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Your Downsizing Efforts No Longer Have to Take a Backseat Because of COVID-19
True, COVID-19 hit pause on life for most of us. However, with restrictions easing, it’s time to move forward with significant decisions, especially when your quality of life is involved.
For many seniors, downsizing is one transition that certainly doesn’t need to be put off, and when approached properly, the benefits are often crucial to be healthy and happy in your golden years. All Seniors Care Living Centres notes that it’s more than prudent to take this as an opportunity to start making preparations for a change. Check out these suggestions from Meghan Carroll Jersey Shore Real Estate.
Explore senior housing options.
At present, it’s safe to say there’s a senior housing option for just about every senior lifestyle imaginable. Your choice will ultimately depend on the amount of care and assistance you need on a daily basis, as well as other preferences apropos to your lifestyle, budget, location, and more.
No doubt, the most popular—not to mention, most compelling—options are assisted living facilities and independent living communities. There are, in fact, distinctive differences between the two. On the one hand, assisted living provides assistance in daily activities like managing medications, bathing, dressing, and the like, while still offering a measure of independence and privacy. On the other hand, independent living communities provide housing, special services, and common spaces and amenities with very limited assistance. It’s truly important, therefore, to tell one from the other, as well as take stock of your needs and wants to ensure that you choose the best fit for your lifestyle.
Of course, the pandemic raised questions about the safety of senior housing options. The fact is, most facilities implement strict measures to prevent a spread of illness, which is more than can be said of most households. So as long as you choose a facility or community that has solid health and safety measures in place, you should be in good hands.
Obviously, your housing options don’t end there. You can, in fact, also opt for a smaller, more accessible and more manageable home. This will entail connecting with an expert real estate agent and determining what you can afford in your preferred area, so make sure to start by researching the average cost of the kind and size of homes you have in mind.
Pack up your old home.
With a new home to look forward to in the foreseeable future, you now have to survey your current home and decide how it can support your downsizing goals. According to MortgageLoan.com, in many cases seniors choose to sell their homes and use the proceeds to fund their post-retirement living, care, and medical expenses, so this is definitely worth considering.
From there, your decluttering efforts will undoubtedly start in earnest as you decide what to do with a lifetime of accumulated stuff. As a rule, only pack up what will serve you in your new life, as well as whatever is too valuable to part with. Everything else can be sold, given away, donated, recycled, or even thrown out. Remember that you likely won’t have as much space in your new home as you do in your old one, so this is definitely a crucial step to take.
Make the big move.
Finally, it’s never too early to plan for the big move. Take the time to find a quality moving service and get multiple quotes so you have a better idea of the services they offer. Most importantly, you can determine the cost of moving in advance, which varies based on the distance of your move, the weight of your cargo, and whether you’re open to sharing truck space with other people’s belongings. With this in mind, you’re able to set a moving-day budget.
Once you’re in your new home, one of the first things — if not the very first thing — to do is change out the locks. This is a job best left to a local highly-rated professional locksmith, which can be sourced using an online service directory like Angi. When choosing a locksmith, make sure they’re insured and licensed and they warranty their work. Also check to make sure they’re specialized in residential work, as some only handle businesses or car lockouts. Expect to pay between $50 and $150 for a residential locksmith to rekey a door.
Indeed, life goes on, and so does your need to downsize and potentially elevate your quality of life. Preparation is king, and will ultimately help you transition easily into your future.
