Downsizing tips for moving into aged care

Downsizing to move into an aged care home can be an overwhelming experience, both emotionally and physically. It’s especially difficult if you’ve lived in your home for a long time and now need to sort through your belongings to decide what to throw away and what to take with you. 

The scale of the downsize will depend on the size of the room you’re moving into. At HillView our rooms range from single, to the couples deluxe suite, and are designed to allow enough space for you to bring along your most treasured possessions. 

We understand the stress you may be experiencing, so we’ve gathered our top 6 downsizing tips in the hope of making the transition into your new home a little easier.  

Always have a plan

There’s no denying it, moving house is stressful, there’s so much to do. Looking at the move in its entirety can be totally overwhelming, that’s why we recommend breaking it down into individual tasks. 

Write a list of what you need to do, and when, prioritising the most important tasks first. Breaking the move into smaller chunks can help avoid overwhelm and make everything seem a bit more achievable. 

Start early

It’s never too early to start packing and decluttering. Once you make the decision to move you can start going through your belongings and sort out the things you want to keep from the things you’re happy to part ways with. Starting early will give you a headstart on packing and give you time to decide what’s important and what can be thrown away. 

If you’ve already chosen an aged care home and know the measurements of the room, having time up your sleeve allows you to sell/give away any furniture that won’t fit in your new home and purchase more suitable alternatives. 

At HillView Care we have special ‘display rooms’ to help you with room layout so you can start planning right away. 

Be willing to say goodbye

When you’re downsizing it’s important to remember that you will need to say goodbye to some of your possessions if you’re moving into a smaller space. While this is difficult, it’s easier if you consider the following points: 

Functionality – How useful is the item? When was the last time you used it? Is the item something you use on a regular basis? If you haven’t used the item in over a year there’s a good chance you won’t miss it if you don’t bring it to your new home. 

Sentimental items – Does this item have special meaning? Will it make your new home feel more like ‘home’? When an item holds sentimental value it’s important to hold onto it or if you don’t have the space pass it on to a close friend or family member. These are feelgood items that make you smile or remember that special someone and you may regret letting them go. 

Multiple items – Do you have more than one of these items? Over the years it’s common to accumulate a few of the same item, especially in the kitchen. Whether it’s two potato peelers, or vacuum cleaners, downsizing is your opportunity to let them go and create space for other items. 

Marie Kondo the world renowned organising consultant says the key is “knowing exactly what space you have to work with. If the item sparks joy, but won’t fit in to your new living room, you’ll have to let it go with gratitude”. 

Sort by category

When you’re sorting through your things, try to separate your belongings into four distinct categories:

• keep
• sell 
• donate 
• throw away

These categories will make it easier for you to go through all your smaller items and decide what to keep and what to throw away. You might come across some things you don’t want,
but are still in great condition. These items can be sold or donated to a charity shop.

Selling unwanted items

Selling unwanted items is a great way to downsize and make a little extra money at the same time. There are many ways to sell your household and personal items including:

• garage sale
• Facebook Marketplace
• Gumtree
• 2nd hand shops
• community noticeboards

Digitalise where you can

Another downsizing tip is to digitalise everything that you can. Boxes of video cassettes, CDs, DVDs and photos can take up valuable space, transferring them to the cloud or a hard drive can make room for other items. 

Keep your important documents safe

You never know when you’ll need important documents like passports, birth certificates, house deeds etc, so we recommend keeping them together and in a handy, safe place. This also includes your medications or prescriptions, something you don’t want to be digging through boxes to find when you’re in the middle of a move. 

Downsizing and moving into an aged care home may seem like a mammoth task, however if you follow these tips you can help make the transition a little less overwhelming. Remember, it takes time and once you move in you’ve got plenty of time to make the space feel like home. 

If you’d like to take a look at the rooms at HillView Merrimac or Ashmore, we’d love for you to visit! Book a tour online, or call us on 07 5559 3222.