Steps to a Successful Move
Updated: Mar 30, 2022
Moving can be tricky but it doesn’t have to be as stressful as most make it out to be. Breaking down all the events into tasks or action plans will help make your move be smoother.
Successful Move Checklist
Plan Ahead of Time - Make notes. Write down everything you must do to get ready to sell your house, pack up your belongings and move into your new home.
Choose Your New Home – Knowing where you’re going will help you figure out what to take. Are you going to move into a house, townhome or senior community? If you need help finding senior housing Elderwerks.org is a complimentary service. Their Consultants know all the communities in Illinois and provide referrals based on your needs.
Sorting – Pick what must go with you and what you want to go with you. Once you have your list then you can declutter (gift/sell/donate/toss) whatever’s left and get the home staged for sale. A floor plan designer can help you figure out which furniture to take and what to purchase for your new home. The designer will use the new layout and make sure your furniture is measured and fits into your new lifestyle.
Set Your Dates – Knowing when the charity is picking up, when Paxem and their movers are coming to get you moved and securing your move-in date/closing will help you with your action plan.
Hold an Estate Sale – Paxem’s estate sale division can meet with you and provide you with solutions to liquidating your home. This can include an estate sale, final clean out and charity preparation. Remember to hire a company that provides you with a contract, copies of receipts and is someone you feel comfortable with.
Hire a Senior Move Manager – Hiring an A+ Accredited Senior Move Manager (SMM), like Paxem will help you tremendously. Moving a lifetime of belongings is not as easy as some think. A SMM will help you with all aspects of your move. This includes the sorting, organizing, decluttering, estate liquidation, staging, move management, set up and final closing of your home. They can do as much or as little as you like. The SMM can hire or recommend movers to you and then manage them for you so that there’s continuity and limited issues that arise. The mover will load your household belongings, drive them to your new home and unload them into the new location. Once unloaded the SMM will empty all the boxes and set up your new home completely. You will be living in your home by the end of move-in day.
Important Docs and Move Day Items – Make sure you locate your keys, check book, wallet, important papers, prescriptions, bathroom items and clothing for moving day. Put them in a Paxem bag or a box marked “do not touch” and these items will be available to you on move out day.
Packing – Paxem will pack all your items in an organized fashion. If Paxem is setting up your new home, they will make sure the items are put back into similar locations as you had them. If you are doing your own set up an inventory list will be provided so you know what’s in each carton.
High Value Items – If you have expensive art, jewelry, or other high value items, be sure to remove them before allowing any outside contractors, realtors or potential buyers of your house into your house. If you are moving these items, you may want to move them yourself or purchase extra insurance and crate the high-value art.
Moving and Set Up – The Senior Move Manager will handle your entire move on your behalf. They will secure elevators, your move-in day into your new senior community and communicate with the mover and other professionals. Your job will be to make sure you get to know the building, meet new people and answer any questions that come up during the move-in process. The Senior Move Manager will set up your new home for you or with you.
Notify – Make sure to update your new address online or at the Post Office. Notify your bank, credit card companies, accountant, attorney, family and friends of your new location.
Acclimate – Moving is hard. Change is hard. Give yourself some time to acclimate to the new environment, people and location. Keep in touch with your old friends and make sure to make some new ones. There is strength in numbers. When life throws things at you, your support network will help you through the dark times.
Help is A Phone Call Away – If you need help just ask. Ask your friends, family, the senior building’s social worker or a professional. The support that is available to older adults and seniors in Illinois is amazing.
If you allow yourself some help you will find that moving can be a pleasant and exciting experience. Consider it a new adventure and the future is yours!