Downsizing
Experts make downsizing decisions easier
Whether moving to a smaller home or a senior living community, once you have committed to downsizing, there are innumerable decisions to make about possessions accumulated over a lifetime can be emotional and exhausting.
A senior move specialist, as opposed to a traditional moving company, works with clients to determine which possessions will come to the new location and how to disburse the remainder. They also fully pack, move and unpack the client’s home, including setting up electronics, hanging pictures and putting sheets on the bed. Throughout these tasks, specialists use empathy and experience to guide clients through what can be a challenging time.
“The transition is an emotional as well as physical one,” said Sue Pilko, owner of Smooth Transitions in Kingwood.
“It’s one of the biggest moves of a lifetime and can be almost a grief process for many. For me, one of the most fun parts of our moves is to take the essence of their old home that they love and bring it to the new home, whether that is through artwork, furnishings or other special possessions.
all “Mythe furniturefavorite partis in, is the when bed is made, the towels are out, the pictures are hung, and the clients come in and see it. You can see the relief on their faces as they realize this is going to be their home.”
Katherine Bellingham, owner of New Beginnings Relocation in Houston, said 99 percent of her clients are downsizing, sometimes from very large to very small accommodations.
“The one-on-one downsizing is my favorite part of my whole job,” she said. “I’ve worked with hoarders and minimalists. Downsizing is very, very personal. With some clients’ houses, it can take a year to downsize, working gradually, going room by room.”
The specialists do not dictate what should be kept or relinquished. The senior movers help design a floor plan for the new location, making recommendations based on available space.
value They withoutalso help making clients the prioritize decisions whatfor them.they Due to the supportive yet neutral relationship that develops, clients are usually amenable to the experts’ recommendations. That may not be the case when family and adult children voice opinions.
Both Bellingham and Pilko have strategies for distributing excess possessions. They can coordinate deliveries to family members and charitable organizations.
They have a network of contacts that can appraise value, consign or host estate sales. Pilko said her team has helped identify valuable possessions that a senior has overlooked, such as a bag of vintage coins.
And, she often has to break the news that possessions clients paid a lot for at one time are no longer worth what they think.
Opening closets, drawers, shoeboxes and bins requires a trusting relationship. Sorting through possessions can bring a flood of memories, so senior movers need to be good listeners.
“You almost re-live someone’s life with him or her,” she said.
The specialists do not dictate what should be kept or relinquished.