Downsizing for Seniors: The Ultimate Guide
There will most likely come a time in your life when you have to start the discussion of downsizing for seniors. This talk can surface from a loved one assisting another in times, or may not come into the picture until the downsizing is the best option for you. Regardless of the circumstances, This full guide will inform you about everything you need to know on the tips for senior downsizing, Best living senior spaces near you, Best senior moving companies near you, and much more.
In this ultimate guide, we will provide the best downsizing tips for seniors that will simplify the transition for YOU- and your family. This is Beyond Self Storage Vol 1 of Protecting and Caring for What Matters Most.
This ultimate guide to downsizing for seniors will cover:
Downsizing Tips for Seniors and Their Loved Ones
Downsizing for Seniors | The Best Living Spaces Near You
The best places to live for seniors: St. Louis Area
The best places to live for seniors in Lenexa, KS
The best places to live for seniors in Pittsburgh, PA
The best places to live for seniors in Minneapolis, MN
Benefits of Contacting a Senior Move Manager
Top Senior Moving Services: St. Louis
Top Senior Moving Services: Lenexa, KS
Top Senior Moving Services: Pittsburgh, PA
Top Senior Moving Services: Minneapolis, MN
What are Some Recommendations for Senior Downsizing?
The first recommendation for senior downsizing is to ensure that downsizing is the best option. Make sure that you talk with your family and discuss all your options before making a decision. From there, we recommend the need to create designated roles to tackle the decluttering process. This will ensure a more smooth transition and keep things from becoming overwhelming. Once those two steps are complete then begin exploring new options for senior living space and considering senior moving managers to assist the moving transition.
Make Sure Downsizing is the Best Option
First, you need to evaluate all alternatives and make sure that downsizing is the best option. The transition can easily become overwhelming for all parties involved. If you are a loved one assisting a senior, it is important to be courteous of their home and take their thoughts and suggestions into consideration. You have to put yourself shoes, would you like to get up and leave the house you have lived in for the last 30 years? Your answer to most likely no.
You need to sit down with your family and present the topic and bring it up for discussion. If you are a senior, bring up the idea of downsizing to your family and listen to there feedback. It is important to establish an effective two-way communication channel between the seniors involved and the existing family.
If you are a loved one, you should sit down with the rest of your family and brainstorm what is the best available option for the senior. Outweigh the positives and negatives of all possible solutions to ensure this is the best option for the senior involved.
After discussion, if the family feels that downsizing is the best option. Take some time to reflect on the decision and proceed forward to the next step, De-cluttering.
Create a Schedule for the De-cluttering Process
Deciding what items you should keep or toss can be a time-consuming and stressful in the moving experience. But this doesn’t have to be the case. Staying organized and tackling this process as a family will minimize the stress of the situation. This cannot be accomplished by one person, it takes teamwork. We recommend sitting down and creating a schedule with all the family members that will be involved and work together.
Senior Planet recommends the meetings should be less than three hours to make sure the process doesn’t become stressful and overwhelming for the family members involved. The first initial meeting should be organizing all the items into three categories: Keep, Toss, and Sell/Donate.
Give each family member a designated role in the process to make sure the workload is evenly distributed. Some designated roles you can assign are:
- The Donater –This person would be in charge of all the items in the donation section. They would be responsible for finding the right charities for the items and ensuring the will be valuable for someone else
- The Tosser – This person will be in charge of disposing of the items you will be throwing away. They will be responsible for finding transportation and disposing of boxes labeled “Toss”.
- The Keeper – This role can be tackled by 2 people if possible. The Keeper will be in charge of finding storage solutions for the stuff that will be held on to and the transportation of items that will be taking to the new living space.
If there are items being kept, such as:
- Furniture
- Large Electronics
- Artwork
- Fine China and antique memorabilia and other sensitive items.
It might be a good idea to purchase a climate-controlled storage unit. This will make sure the valuable items you have decided to keep are secure and protected from humid environments.
Beyond Self Storage currently has locations in :
- Pittsburgh, PA at Mt. Lebanon | Robinson | Ross
- Detroit at Sterling Heights | Rochester Hills | Commerce Township | Macomb
- St. Louis, MO at Chesterfield | McCausland
- Minneapolis at Eagan | Northeast Minneapolis | Maplewood
- Kansas City at Lenexa
- Arlington Heights, IL
Giving everyone a defined role will keep everyone on track and will take some of the stressfulness of the situation.
