No matter when or why, moving from one home to another can be stressful. If it has possibly been decades since possessions have been weeded through and managed, it may be even more stressful. But just as true, it’s all in the attitude with which we approach it. We can choose to see a move as a stressful event or an exciting opportunity! Let’s choose the latter! A move to our beautiful community is loaded with exciting possibilities, so let’s remain focused on the positives.
“People are just as happy as they make up their minds to be.” – Abraham Lincoln
Your apartment will not have as much room as a large home, but that isn’t a negative. With a young family, every square inch of a home may be used, but it’s rare that seniors use the majority of a large home when there are only one or two people in the house. In reality, only the living room, kitchen and bedroom may be where the living occurs…perhaps in only one of those rooms. With that in mind, a cozy apartment won’t be that much different. And living is really more about our interactions with people than it is about the walls surrounding us. With that in mind, your living is about to improve immediately with your residency at our community!
What about all the ‘stuff’ living in the attic (basement/closets/garage/shed)? Well, those things are living in the attic! They aren’t seen or used on a regular basis. If they found a new home, it’s unlikely any item will be missed more than once or twice. It will be much like it is now, out of sight, out of mind. The reality is that we tend to live in habits, and we keep a myriad of things because they’re ours or we think we will maybe use them again, but we don’t. We are slaves to our habits and we use precious little of what we have. Keeping that in mind can help with the desire to save everything.
“It is preoccupation with possession, more than anything else, that prevents men from living freely and nobly.” – Bertrand Russell, English Philosopher
Many people will tell you that letting go of unused possessions is extremely freeing. The joy of seeing a family member’s face when passed down a piece of their history is priceless. Donating items without sentimental value to those who can truly use them brings great satisfaction, as well. If you’re not ready to let go of a lot of possessions yet, rent a climate controlled storage unit for a few months. This will allow you the opportunity to live in your apartment for a while and see if you truly ‘need,’ or even truly want all those items. It also allows you to change your décor perhaps on a seasonal basis without keeping it all in sight.
Cost of Living
When evaluating senior living options, cost is an important factor to consider. We suggest that you start with an understanding of the costs of your current living situation. These may include items such as:
- Rent or mortgage payment
- Property insurance
- Utilities bills
- Groceries and household items
- Automobile payment
- Automobile maintenance
- Automobile fuel
- Parking fees or costs
- Housekeeping or maid service
- Lawn service
- Household maintenance costs
- Payments to any caregivers
Once you understand the true costs of your current living situation, you can more easily evaluate the expense of senior living options. Often, many seniors find that the all-inclusive style arrangement that senior living communities offer is more cost-effective than living alone.
Senior living options also offer far fewer things to worry about. Instead of contracting for help and paying multiple bills each month, in a senior living community almost all of your services will be provided for in your normal monthly obligation. Additionally, senior living communities take the guesswork out of monthly bills and financials, and their financial policies are designed around seniors with fixed incomes. Unlike living alone, in a senior living community, there are no surprises expenses when the water heater breaks or an unusually cold month drives up your heating costs. Those are someone else’s problem!
So pull out a pen and paper and begin to take a look at your entire financial picture. You may see that living in a senior living community will give you the benefits of more time, and money!
Downsizing
To make the move as orderly and easy as possible, organization will play a large role. Use this rule:
How to eat an elephant? “One bite at a time!”
Beginning with one room at a time will help keep it manageable. The following article includes a checklist to assist you in organizing your downsizing. Most of us at our community have experienced the downsizing dilemma and we understand the emotional components you may be going through. If we may be of assistance to you, please let us know. We understand, and we care.
Helpful links: