Guide>Time to move>MOVING

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So, you decided to move to a CCRC, applied and was accepted, went on the waiting list, was offered a unit that you accepted, downsized you belongings and sold your house, and signed the contract, paid the fees, and the renovation your housing unit is complete. Now it’s time to move in.

High stress

Moving is a high-stress life event; especially when it’s a move into a CCRC, which may be your last move. There is a lot of emotional stress of moving from your home and the neighborhood you’ve lived in for decades, and there is the physical stress that comes from completing the move itself. For many, this is the first move in decades. Just the thought of it all may seem paralyzing.

Don't worry

CCRCs have moving coordinators who do this every day. They will guide you throughout the process and answer all your questions. Everyone living in the CCRC went through the same process and now they are happy.

It only hurts for a little while

I am a retired Navy master chief petty officer who has moved over 25 times, spent 9 years on sea duty on 4 ships, and who has lived aboard a navy ship at sea for 5 of those years with no belongings except that which would fit inside a vertical 2-door locker. So, I have had experience in moving, downsizing, and living in small spaces.

One thing I learned from this experience is that, after the move is completed and you are living in your new smaller space for a while, you quickly adapt to the smaller space. You don't miss things that you thought you couldn't live without, you develop a new daily routine, you make new friends, you do new things, and soon the new space becomes your new home.

Downsizing

Moving to a CCRC means you need to downsize your life. Here are some tips on downsizing your life, your home, and its contents:

• Focus on the positives. This is a move you need to make for a better quality of life. Downsizing doesn't have to be a hassle or a horrible experience; try to think about the life you'll get in exchange for the things you are giving up, such as yard work, home maintenance, cooking, cleaning, and other mundane tasks behind. You are embarking on a new adventure. The more upbeat you can make the process, the smoother it will go.
• Make it fun! Grab a friend, turn on some music, pour a cup of tea (or a glass of wine), and get going!
• Downsize at the old home, not at the new home. Get rid of everything you can’t fit into your new home before you move. If you take too much with you, it will just be another problem you must deal with at the new home, which will add more stress to an already stressful situation. Once you unpack at the new home, you will find you made some mistakes, but they can be corrected.
• Start early. Start paring down your possessions at least one month before you list your current home for sale. Having less clutter makes the rooms look appear larger.
• Be realistic. Don't try to sort 50 years of memories in one day. Know that it's going to take time. It may become so emotional for you that you need to take a few days off before starting again.
• Have a plan. Hit the high clutter rooms first, usually the kitchen, living room, and family room, which tend to be the most cluttered and contain items with the greatest emotional value and everyday use. After these rooms, work outward. Items furthest away from these rooms such as those in sheds, garages, and attics, will probably not be needed at the new residence.
• Start small. If going through belongings feels overwhelming, just start small. Commit to 30 minutes a day and before long you will be doing it all day.
• Set deadlines. This will help hold yourself accountable. For example, schedule a time for loved ones to pick up family heirlooms, arrange for a donation pick-up by a local charity, or set a timer and promise yourself to only focus on sorting until the timer dings.
• Only handle it once. Pick up an item, decide on a pile, put it on the pile, and forget it. Pick up another item.
• Keep memories of things, not necessarily things. Scan photographs and trash the originals. If you have a collection of items, only keep a few of your favorites. For the others, take a professional-grade photo of the collection and frame it.
• Purchase a new notebook specifically for your move. Use it to make lists, remind yourself of questions that you need the answer to, and even record memories as you go through belongings.
• Separate things into four piles. REMEMBER, there is not a maybe pile!

Keep. Only keep that which you need and will use. If you haven't used something in years or have forgotten you have it, then it's obvious you don't need it, so get rid of it. 

Give. Things to give to family or friends.

Donate. Some charities only take furniture; some won't take clothing. Larger charities tend to accept a wider variety of items. Get a receipt for a tax deduction. Ask whether they offer free pickup (a huge time-saver). Some charities will remove items from the ground floor only.

Trash. If it's chipped, broken, stained, or missing parts trash it.

