There comes a time when you stop looking for townhouses for sale in Dubai and instead, look to downsizing options. For seniors, making a decision as to when (or even if) it will be the right time to downsize into a smaller, more senior-friendly home is never an easy one. For most, issues of emotional attachment make the deliberations far more difficult than they should be. The reality, however, is that most people will eventually see a day when their own day-to-day needs dictate that they make some kind of move to maintain a high quality of life.
The problem is that the people that wait until the decision is forced upon them than face the prospect of downsizing when they're not in any condition to do it. For that reason, it's a good idea for all seniors, whether they have plans to downsize or not, to take these five essential steps to prepare for a move in advance. That way, if the day comes that a move is in order, everything will be well prepared for it. Here's what to do.
Plan for a Slow, Deliberate Process
One of the best things about preparing for a move when you don't have a move-out date is that it affords you the luxury of taking your time. That means you can set aside months to complete the process, and plan to do it in small, manageable increments. The best way to do it is to dedicate a week (or more) to each room and use a timer to break up the work into fifteen-minute segments. That should provide ample time to look at all of the room's contents and choose which items are worth holding onto.
Take Photos of Each Room
Once you've planned a schedule to address each room in the home, take photos in each room from multiple angles. This will not only give you mementos to take with you to remember your home but will also serve as a roadmap to the contents of the room. Start your work in each room by examining its' photos and figuring out which of the belongings in it stand out. The goal is to immediately eliminate the items you haven't used or looked at in a reasonable amount of time. Broadly speaking, if you didn't remember that you had something, you probably don't need it and it can go. Of course, if you're planning to donate items from your home to a charity, make sure they're in good condition and contact your organization of choice to make sure they have a need for what you have to give. Right now, Australian donation centres are overwhelmed with items, so you may need to consider other options.
Make an Effort to Deduplicate
The next step is to focus on getting rid of items that you have more than one of. You'll be surprised at how many duplicates of items you've acquired over the years without even realizing it. For this task, plan to spend some extra time in your dining rooms and kitchens, which are usually the main offenders for duplicate items. For example, if you have silverware and place settings for more guests than you'll ever have in your home again, consider letting them go. The same goes for cookware and bakeware that you haven't used in a while. In fact, most people find that there's no end to the things they can get rid of in their kitchens, and if the time comes to make a move, you'll be glad you did.
Consider Giving to Family
Although it isn't pleasant to think about, someday all of our belongings will end up in the hands of our families when we pass on. For that reason, many seniors try to decide on who will inherit items of value or sentimental attachment in advance. To aid your preparations to downsize, it's a good idea to go a step further by giving those items now to the family members you intend to inherit them. Doing so serves two purposes: it reduces the things you'll have to move if the time comes and lets you experience the pleasure of gift-giving to those you love. It's a true win-win decision for everyone involved.
Get a Price Quote to Judge Your Efforts
Once you've gone through all of the rooms in your home and have gotten rid of the things you no longer need or want, you should be in a much better position to move if it becomes necessary. To find out if you're really ready, though, be sure to contact professional removalists and have them give you a ballpark estimate of what the costs will be to move what's left. If the estimate is high, go back through the process one more time with a more critical and discerning eye.
It's common for people to err on the side of caution the first time around, which means you've probably kept more things than you really needed to. Keep making efforts to reduce your footprint in your current home to a level that makes sense, and you won't have to worry about it later. Also, the whole process might help make the decision to downsize an easier one to make. If not, the worst that will happen is that you'll end up with a neater, clutter-free home – and that's a worthwhile goal in itself.
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