Begin the search for a New Senior Living Space
Depending on the situation, the living space in consideration will vary. Some of the common reason for senior downsizing include:
- Maintenance and Upkeep – Houses can be a lot of upkeep, especially if they are older. Maintenance issues can leave for expensive repairs and can cut into your retirements funds
- Health Issues – The health and wellness of the senior involved can play a significant role in the decision for downsizing.
- Taxes and Living Costs – The house you bought years may be a fraction of what it is worth now. With housing marketing at an all-time high, property accessors are increasing the value of homes leaving seniors with high property tax bills.
It is important to listen to the seniors involved and understand the amenities they are requesting for there new living space. There are many options to consider, including:
- Senior Accessible Homes
- Independent Living
- Assisted Living
- Nursing Care
- Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC)
Each senior living space option is contingent on the health and wellness of the senior. Although, family members should take all senior living options before making a decision.
Downsizing for Seniors | The Best Living Spaces Near You
Finding the right senior living space for a senior can be a long and difficult search. As a family, you want to ensure the senior involved is in a good location and they are receiving the best option for them. We have research to find the best senior living spaces in:
- St. Louis, MO
- Lenexa, KS
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Minneapolis, MN
- Tampa Bay, FL
Best Senior Living Spaces in St. Louis, Missouri
The Gatesworth
The Gateworth is a luxurious senior living community in Clayton, MO near St. Louis. It provides seniors with world-class amenities like:
- Fine Dining Options
- Culture and Education Programs
- On-site Spa
- Fitness and Wellness Programs
- Reliable transportation Options
- 24/7
- Luxurious Floor Plans and more!
If you live in the St. Louis area, The Gateworth is a luxurious senior living community worth checking out. Learn more about all the fantastic amenities of this community.
McKnight Place
McKnight Place is one of the senior living spaces in the St. Louis area. They provide services and care options such as:
- Assisted Living
- Memory Care
- Skilled Nursing
They also provide various types of therapy services including Physical, Speech, Occupational, Restorative, Art and Music Therapy, Delicious Meal Choices, 24/7 On-site Staff and More!
McKnight Place was recently featured in the national spotlight from Good Housekeeping, Women’s Day, and Women’s Health magazines. They were recognized for their outstanding services and care, high-class amenities, memorable meals with family, and vast scheduling of activities.
If you live in St. Louis area, McKnight Place is a location you must check out when searching for a new senior living space. Check out the full McKnight Place publication as seen in the Good Housekeeping, Women’s Health, and Women’s Day.
Best Senior Living Spaces in Lenexa, KS
Westchester Village of Lenexa
Westchester Village of Lenexa provides all levels of living in one retirement community. Those options include:
- Independent Living- including restaurant-style meals, pet-friendly living spaces, and more!
- Assisted Living – This option includes Housekeeping services, Emergency response systems, Fun scheduling activities, and outings, and More!
- Short-term Care – This option includes a variety of therapy & rehab services, personal suites, and Medicare-approved and certified.
- Long-term Care – Westchester Village provides 24-hour skilled nurses, Therapeutic diets, and social services and activities.
If you live near the Lenexa area, Westchester Village would be a great living option to transition to after downsizing for seniors. Learn more about all the high-class services and amenities provided by Westchester Village of Lenexa
The Benton House of Lenexa, KS
The Benton House of Lenexa is another great option of assisted senior living. They provide care options including:
- Assisted Living
- Memory Care
- Adult Day Care Program
The Adult Day Care Program is a unique program offered by Benton House allowing family members to take a break from care. Their day program provides scheduling activities that seniors can participate in throughout the day.
Some of the great amenities they provide include emergency response system with a 24-hour on-site staff team, Premium Dining services, and full social directors that plan activities 7 days a week to make residents feel at ease to enjoy fun activities with family and residents around the community.
If you live near the Lenexa area, The Benton House would be a great living option to transition after downsizing for seniors.
