Moving Your Parents Out Of Their Home
Posted on: 27 August 2015
When it comes time to move your parents out of their home into yours or an assisted living facility, sorting through their stuff can be a delicate process. After years of living, they have probably collected boxes full of papers, photographs, dishes, and other items. The clutter can be overwhelming, but dumping everything is not an option. You need to help them sort through their things and make decisions about their possessions before they move.
Sorting
If the move is not sudden, schedule an hour or two nightly to sort through the boxes. This process can be painful, but having it be a family effort can make it less threatening. If your parents have boxes of photos, you can scan them into the computer in order to save space and keep the images safe. You can also scan important documents for them. If your parents have kept every tax return they filed for fifty years and still want to hang on to them, you can offer to scan those, too. Most of their paperwork can safely go on the computer. Sorting never goes quickly, so urge your parents to go through boxes and closets long before they need to move.
Furniture
Wherever your parents move, they will need to get rid of furnishings. Assisted living apartments frequently have rather small living spaces. If possible, help your parents take a few pieces of familiar furnishings with them rather than buying all new pieces. The same process applies if they are moving into your home. Having favorite chairs and bookshelves around can ease the transition period. If some valued pieces just will not fit into the new surroundings, have your parents designate who they want to have the antique armoire or marble-topped table. Having them divide their possessions before they die gives them a sense of control and will prevent misunderstandings between siblings later.
Cleanout
Once your parents have sorted, divided, and moved, you should consider hiring a house cleanout company. They will come and clean out anything that is left behind and dispose of it for you. Once they have done their job, the broken chairs, mismatched dishes, and odds and ends will be gone, saving you backbreaking labor and emotional pain. The house cleanout company owners will either sell or dispose of the leftover items. The house will be ready to sell or rent, and you and your parents will be able to move on.
Moving your aging parents is a difficult task, both physically and emotionally, but planning the move well in advance makes the process easier for everyone.
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