You might think about the challenges and practicalities of space planning and downsizing and how to get rid of all the stuff that you and your family members no longer want.
You might even consider how an objective professional can ensure that you are working with reliable and vetted service providers. It’s good to be able to have faith in the #movers who will be transporting your belongings and knowing that that you are not paying more than you need to for junk #removal and #shredding services. You want to know that you are working with people who are trustworthy and who will go the extra mile to ensure that your needs are met.
Life has a way of throwing curveballs at us and you sometimes need to make choices in a hurry. Are you considering the best strategy for your specific situation? Is an on-line auction right for you? Are donations more suitable and if so, where do you take them? Are you better off with a blended response? It’s good to think about what timing would work best in your situation as well but once family and/or friends get involved, whose timing will take priority?
So while a knowledgeable, #sensitive and objective #SeniorMoveManager can relieve these #anxieties a lot of people don’t spend much time considering the #emotions that lie at the heart of such a big change.
For most of us change is hard and it can also get mixed up with losses and fear as we age. #LossOfMobility, loss of capacity, indeed loss of loved ones can lead to a lack of confidence. Are we doing the right thing? Are we making the best choices? Is this the best time to move or should we try to hang on for another few months or a year?
All of these uncertainties take their toll on our sense of well-being and while some of us put on a brave face and move steadily forward, others go into a state of denial. Why worry? Why change? Why move, even though we know in our hearts that we are now only living in two or three rooms of our large three or four or five bedroom homes. Why? Because we settle for the devil we know instead of imagining a lifestyle that can better serve our emerging #healthneeds and #mobilityNeeds.
Some acknowledge that the stairs are becoming tougher and tougher to navigate. There are things that we should be doing to update our homes but it sometimes seems like far too much to take on. We miss the ease of movement that we once had and we miss the social aspects of our lives that we used to enjoy. We find that our friends have moved on, one way or the other, and that we don’t know our neighbours like we used to. Our home feels less like home and we are really not eating properly but we hang on because we don’t have a plan and sometimes we emotionally throw up our hands. If we do take steps to explore options, we can become tired just thinking about all that is involved with turning our plans into action.
What to take? What to sell? What to give away? What to do with what’s left over? If we have kids, they all may be giving us different advice or they simply don’t have the time, energy or proximity to help us with the physical aspects. In some cases, if the truth be known, our kids may not be all that helpful with the emotional side of things either. One may want to call a dumpster, one may want to keep everything because he or she is #sentimental and the other one, well, he has stuff from his university days in the house and he just wants you to hang on to it for him because his other half won’t let him bring it into their house Why? There is no room… .
It can be the path of least resistance to ignore the passage of time and believe that everything will somehow work out. Or you can engage the services of someone like me who can help you get things started and sensitively, knowledgeably and objectively keep them moving forward. I have always believed that those who make their own choices are likely to do better as they age and I have seen this belief born out in my own clients. #Autonomy may not look the same at age 70 as it does at age 90 but feeling in charge of your life helps your outlook and your #confidence. It is important to honour your heart as well as your head.
Oh and did I mention that I have a background in mental health support, crisis intervention and dispute resolution? My clients and their family members have discovered that this can come in handy as our dream team helps to successfully navigate this next chapter in life. Honouring your heart within – each step of the way - is every bit as important as keeping your #downsizing project and move on track and on schedule!
If you believe that your contacts may find this helpful, please share and visit us at www.movingseniorswithasmile.ca