Best Senior Living Spaces in Pittsburgh, PA
Brookdale (Mt. Lebanon)
Brookdale Senior Living Community is located in Mount Lebanon, PA. They offer a wide range of care options including:
- Assisted Living
- Independent Living
- Memory Care
- Hospice
- Continued Care Retirement Communities
They also offer a wide variety of amenities include cafe/bistro, beauty/barbershop, Fitness center, General store, Therapy pool and more. If you are a senior living near Mount Lebanon area, this would be a great option. Check out all of their amenities Here
Sunrise of McCandless
Sunrise of McCandless Senior Living Community is located in McCandless, PA. They offer a wide range of care options including:
- Assisted Living
- Independent Living
- Memory Care
- Respite Care
- Personal Care Services
- Skilled Nursing
Sunrise of McCandless provides some great features including 24/7 on-site staff, Weekly personal laundry, Monthly Wellness Visits, and Daily Physical Fitness, Social, and Creative activities and more! If you live near the Mount Lebanon Area and plan on downsizing, check out the great floor plans and amenities at Sunrise at McCandless
Harbour Senior Living of South Hills near Robinson, PA
Harbour Senior Living of South Hills is near Robinson Township, PA. They offer a wide range of care options including:
- Assisted Living
- Independent Living
- Memory Care
- Short term care options
- Skilled Nursing
Harbour Senior Living of South Hills offers superior amenities including 24/7 on-site staff, Fine Dining Service, Beauty Salon, and barbershop, Library, Movie Theater, Fitness Club and more!
If you are a senior and live near Robinson Township, Check out all the great amenities at Harbor Senior Living of South Hills
Best Senior Living Spaces in Minneapolis, MN
Abiitan Mill City Senior Living Community
Abiitan Mill City senior living community is located in Minneapolis, MN. They are a unique community located in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. They offer living options for older adults including:
- Assisted Living
- Independent Living
- Memory Care.
Abiitan Mill City offers a lot of high-class amenities including a 2000 sq ft fitness center, High-Class Dining Option, A full social calendar that provides tons of opportunities to improve your learning by teaming up with local institutions for Art, Theatre and Music performances.
Check out all the great things that Abiitan Mill City has to offer!
Minnehaha Senior Living
Minnehaha Senior Living is located in Minneapolis, MN. They offer a wide range of care options including:
- Assisted Living
- Independent Living
- Memory Care
- Short term care options
- Skilled Nursing
They also offer a wide variety of amenities include weekly housekeeping, meal options, 24/7 trained staff, social/recreational/spiritual opportunities, Therapy and Rehabilitation programs, and more!
Check out all the great programs and amenities that Minnehaha Senior Living Community provides for seniors.
4. Consider Contacting a Senior Moving Company
If you decide that the moving transition is becoming overwhelming, it might be time to contact some professional help. Senior moving companies specialize in the moving transitions of people over the age of 55 and handle a variety of services relating to the downsizing process.
A great resource to help you find a senior moving manager near you is the NASMM website. The website provides you with NASMM members in each state with listings of companies that have received their Circle of Service badge. This badge recognizes movers for senior citizens that provide great services, easy moving experiences, and caring transitions into their smaller space. Here are some of the best senior downsizing and moving services in areas of :
- St. Louis, MO
- Lenexa, KS
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Minneapolis, MN
The Best Senior Downsizing Services in St. Louis, MO
Goldilocks Solutions LLC in St. Louis, MO
Contact Information: 314-5171250 |Email: carolyn@goldilockssolutions.com
Smooth Transitions of St. Louis, LLC
Contact Information: 314-705-2271
Email: beth@smoothtransitionsstl.com
The Best Senior Downsizing Services in Lenexa, KS
Life’s Services in Kansas and Missouri
Contact information: 913-723-6447| Email: info@lifesmoves.com
Assisted Moving of Kansas City
Contact information:(816) 405-6046 | Email: bwalton@assistedmovingkc.com
The Best Senior Downsizing Services in Pittsburgh, PA
Simply Organized in Pittsburgh, PA
Contact Information: 724-713-2559 | Email: jill@simplyorganizedpgh.com
A+ Organizing in Pittsburgh, PA
Contact Information: 646-283-5575 | Email: organize@aplusorganizing.com
Caring Transitions in Pittsburgh, PA
Contact Information: 412-709-5907
The Best Senior Downsizing Services in Minneapolis, MN
Gentle Transitions, Special Relocation Services
Contact Information: 952-944-1028 |Email: inquire@gentletransitions.net
Home To Sweet Home
Contact Information: 651-351-0038 | Email: info@hometosweethome.com
Lighthouse Rightsizing
Contact Information: 269-208-0026 | Email: lighthouserightsizing@gmail.com
Beyond Self Storage
Protect and Care For What Matters Most
We all know how stressful and overwhelming the process of downsizing for seniors and loved ones. But with the proper planning, organization, and communication the moving experience can be a positive one.
Do you have any additional tips for downsizing for seniors, Recommended Senior Living Communities, or Senior Moving Service recommendation? We are always looking to add more recommendations to help people Protect and Care For What Matters Most!
Let us know your recommendations and thoughts on Facebook @storewithbeyond