• Clothing. If moving to another climate, consider what clothing may be needed or not needed at that location.
• Diagram new rooms. To help decide what furniture to keep, use a scale diagram of the new rooms. Ask your CCRC for a floor plan with measurements. Examine the floor plan and use it as a guide. Experts use scale white-board diagrams of rooms to determine how items will fit. Measure all furniture and use the dimensions in different arrangements in the space plan to help determine what to keep. Sell or give away the furniture that you no longer need or won’t fit.
• Visit your new space often. Visit it when it is empty so you have an idea of how your furniture will fit and what needs to go in first.
• Involve the children and other loved ones. Talk to them about the emotional and monetary value of items you don’t want to keep. Something you may think is important, they may not want.
• Sort through medications and transfer any prescriptions. Doing this in advance can eliminate headaches once you've moved and will ensure your medications will be there when you need it.
• Use a fireproof box or small safe to store important documents. Keep these with you and separate as you work through your move, so they do not get thrown away or given away. Important documents should include your will, power of attorney, medical records, military records, titles, tax records, diplomas, birth certificates, passports, etc.
• Ask adult children to come and collect their things. This will eliminate you from having to go through their belongings and can cut down on your packing time.
• Mail and subscription services. Have your mail forwarded starting on the date you move. Cancel any unwanted subscriptions.
• Change contact information. Go online and change your address, email, and phone numbers with utility, business, subscriptions, medical office, etc. that you deal with. Keep a log of the changes so you will know which were changed and on what date.
• Memberships. Cancel unneeded memberships, such as fitness centers.
• Find a home for pets, if necessary. Many CCRCs are pet-friendly; if you in the process of moving, you should already know if pets are allowed. It was in the CCRC’s disclosure statement.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Enlist as much assistance as you need from an interior designer, home staging specialist, real estate agent, move manager, or moving company. Most CCRCs having a moving specialist that can help you.
• Be selective with your donations. Goodwill and the Salvation Army are usually the first places considered, but some items may be better suited for a museum, school, or a local charity. Everyday glassware, dinnerware, and eating utensils may be needed by a children's camp or soup kitchen. Sometimes legacy gifts to an organization may result in special plaques or recognition in addition to tax deductions.
• Think twice before selling items on your own. Craigslist, eBay, and other self-selling options are time-consuming when you're trying to process a houseful of goods and the can be a problem with meeting buyers safely. Consider a local auction company.
• If there are several items of high value, consider an appraisal. Go through the entire house and separate potentially valuable items; the appraiser will only come out once and is more interested in relatively large lots.
• Auction houses. Auction houses, whose goal to sell items at the best price, are better options than antique dealers, whose goal is to get items for the lowest price. Auction houses will offer to sell almost anything that has value, and they have the expertise to know the approximate value. After the auction, you will receive a check promptly for your proceeds of the sale.
• Consignment shops. Consignment shops will also sell items, but they tend to cherry-pick and take fewer items, and they often charge to pick up items. Selling an item may take a long time or it may not sell.
• Yard sale. For a better turnout, call it a "moving sale." Post bright signs on nearby roads. Don’t worry about putting the address on signs that no one can read from a moving car. Just write “MOVING SALE” and use large directional arrows. Organize items by groups, such as books on one table, tools on another, etc. In most cases, expect no more than $20 for any item. You might come out better by donating some items. Remember, the value of an item isn't what you paid for it or how well made or special it is; it's what someone is willing to pay for it.
  
  |Be careful selling things at yard sales, you may be liable for items sold. Reselling an item that has been recalled, whether you were aware of it or not, is illegal and exposes you to the risk of being sued. If someone is injured by a recalled product that you sold and he or she pursues a civil or even criminal action against you, you could be held responsible and have to pay damages or other penalties.
  
  When holding a yard sale, steer clear of high-risk items, such as cribs, bicycle helmets, and car seats. Check the status of other products, such as appliances, sports equipment, or garden equipment, by checking the recall database at cpsc.gov. When in doubt, don’t sell the item.

