Like an Orchestra

A transition is like the orchestra!

I am very supportive of clients being active participants in their transition.  It helps them still feel like they are in involved and still have independence.  

In a conversation with a client, I equated her transition to that of an orchestra.  (It's not as much of a stretch as you might think.)

Client is the Composer - with the ideas and input on what she wants to take to her new place and how she wants things to look.

I am the Conductor - making sure all the sections come in at just the right time and play as they should, when they should.  

Without the organization, we will have a cacophonous noise.  

When First Chairs or the Composer make decisions, schedule things without coordinating with the Conductor, it can really throw a wrench in things.

With organization and a thorough game plan, we can have a beautiful symphony!

Tools of the Trade

Since starting A Stress-Less Transition, I've had a toolbox containing all the necessary tools for helping a client pack up and set up.    

The box itself has changed over the past few months as I continue to refine what's in it and how/when I need to access the contents.

As mentioned in previous posts, I have met some amazing people and have treasured each story and life history that has been shared with me. 

I had the opportunity to help a family whose wife/mother passed away and the husband was moving to a retirement community.  Mom was a very talented porcelain artist and many of her pieces hung on the walls of their home or displayed on shelves in rooms.  I commented to the daughter I was in awe of her mother's talent and amazed at the intricate (and tiny) details of her work.  The daughter said, "Pick out something you would like."  (We were going to work together for a few days so I decided I would wait until the end before making a choice.)  

However, as we were emptying a cabinet in the kitchen, I found something that would be perfect!

My eyes lit up and she said I had to have them!  I would be the blingiest Senior Move Manager and something of her mom's would  help bring happiness to others by way of me using it when hanging their pictures, etc.  

So far the hammer has helped two families:

Hanging a dollhouse a client's mom made for her.

Hanging a picture of a client's parents in his new room at a memory care community.

My next cool tool came from a client I was helping with some organizing in preparation for her father to move in.  

During the closet clean-out, we came across some letters she had ordered for a wall with special pictures from her husband's mission travels.  (They were wooden letters with two hangers/holes in the back.)  In order to hang these, we needed to do some math, some measurements and some guesstimates.  

We got the first nail in and she said, "Hold on, I've got the best tool for this!".   She brings a paint stirrer with a screw.  (A paint stirrer??  How in the world is that going to help?)  

Hammer in the nail for the first hole, insert the screw in the other hole, make sure it's level and press the frame against the screw to mark the spot for the second nail.  Put everything aside and hammer in the nail.  Voila!  Perfect every time!

I am honored and excited to incorporate these tools in my efforts to help families!

For more information on how A Stress-Less Transition, LLC can help you or an older adult, please visit our website.

The reality of it all...

One of the best things about being a Senior Move Manager and helping older adults, is the opportunities to meet some amazing people!

One of the things I like least about being a move manager is having to tell older adults and their families that the things their loved ones have collected over the years have decreased in value and the market has become flooded with furniture, china, crystal, silverplate flatware, and collectible figurines.  

Yes, people are buying them, but they are not paying retail or even what the selling price was many moons ago.  You're lucky if you get flea-market prices!  Don't get me wrong, there are things have have retained or gone up in value, but those are few and far between.  (Like the Chinese bowl found at a garage sale that sold for $2.2 million.)

It really stinks having to tell clients that the furniture that looks so lovely in their home (that they paid good money to have reupholstered or refinished) really isn't worth it for someone to come pick up and try to resell.  And with today's fuel prices, the dealer can't make enough on the furniture to cover the fuel. Even the antique dealers are finicky about the things they want....is has to be over 100 years old to even peak their interest!

"But what about the china, crystal and silver plate displayed so nicely in my china hutch?  Certainly someone will want that!"  Unfortunately, not for the price you think they should pay.  

Today's generation doesn't want to hand wash china and crystal or polish silver.  In fact most "we buy gold" places don't want to deal with silver plate items because there isn't enough silver in it when melted down.

