The decision to move to a senior living community is rarely taken lightly. Even if you’ve had the urge to downsize for a while, you probably could use a little encouragement to get the process going. And that begins with focusing on what you think you’re giving up while overlooking everything you’ll gain, like no more wasted space, and a few things you’ll lose, like unnecessary costs and maintenance.
If you’re still living in the house you raised your family in, there are probably a few rooms that rarely get used, yet still, increase your utility costs and property taxes. Plus, fewer rooms equal less cleaning. Less cleaning equals less bending over, less pushing a vacuum around, and more time for your favorite activities and hobbies.
A larger house also drains your money with maintenance costs. As a long-time homeowner, you know there’s always something that needs to be repaired, replaced, or remodeled around the house. And those expenses aren’t going to go down as the years go by.
But how do you make the transition from your existing home to a senior living community with minimum fuss? First, remember that moving needn’t be an all-at-once affair. Give yourself some grace as you go about the task of packing up. It also helps to have a goal in mind—specifically, knowing where you’re going to move. When you’ve selected a senior living community, like The Arbordale, the stress of that decision evaporates, and the anticipation of new adventures begins.
It’s also good to create a plan with concrete milestones. For example, set decluttering goals of so many rooms per month. Realistically, a 6-or 9-month plan will give you adequate time to achieve your end goal without overloading you, your spouse, or the rest of your family with undue pressure.
Remember, whether you call it downsizing, right-sizing, minimizing, or simply moving on, the end goal is to increase your quality of life. So, if you’re considering the joys of the maintenance-free, worry-free, fun- and friend-filled lifestyle that a senior living community can offer, we’d be honored and happy to have you at The Arbordale. Call 515-727-5927 to schedule a tour today!
