Making a move is challenging enough, but when you add in the element of being a senior citizen, it can become overwhelming quickly. Here are a few moving tips for seniors to help make your cross-country move go as smoothly as possible.
Moving stress is something everybody experiences, no matter if they are relocating far from family or down the street, and the best way to beat this stress is to organize your move like a pro. With our moving tips, you will be able to have stress-free relocation and smooth transition to your new home.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s especially important when you’re moving to a new city or state. Make a list of everything you need to do before the move, and give yourself plenty of time to get everything done. This includes everything from packing up your belongings to finding movers and arranging for transportation. Once you have a list, you can start tackling each task one by one.
While you are making your to-do list, you can also place everything in a time frame so you have a schedule of things you need to do before moving. Here is a quick overview of how your timeline should look.
| Time | Things to Do |
|---|---|
| Two months before the moving day | ● Get a copy of the house's floor plan ● Decide which furniture to transport ● Declutter ● Compare pricing after researching moving firms |
| One month before | ● Pick a long-distance moving company ● Notify your bank and utility providers about your move ● Start packing small items ● Change your address |
| Two weeks before | ● Decide on a moving date with cross-country movers ● Refill any prescriptions you might require ● Get your medical documentation transferred to a new state ● Take a picture of your belongings for insurance purposes |
| Week of your move | ● Pack essentials ● Pack remaining items ● Make a schedule for moving day |
| Moving day | ● Check if everything is packed on a truck ● Organize beverages and food for movers ● Sit back and relax |
You’ll need to bring fewer household items if you’re relocating from a big family home to a small apartment. The process of decluttering can be time-consuming and difficult since we tend to become attached to our stuff. Start by classifying each thing according to whether you intend to keep, donate, sell, or discard it.
When downsizing, it can be difficult to decide what to keep and what to get rid of. A good rule of thumb is if you haven’t used it in the past year, chances are you won’t use it in your new home either. Once you’ve decided what to get rid of, start packing up your belongings well in advance of the move, so you’re not scrambling at the last minute.
If you have a lot of belongings, chances are you won’t be able to move everything yourself. Ask family and friends to help you downsize and pack up your belongings before the move. If they live too far away to lend a physical hand, they can still help by sending boxes or packing materials and supplies ahead of time.
Also, ask for assistance if you’re having problems reducing your possessions. Maybe you’re keeping your antique grandfather clock around for the kids, but after talking to them, you find out they don’t care. Have open discussions with your heirs now about the things they would want in the future, so you don’t hold onto them unnecessarily.
Once you have talked to your family about things they wish to keep, you can now start organizing a garage sale. This is the best way to get rid of a lot of things and make money along the way. However, if you possess valuable antique items, make sure you sell them for the right price. Items that are antique or vintage frequently command high prices so, to protect yourself, have goods valued by an antique dealer before selling them.
If you haven’t hired movers for the packing service, you will have to start packing on time so you don’t end up in chaos and clutter made of half-empty moving boxes. Keep in mind that packing is a physically difficult task. Give yourself adequate time to complete the activity without experiencing physical strain or damage because you are no longer as fit as you once were. Here are a couple of tips on how to pack efficiently.
Divide the effort of packing your home into smaller tasks. Do not anticipate being able to pack your stuff in a week. Keep in mind that it took you many years to accumulate them. Work on the project for an hour or two every day until it is finished.
Even though your movers will do all the heavy lifting, be careful when packing up boxes because they can easily become too heavy to lift. This will not only be a problem for your workers but also a big issue when you start unpacking after moving.
You’ll be able to unpack more quickly once you’re settled in your new location if you use moving labels to mark what is in each box. Also, when you pack your fragile items, you need to mark that on a box so your movers know where to place these boxes on a truck for extra safety.
You need to be aware that once your items are packed on a truck, some time will pass until you see them again. For this reason, you need to pack a bag of moving essentials. Pack a bag of items you will need to wear and use for normal activities. Just like when you are going on a shorter vacation. Your hygiene products, medication, and clothing should be all packed alongside your important items, like jewelry, electronics, and documents.
Cross-country moving is one of the most exhausting processes you can take upon yourself to arrange alone. You may think you will save money if you organize the move alone, but this will actually cost you more. In general, hiring a professional crew may be the least expensive and least stressful alternative if you are moving 500 miles or more.
Also, having the movers help will be faster, and you will not bother your friends and family for help. Not to mention all the heavy lifting you will skip when hiring movers.
Most moving companies have several services they offer aside from standard long-distance moving services. They usually offer car shipping, packing services, and storage services for customers to use. Of course, you don’t have to use all the services, you can pick the ones that suit your needs the best. For example, if you don’t know how to tackle antique items or how to pack dishes, you can hire movers only to pack that. The price will depend on the distance and services you take, so make sure when negotiating with movers to ask them what is included in the services they offer, so there is no confusion later on.
For some people, relocating is an exciting time because it offers a new experience, but this is not the case for everyone. Some people find the move difficult, particularly if they are leaving home where they have fond family memories. It can be difficult to leave the house where children were raised and where grandchildren were welcomed. It’s common to have some melancholy with this kind of shift. But it is also important to recognize if depression after moving is turning into something more serious. Take a look at this video to see the early signs of depression.
When moving day finally arrives after all your planning, packing, and preparing, you’ll want to take certain precautions to make sure everyone and everything is safe. The most important thing you need to do on a moving day is to ensure everyone is safe. To avoid any back injuries or even something worse. Here are the things you need to do:
Relocating to a new home, especially if you are also relocating to a new city, can be challenging, and it will take some time until you adjust to a new town and home. However there are some tricks you can implement to speed up this process and make yourself feel at home again. Here are tips and tricks to follow:
All in all, just remember to take your time when you’re relocating as a senior citizen. By breaking down the process into more manageable tasks, you’ll find that relocation doesn’t have to be scary or stressful. And, of course, if you need help with any of the heavy lifting (literally,) don’t hesitate to search for long-distance movers near me. With the help of professional movers, you will have more time to say goodbye to your old house, friends, and family members. And most importantly, this whole process will be much less stressful.
