medications, you’ll want to have your prescriptions transferred to a pharmacy near your new home.
- Prepare your pets. The day of the move will likely be confusing and frightening for them, so let them stay with a neighbor or friend if possible until it’s time to go, or keep them in a safe place in your home away from the bustle. If you aren’t able to take them with you, start looking for another good home for them as soon as possible.
- Keep documents such as wills, medical records, birth certificates, passports and power of attorney documents together in a safe place so they won’t get misplaced while you’re packing.
Before you go
Pack a suitcase as if you were going on a short trip — include a change or two of clothing, toiletries, medications and medical equipment. Keep this with you when you move to the new place so you won’t have to scrounge through boxes looking for things you’ll need right away.
You’ll also want to pack (and label!) a box of essentials such as toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, soap, a notepad and pen, trash bags, scissors, a clean towel or two, sheets, charging cables for your electronic devices, a flashlight, a first aid kit and other items you’ll need soon after you arrive at your new home.
Choose a day or an evening to say goodbye to your home in a meaningful way. Maybe you’ll want to invite friends, family and neighbors to a special get-together. Or, maybe you’d prefer some quiet, relaxing time to yourself to reflect on all that has taken place there. Then, turn your attention to the new start you’ll be making in the days ahead.
On moving day
- Confirm that the movers who arrive are the ones you hired — verify the logo on the truck and check their ID. It’s a small step that could prevent huge problems.
- Keep track of the suitcase and box of essentials you packed for immediate use, so they don’t get mixed in with all of the boxes and belongings.
- Do a walk-through, sign the bill of lading and any other paperwork the moving company might need, and give the keys to the appropriate person.
- Be sure to eat and stay hydrated!
Moving in
When you’ve had a chance to unpack and get settled in your new home, make it a point to meet your neighbors and check out some of the local activities. Becoming familiar with your new surroundings and connecting with others will help you feel at home more quickly.
Many retirement communities have designated staff members or residents to help new people get situated. For example, the Sun Health Community locations have a welcome ambassador program with residents who volunteer to assist “the new kids on the block” by taking them on a tour, inviting them to a meal, helping them learn about activities and events in the community and being their point of contact for information.
From Point A to Point B
Throughout the moving process, focus on the positive reasons you’re making this change, whether it’s to have fewer responsibilities and less to take care of, to enjoy a better quality of life, to be closer to family members, to have more opportunities to enrich your life or an abundance of other reasons. And remember, help is available every step of the way. Contact us to learn more about our communities and how we can help you find your new home.
