Moving to St. Augustine 55+ Community
As a Baby Boomer, you may be thinking of moving to a St. Augustine 55+ Community where you can enjoy the amazing Florida climate, beautiful beaches, manicured golf courses, waterways for boating & fishing, social clubs, miles of paved walking paths, heated pools, cooking classes…. the list goes on and on. You may be able to tell that I highly recommend the St. Augustine Active Adult Communities which have been very well designed to meet the needs of the residents. And I would love to be the REALTOR® that helps you find the perfect spot, but this blog isn’t about the specific communities available, but instead about preparing for that move. If you are like most Baby Boomers, you have accumulated a wealth of “treasures” in your current home otherwise known as “stuff”. And it will be a much easier move for you if you tackle the “treasures” before the move rather than moving it all and then sorting through it.
In my dealings with helping my customers move into their beautiful new home in an Active Adult Community in St. Augustine, I have learned quite a bit about getting rid of possessions they no longer need. Those customers that have tackled the “treasures” before the move are much happier as they unbox and decorate their new home. I have put together a couple of tips for you as you begin the process of downsizing the “treasures”… “stuff”… “clutter.”
Tip #1
Don’t do it all in a day, week or even month
If you are just beginning to think about moving from your current home to a new home in an Active Adult Community in St. Augustine, then your timing is perfect! Start now! Choose a starting point in your home – maybe a shelf in your closet or a cabinet in your kitchen. Take EVERYTHING out of the one small space you choose and sort it according to the sorting instructions in Tip #2. Once sorted, only put the keep items back into the space. Please, please, please do not try and complete an entire room in a day as you will more likely than not get overwhelmed and quit after the first day. Especially if the space contains items that you will want to take the time to look through. This can be an enjoyable task if you are not driven to get it all done ASAP. The next day or even the next week, you can choose another small space in your home to empty, sort, and put away.
Tip #2
Organize the treasures into 3 categories
Homeowners preparing to move find it most helpful to create 3 categories to sort their treasures into: things to keep, things to donate or sell, and things to gift to others. The things to keep are those items you actually use or want to keep for sentimental purposes. Just remember, this pile should not include EVERYTHING you just took out of the cabinet or off the shelves. Try and keep this pile small and you will be much happier come move-in day. Things to donate or sell would include the things you no longer need or want but are in good shape. It is up to you whether you want to try and sell the items or simply donate them to your favorite charity or thrift store. If you find things you no longer want but they are not in good shape or are broken or missing parts, these need to be thrown out rather than donated. And lastly, things to gift to others which include any items you are keeping to give to someone specific. These are things you may have included in your will to go to certain family members, organizations, or friends. Go ahead and make their day by gifting them now - not only will it make them happy, but you get the joy of seeing them receive the gift.
Making the move from the family home to an Active Adult Community in St. Augustine is an exciting move! Make it even better by NOT dragging along your first set of golf clubs or all 50 of junior’s pee-wee football trophies. Take your time and enjoy the process (well as much as possible anyway) and make sure you have a St. Augustine REALTOR® experienced in the fantastic 55+ Communities in our area. As a Seniors Real Estate Specialist®, I have been designated as having the necessary knowledge and skills needed to address the rights of home buyers and sellers age 50+. I would love to be the one to help you make the move successfully! Please visit my website to learn more about the real estate services I provide.
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