Packing

• Pack with confidence. Before you do anything, contact your CCRC to see what assistance they provide in moving. If they don’t offer physical assistance, consider how much time you’ll need to pack, and unpack. Give yourself about 40–60 hours to pack and unpack.
• Pack things according to who is do the moving. If you are moving everything yourself, you will be extra careful with your things and you know what is in each box. If professional movers are moving you; well, you get what you pay for.
• Pack things according to the distance of the move. If you are moving a short distance, you may move the delicate things yourself in your vehicle so they may not need to be packed so carefully. If you are moving a long distance, things need to be packed carefully, with lots of padding and allowance for settling caused by hours of vibration.
• Label boxes. Label clearly which room they go to and what’s in each box.
• The golden rule. The heavier the item, the smaller the box! Never over pack a box.
• One box, one room. Pack the same room in the same box. Don't mix.
• Last in, first out. Load boxes you need first at your new home last on the truck.
• Paper packing. Use packing paper instead of newspaper to avoid smears and stains on your valuables.
• Don't be afraid to buy a lot of boxes because you never know. You can return the unused ones.
• Pack in all size boxes. When picking out boxes, be sure to get a variety of sizes. A few large wardrobe boxes, many mediums, and a lot of small boxes. Plastic tubs with lids are useful and they can be used for in long-term lockers if the CCRC provides them.
• No packing on moving day. Take on this busy day with all the boxes already packed. It's one less stress.

Load, transport, and unload

• Remove all shelves and drawers from your dressers before moving. It will make them lighter and make moving them a lot easier.
• Tape cabinet doors. This stops them from swinging open into doorways and squashing your fingers.
• Consider the placement of furniture and boxes in your new space. Load in reverse order. Load the things that will need to be carried the farthest inside the new home first; that way things in the nearest rooms won’t get in the way. Plus, you will be fresh and have more energy for the long walk.
• Get lots of help. Get all the help you can so you can minimize having to carry things. You will need all the energy you have for unpacking.
• Equipment. Have tools, hand trucks, ramps, etc. ready.
• Do a walk-through. Walk-through your new home, mentally planning where you will put your large items of furniture.
• Ensure safe pathways. Keeping safety top of mind, make sure pathways between the truck and the house, as well as inside the house, are clear of debris and obstructions. Lay non-skid runners.
• Check doorways. Measure doorways to ensure there is enough room to move in larger pieces of furniture. Remove doors where necessary.
• Take wardrobe boxes off first. Put young family members to work putting the clothes away.
• Move furniture. Move furniture to the applicable room and remove the plastic wrapping.
• Move boxes. Move boxes and place them in the labeled rooms.
• Store moving equipment. Store away equipment such as blanket pads and straps and discard all wrapping.
• Reassemble furniture. Reassemble furniture once the truck is unloaded.
• Unpack in each room as priority dictates. The kitchen, bathroom, and overnight necessities should be taken care of first.

Storage

• Maximize storage. Once you do make the transition to your new home, make sure to make use of all the available storage space you can get your hands on, such as ottomans that open and have space inside, wall-mounted shelving, and under-bed storage boxes. One rule of storage when it comes to small spaces is that you should store up, not out, so if you can make use of your walls for storage and shelving. Doing this will free up more living space. Figuring out the smartest places to store your stuff is time well spent. Search online for storage ideas. Visit the Container Store or IKEA to find furnishings to help you get organized.
• Don't get seduced by boxes. Before buying a bunch of containers that just adds to the overall clutter, think about what you can do with the stuff you already have. Don’t get seduced by boxes, containers, and organizational gadgets that often just add to the problem. Try to think of your downsizing as an opportunity to do something new and live a lighter life with a lighter load instead of spending more money shoehorning all the things you have into a smaller space.
• Rental storage. Only consider renting a storage unit as an absolute last resort. Consider how much you'll pay for the unit every year versus the actual value of the items you're putting into it. If your items are essential, sentimental, or extremely valuable and you don't have room for them, then renting storage is an option. However, if you're storing "just in case" items you are wasting a lot of money. If the case arises where you need an item, you can always get a new or used one,
• Keep it tidy. Once you've gotten everything situated and are living comfortably in the smaller space, become ruthless in deciding what comes into your home. An "organized" small space can quickly become a "cluttered" small space. Make sure that everything you bring in is something you can store within the space you have, and it is something you want or need. You may have to make compromises by eliminating something to make room for something else.

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