5 Tips for a Successful Retirement Moving Day
Relocating after retiring means lots of decisions — and work! Learn how to make a successful move.
If you’re about to retire or are a recent retiree, you may be considering moving — whether it’s to a nice beachfront condo in Florida, or closer to your family.
Retirement moves involve quite a bit of work. If you’re downsizing or moving far away, they can entail a lot of planning, sorting and packing. The best way to manage your retirement move is to ask for help!
It’s important for your move to be practical and cost-effective. Here are some foolproof ways to make retirement relocation a success.
1. Let someone else worry about moving day
You probably aren’t able to lift heavy boxes and move furniture quite like you used to. So why not hire a professional to help you relocate?
Senior move managers organize and track the logistics of your retirement move. They assist with organizing and deciding what to keep, sell or give away if you’re downsizing. They also help with packing, unpacking, developing floor plans for your new residence and more.
You pay for move management services, but the convenience and safety can be well worth the cost.
Also good to consider: move managers have established relationships with reputable movers, storage facilities and other services you will need. Because they use the same contractors so often, it’s likely that all of your belongings will arrive at your new home safe, sound and within your budget.
2. Start early with retirement move preparation
Begin packing and sorting through belongings weeks before the move. Make piles of the things you plan to keep, sell and give away. Enlist the help of family or friends with this task. If you have time, organize a yard sale to make some extra money while getting rid of things you no longer need.
3. Rent or borrow supplies for your move
There’s no need to buy moving supplies. You don’t need new boxes! Save money by visiting local grocery stores to ask for their boxes or asking friends if they have any. You can also ask for stores’ packing peanuts; most stores just throw them out! Renting packing boxes, bins and crates from moving companies such as Rentacrate is another option. Just rent the bins, fill them and then send them back for the next person to use.
4. Repurpose items for your retirement move
Find perfect packing materials lying around your house. For instance, use old blankets to protect items such as fragile mirrors or pictures; make sure the blankets can be easily cleaned. This way, your belongings serve dual purpose — you can move them while protecting fragile belongings, and you aren’t wasting money and materials by purchasing new supplies.
5. Insure your move
Sometimes things happen in transit that cause damage to your belongings—in some cases things even get lost or stolen. Avoid the hassle and frustration of dealing with damaged items after your move by purchasing moving insurance.
Retirement moves are full of choices: where to live, what the budget is, what help you need. But, you can move on a tight budget. Use these tips as you begin to prepare for your retirement move, and I guarantee you will start retirement off on the right foot.
This article originally ran on TransitSystems.com. Click here for the original post.
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