Ease a Move with a Senior Move Manager

So, what can you do about it?

While your kids and grandkids may offer to give you a hand, they may not live close by and, therefore, be unable to provide all the help you need. Even those who are nearby may find it difficult to empathize with the challenges of leaving a home of many years. They may try to control or rush the process. Even the best relationships can grow strained when you’re not all on the same page.

A Senior Move Manager can provide the support you need, while keeping family relationships intact. Described by AARP as “an adviser, problem solver, wise friend, neutral third party, and professional downsizer,” a Senior Move Manager will understand your situation because they’ve been down this road with many clients before you. Certified Senior Move Managers have also trained to best handle all aspects of the transition. They’ll make sure you’re involved in all decisions and can even act as an objective third party if there are disputes within your family. 

Here’s how a Senior Move Manager can help 

Senior Move Managers, who often come from backgrounds in gerontology, social work, health care, nursing and psychology, project management, etc., use their expertise to assist you with both the physical and emotional aspects of a move. Essentially, you’ll be able to offload everything from sorting through the overwhelming accumulation in your attic and garage to unpacking and arranging everything in your new space.

That gives you the time to focus on saying goodbye to friends (if you’re moving a distance away), purchasing décor for your new space, and, most importantly, wrapping your head around the big changes you’re making.

“A move is very hard at my age, and I was moving from a big house to a small apartment,” explained Joan, who used a Senior Move Manager for her move in Oregon. “They did the packing and unpacking and made up my bed, so when the day was over, I felt I had a home to come to.” 

Below are the services you can expect from a Senior Move Manager. Before you hire someone, confirm their scope of services and level of involvement, as some of these professionals provide the services themselves, while others oversee the work. 

• Sort through and downsize your belongings and furniture based on what will fit in your new floorplan.
• Determine which of your castoffs can be sold through auction, estate sale, buy-out, or consignment and which should be donated. Arrange for these sales or donations.
• Interview, select and supervise movers (both local and out-of-town).
• Arrange for storage, if needed.
• Pack the belongings you’ll be taking.
• Set up furniture in your new space.
• Unpack boxes and put everything away.
• Procure services such as cleaning, waste removal and realtors.

Other benefits

It’s obvious how hiring a Senior Move Manager can save you time and stress; however, having the support of these professionals may also save you money. While Senior Move Managers can seem expensive (in 2017, AARP estimated the cost at $40 to $80/hour), they can help you recoup some of this cost by helping you sell your valuables (or connecting you with professionals who can) and through securing discounted rates from their partners, such as cleaning services, appraisers, and movers. Some Senior Move Managers even have relationships with senior living communities and offer discounts to new residents. 

Only members of National Association of Senior and Specialty Move Managers (NASMM) are permitted to use the name “Senior Move Manager.” Because this association maintains a strict code of ethics and requires its members to be covered with general liability insurance, hiring a member of NASMM will give you an extra layer of security about your move. Click here to find a certified Senior Move Manager in your area.

Find more information on downsizing here on Seniors Guide