A Guide to Moving House for Seniors

Have you ever wanted to move house but don’t know the best way to approach it? Moving can be a stressful undertaking especially if you’re a senior. But with the right preparation (and precaution), you can move in safely and efficiently. In this article, we’ll be giving a couple of expert moving tips to make your move more manageable and stress-free. As with any kind of moving, it is always vital to get the second opinion of an expert, for example, Adlam Transport who are a leading removalist company in Perth.

Keep It Short

 When sorting out your belongings, remember that this could take a lot of your time. Limit yourself to a limit of 2 hours a day. You may think that’s too short for sorting out items when you can spend at least half a day. If you sort out your belongings for hours on end, this can take a toll to your mental and physical health. 

Organise Slowly

 To help you start without straining your muscles, organise the smallest rooms first. After that, move on to the larger rooms or the ones with more items in it. Maintain sorting out your things to 2 hours at most per day. To keep things simple, sort them out into two categories: donate or keep. This will help you arrange your stuff in a more relaxed manner.

 Ask for Help

 Let’s face facts, you’re not getting any younger. Putting away your belongings into piles of boxes will likely take longer than a day. So, the first best way to make moving easy is by asking for help from your family. They can schedule a day or two with you to pack everything. This way, you will be able to save them from worrying about your safety.

Get Rid of Items You Don’t Need

 If you have some items you want to give away, list them down under donate. Remember that you’re moving to a smaller home. So, you can only bring what you will actually need and use. If you don’t see yourself using an item every day, categorise it under ‘donate’. If you’re thinking of keeping a thing as a ‘just-in-case’, still toss it in the ‘donate’ bin. Chances are, you won’t be using it anyway, and it will only accumulate dust in your home.

By the time your family has to start packing, they’ll know which items to not pack along with your things.

Stay Hydrated

 Planning a move and sorting out your possessions will keep you always busy and active. This is why you need to keep yourself hydrated all the time throughout the day.

Here’s a good tip: Use an egg timer.

Set the alarm to every ten minutes. Whenever the alarm goes off, drink water, even if it’s only half a glass. Doing so will become a routine that will help you keep up with your tasks. This will help with organising your belongings every day, even if it’s for 2 hours. All that dust can make your throat dry.

Dress Comfortably

 Sorting through your things and going from room to room will make you move around a lot. Wearing tight clothes can cause skin rashes and limit your movement. Remember that you will be doing this every day. If you’re not comfortable with your clothing, you may come to dread sorting your items.

 Learn Proper Lifting Techniques

 In lifting boxes, always follow proper lifting techniques, even if they are light. Lifting is the common cause of most back pains as it strains your muscles when not done right. Remember to bend your knees instead of your back. If the lifting can wait, wait until family or movers arrive so they can help with the task. It’s not worth enduring the back pains or, worse, injury if somebody else can do it for you.

Travel With A Family Member or A Friend

 Ask a member of your family or a friend to travel with you. Consult with your doctor and ask the best travel arrangement for long trips.

Even with a short journey, it’s best to have someone looking out for you during your move. All those planning and sorting out of belongings can take a toll on you. You may not think it, but once you’re in the car and start to get comfortable, there’s a high chance of you dozing off right away.

Health Care Referrals

 Consulting with your doctor before moving is a given. It goes without saying you would have requested for a referral in your new area, too. Try to visit and get acquainted with your new doctor even without any medical need. They may have questions for you or information they need to confirm. In the event of an emergency, you’ll already be familiar with your doctor, and they already know your history.

Hire Movers

 If your family is living in the state or area where you plan to move and can’t help you, consider hiring movers. Save yourself from emotional and mental stress. Think about hiring professional movers, with a packing service, such as Adlam Transport.