Many people invested in collectibles, anticipating they would sell them when they retired and contribute to their nest egg.  "I should be able to get a lot for my Hummels."  Again, someone will buy them but probably only for pennies on the dollar.  People who used to collect them are dying and there aren't too many people around who want them these days.  Here's an article about 9 Completely Worthless Collectibles.  

Every day, 10,000 people turn 65 and are retiring.  Plus, people are living longer.  If they can afford it, many are downsizing to smaller accommodations.  Here's an article that talks about Baby Boomers Downsizing and looking to sell their stuff.

The other reality older adults have to face is the fact that their kids will probably not want their stuff.  It's not their style.  They don't have room in their home. It's too costly to ship.

So, what is one to do when one is looking to get sell their things?  Be realistic! 

Estate liquidation companies can help with selling their things.  But it is the public that determines the selling price.  And they will have to pay (by way of commission) to sell their stuff.  Some people are able to make enough to cover their moving expenses, but for many, there is value in just emptying a house, ec.

Sorry to be Realistic Ruth (or Debbie Downer), but it is the reality of it all. 

For more information on how A Stress-Less Transition, LLC can help you or an older adult, please visit our website.

The greatest gift

Gifts come in all shapes, sizes, colors and for any occasion you can think of!

Recently, I was helping a client prepare for her move into much smaller accommodations.  She was in a two-level town home with as much space downstairs as there was upstairs.  She had many lovely antique furniture pieces, collectibles and art work but also a lot of "stuff" that had accumulated over the years.  

We worked together - me pulling things off shelves, her making decisions about where things would go (move to the new place, give to friends or donate).

As the carport began to fill with boxes of things set aside for donation pick-up, she exclaimed, 

"I hope my kids realize what a gift I'm giving them!"

The gift she was referring to was all the work she had been doing to pare down and find homes for the things she didn't want/weren't going to fit in her new apartment.  The gift she was giving was not something tangible, but rather making decisions about her things and ultimately minimizing the time, angst and responsibility her sons would have with after she passed away (many, many years down the road).

Think about the things you can start doing to make it easier on yourself and your family when the time does come for you to transition out of your home.  What gift will you leave?


For more information on how A Stress-Less Transition, LLC can help you or an older adult, please visit our website.

Feeling like Typhoid Mary

I am honored and humbled by the number of families that have put their trust and confidence in me to help with their loved ones' transition.  

For those whose move I've orchestrated, I follow-up with the families to see how they are doing.  

But, after several calls this week, I gotta tell you, I'm feeling like Typhoid Mary!  

Now, this was back in the 1900s, and the people Mary came in contact with, died!  

I'm pleased to say, I don't cook for my clients and no one has died.  However, 80% of the people I've moved in the past 8 months have had something happen after they've gotten settled in their new place.  For example: a fall (or two), a 5-week stay in the hospital due to flu, a hospital stay with pneumonia, a TIA, just to name a few.

What was the common denominator?  They had all moved into different communities, in different areas of town.  Some were women, some were men and the ages varied.  I guess it must have been me!  Ugh!  

In actuality, these were all "crisis moves" where the dementia or physical condition had progressed to the point where the older adult could not live independently any more.  And while the family may have taken the steps to find their loved one a new living arrangement, it was pretty late in the game.  

Making a later-in-life move is not easy, especially when the older adult is afflicted with dementia and has called the same place home for 30-50 years.  While I do everything in my power to reduce the stress associated with a move, I'm unable to influence the person's mental and physical health.  

Nobody wants to have "the talk" with their loved ones, but trust me it is better to do it sooner rather than later.  If you are one of the 'kids' be sure to pick up the clues your loved ones leave - for example if mom has passed away and Dad says, "I'd like to give the china to my granddaughter", HELP HIM DO IT!  Don't force him to keep things they way they always have been because you're not ready for a change.

I guess I have to accept the facts of life in this industry I've become a part of.  Things are going to happen to the people I help but knowing I've been able to handled the details of a move on behalf of their families and recreate their new space with the furniture and belongings they are familiar with makes me feel good.  

