Staging the Move

No doubt about it. The advantages of joining a Sunrise independent living community are compelling. No longer will you have to worry about home maintenance or writing checks for such items as homeowners insurance, landscaping service, or housecleaning. If the grass gets long, that’s someone else’s worry. Even more important, you have more time—time to spend with like-minded seniors, to volunteer with local charitable groups, to cultivate new interests, and, if you so desire, to curl up with a book.

Cause for Hesitation
But even though they are drawn to these advantages, many seniors hesitate to make the move. Quite naturally, there is the pull of familiar surroundings holding them in place as well as the task of putting their house on the market and packing up their belongings.

You would be surprised to learn, however, how easily these difficulties can be overcome with a little planning—and some professional help. Here are some suggestions about staging the moving process:

• Dealing with real estate. For most people, a house is their largest single asset—and the hope is to maximize the return on it. With the housing market slowing, many homeowners are hesitant to put a for sale sign on their front lawn. If you’ve been in your house for a long time and built up substantial equity, you might consider that this year’s prices are not all that different from what they were two years ago—and two years ago they seemed very attractive. If you decide to sell, work with your realtor to price your house realistically.
• Deciding about your belongings. Go through your house systematically over the period of a few weeks with a friend or family member and make decisions about your possessions. Some you’ll take with you, some you’ll throw out, some you’ll sell, and others you’ll give away.
  Sometimes all it takes is the opportunity to reminisce about an object to release its grasp. There are also experienced consultants who can help you decide which furniture you should take to a new home, organize a garage sale, and choose a mover.

Our possessions, more than our memories, can consign us to living in the past. When our possessions prevent us from living life to the fullest, it’s time to downsize.

Web Resource

For assistance in downsizing, consult the National Association of Senior Move Managers.