Our industry has taken a massive hit! After all, we specialize in serving seniors who are at the highest risk of catching the virus, and worse, dying from it. Senior Move Managers® are struggling not only with the limited number of senior living communities allowing "visitors", but also with the decision of whether or not to serve those who's projects don't involve a senior living community. The risk to those we care about (our clients, our team members, our partners, our families) weighs heavy on our hearts and our minds. Are we an "essential" service provider? Many states are including moving, relocation, and transportation services on the list of essential businesses. In regards to the moves we are managing, our client's homes have closing dates - both those they have sold and those they are purchasing. Are their projects to continue as normal in order to satisfy their signed contracts or do we respectfully step out and wish them the best in their transition in order to keep our team and our families safe? Also, the senior clients we serve are sometimes in a high-risk situation due to the clutter in their homes creating trip hazards and other issues that keep them unsafe in their homes. In a time of such crisis especially, don't we have a duty to these seniors to be there for them in their time of need? These are just some of the challenging questions we Senior Move Managers are asking each other.
This month has reached it's end ~ we are in a completely different place from where we were when it started. For my family, we had traveled by car from Florida to Texas for the NASMM 2020 Conference (The National Association of Senior Move Managers). Every year, I travel with my family to learn and grow with hundreds of other Senior Move Managers® from all over the world. Although COVID-19 was already "a thing", we had no clue what was right around the corner. Forget not being able to travel; some of us can't even leave our homes! Life as we knew it is... on hold.
Our industry has taken a massive hit! After all, we specialize in serving seniors who are at the highest risk of catching the virus, and worse, dying from it. Senior Move Managers® are struggling not only with the limited number of senior living communities allowing "visitors", but also with the decision of whether or not to serve those who's projects don't involve a senior living community. The risk to those we care about (our clients, our team members, our partners, our families) weighs heavy on our hearts and our minds. Are we an "essential" service provider? Many states are including moving, relocation, and transportation services on the list of essential businesses. In regards to the moves we are managing, our client's homes have closing dates - both those they have sold and those they are purchasing. Are their projects to continue as normal in order to satisfy their signed contracts or do we respectfully step out and wish them the best in their transition in order to keep our team and our families safe? Also, the senior clients we serve are sometimes in a high-risk situation due to the clutter in their homes creating trip hazards and other issues that keep them unsafe in their homes. In a time of such crisis especially, don't we have a duty to these seniors to be there for them in their time of need? These are just some of the challenging questions we Senior Move Managers are asking each other.
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We stood in silence as the furniture was loaded into the back of a hatchback belonging to a young family. As they admired their new end tables, Mr. C and I watched out the window. Tears welled up in my eyes as I imagined the thoughts going through his mind. 51 years in the house he and his wife built. 45 years of marriage before he lost his wife tragically. Quilts, dishes, and furniture that won’t fit into his new home. He said quietly, “I wish I could have taken those tables with me but I don’t have the space.” My response was “I bet it is hard seeing it all go but that young family can now use them in their home. It looks like they are going to enjoy them.” A smile came over his face as he thought about it. We looked at each other and I could tell it was hard but it was getting easier.
Finding new homes for our things we've decided to part with is not easy, especially when downsizing a large home. The first step is knowing your options. Here are some places where you can donate your unwanted belongings (links are for Polk County/Central Florida area):
Inspired by SCORE's American Small Business Championship and SCORE Awards, this blog post, combined with my contest entry, takes you inside my company to learn what exactly it is that my services do for the local community and its residents.
Decades of treasures, from china to knick-knacks and collectibles to furniture, adorn the walls and floors of the home you've lived in for the last 10, 20, 40, or 50+ years. When you're downsizing into a smaller home or apartment, there is simply not enough space to store it all. And, as hard it is to let these things go, you've realized these are only things. You've enjoyed them and now it is time to allow someone else to enjoy them, so that you can enjoy your new home with the pieces that mean the most to you. Now, you wonder, how do I get rid of all this stuff?! There is no easy answer to that question, as each person's situation is completely different, but here are a few standard options:
It's no secret - moving is stressful! First of all, there is organizing it all! Then there is packing, discarding, cleaning, and paperwork. If you don't keep it all together - everything you need for your move to be organized - then there is also constant searching, questioning, and unpreparedness. If you found this post, I imagine being unprepared is the last thing you intend on being, so here is what you should have in your move notebook...
"I would like to bring my 10' x 5' dining room table to my new apartment home if it will fit." I have heard this at least a few times since becoming a Senior Move Manager® early this year. Meet my husband and Business Operations Manager, Danny Ramer. In the picture above, you see him measuring 10 feet out from the dining room wall to show where the dining room table described above would be if it were flush with the wall. As you can see, it would come out to the middle of the hallway - not ideal in a smaller living space.
Imagine not having measured the new space, paying to have the table moved, only getting it there to find out it is not going to work out. Now what?! Here are some other things to keep in mind when downsizing and planning your space: ![]() Downsizing can be a daunting task. You've lived in your home for upwards of 20, 30, 40, or 50+ years. You've collected so much over the years. You know you are moving into a smaller space; one that doesn't have quite the upkeep or maintenance, but you are asking yourself how you can downsize your belongings and is it possible to just do it after you've moved it all and finally have the time. Since becoming a Certified Senior Move Manager® and completing 56 senior move management projects since January 2016, I've experienced an array of different scenarios. Some of my clients have downsized and moved multiple times in their retirement; others have never downsized before and can't fathom the idea of going through each and every item, making decisions on what to keep and what to let go of. In either case, I recommend making those decisions before your move vs. after for the following reasons: |
Nicole RamerHi there! Welcome to my blog and thank you for stopping by! Archives
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