Time to get ready for another move...

For more information on how A Stress-Less Transition, LLC can help you or an older adult, please visit our website.

It's not easy being GREEN...

In the words (or in this case song) of Kermit the Frog,

"It's not easy being green!"

Many Senior Move Managers (and movers) tend to use lots of cardboard boxes, packing paper, bubble-wrap, packing tape and all sorts of other things, some of which are recyclable.  Some move managers pack, others have the moving company do it (and charge the client for supplies).  But boxes, even broken down, take up a lot of space.  And since I work out of my home, I don't have a lot of room to store them.

I have made the conscious decision to be GREEN - not only have the company colors been green from the beginning, but for any local transitions, (where I pack and unpack a client) I will move green!

Using tubs and other storage options eliminates the need for boxes!  Plus, tubs are a little easier to store and transport.  Newsprint (sans ink) is great packing material and can be reused several times before recycling. Bubble wrap can also be reused several times. 

I was thrilled to answer in the affirmative when asked by a green retirement community if I used tubs!  

Many times, the spaces people are moving into are much smaller and they are not taking a tremendous amount of belongings.   And if packed properly, you can fit quite a bit in a tub!  Since tubs have handles, they are easier to pick up and move around.  Plus, once at the destination and unpacking has begun, tubs stack nicely and can be left temporarily in the hallway.  And, there's little to no trash filling the community's dumpster.

It feels great knowing that I'm saving clients money, eliminating time and tape needed to make boxes and ultimately reducing my carbon footprint!  (Plus, when the tubs wear out, they too can be recycled!)

Miss Piggy has nothing to do with this post other than it's a violation of Muppet Code to mention Kermit and not her.  :)  

Using my best Miss Piggy voice, 

"Oh Kermie, it is easy being green!"

What are you doing to go green?

For more information on how A Stress-Less Transition, LLC can help you or an older adult, please visit our website.

It's all in the details

A recent client needed to move rather quickly from his 2500 sq ft home of 50 years into an ALF.  His wife passed away about a year ago after suffering several years with Alzheimer's Disease.  Needless to say, his time as devoted husband and caregiver had taken its toll and his memory was not as sharp as it had been in the past.

I was so fortunate to have been asked to help with his transition to a lovely ALF apartment.  (Believe me, I was ready to sign up the day I visited there!)  It was less than a week from first meeting Mr. B to Move Day.  While getting to know Mr. B (and trying to figure out what furniture, furnishings and belongings to take), I learned he was an avid photographer, computer geek, stereo-turntable-record-spinner, WWII Veteran, father and grandfather.

This is one of the many things about my business that I love and why I am so passionate about helping older adults!  I want to find good homes for their things!  Several people who had been in his house were ready to get rid of all the "crap".  (Yes, there were things that should make their way to the big green bin, but there were many things that someone (or several someones) would buy or a charitable organization that would accept the donations.)

But the first order of business was getting Mr. B ready to move.  My goal was to use existing furniture and only buy new if absolutely needed.  His 60" TV was NOT going to fit in his new apartment, but a relatively new 27" from a bedroom would be perfect on a stand formerly holding the microwave, flanked by similarly colored shelves from two different rooms.

Selecting one of several desks that would hold his computer but fit in his bedroom was another challenge.

Only a few days to get ready, but all the i's were dotted, t's were crossed,  and everything was double-checked. Tubs were packed, the HUNKS arrived, locks changed and off we went!   After a 30 minute drive, furniture unloaded and placed, tubs unpacked, pictures hung and Mr. B's new home was ready for his arrival!

Mr. B was thrilled to see his camera collection on display in the living room along with this Army memorabilia - all of which had been scattered about various rooms and the garage.  Now he will have props to go along with his stories. :o)

It was so rewarding to see him happy in his new space, with familiar belongings and no worries of a big ol' house.

For more information on how A Stress-Less Transition, LLC can help you or an older adult, please visit our website.