Easy retirement

Decluttering and downsizing in later life

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31st Jan GeneralHealth

Anyone who has ever moved home knows that sorting, packing, and unpacking can be a time consuming and strenuous activity. In later life there are even more challenges, both emotional and practical, that can sometimes feel overwhelming.

With Adlington Retirement Living, help is at hand. Alexandra Johnson, Sales and Marketing Director, explains: “Our team do everything they can to make each move as stress-free and positive as possible, from offering part-exchanges to providing a consultation with a Senior Move Manager. Our specialist partner, The Senior Move Partnership, offers services to take the stress, hard work and worry out of moving.”

Senior Move Manager Michelle Park and her colleagues work at each individual’s own pace and tackle the issues that are most important to them, creating a bespoke plan of support based on individual needs. Michelle said: “The most important part of our job is getting to know each Homeowner, building a rapport with them and finding out how they would like us to help them.

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“Often they have lived in their home for a very long time and have raised their family there. Every room is full of special memories and certain possessions are precious for a variety of reasons. It’s an emotional time so we always work at each client’s own pace, ensuring they are in complete control and comfortable with the decisions that they are making.

Michelle and her team offer a range of services depending on each client’s needs.

“Some clients are happy to sort through their belongings themselves and might just want my help organising where it’s all going to. Others might want help sorting through everything – from the contents of their wardrobes and drawers to their kitchens, lofts, sheds and garages. We take one room at a time and sit together so they can decide what they want to do with each item and then we make it happen.

“We create a detailed furniture floorplan to help Homeowners visualise the layout of their new apartment and to see whether particular items of furniture will fit. Some of our clients ask us to help them with online shopping or ask us to tag along with them when they visit certain shops to help with measurements and arrange furniture deliveries.

“Sometimes a client might ask us to arrange for treasured possessions to be passed to family members. I recently packed and transported some pieces to clients’ family members in the USA, Canada and Spain. Other items might no longer be required and we will arrange for them to be sent to auction, sold, donated or recycled. By the end of the process, ideally each room will only contain furniture or possessions that are going to be moved to the new home.”

When it comes to moving in, the team at Adlington Retirement Living provide eight hours of support from a handyman for every new Homeowner. Alexandra Johnson said: “It’s an extra helping hand from us that makes a big difference to our Homeowners. The support from the handyman is ideal for having your curtains, blinds and artwork installed, any new furniture assembled and shelves or bookcases fitted.

“Working together with Michelle and her team, we can provide as much or as little help moving in as each Homeowner would like – from arranging furniture as per the floor plan to unpacking everything.”

Michelle adds: “For some new Homeowners, we unpack all their kitchen staples and pots and pans into their new kitchen, set up the TV, arrange books and ornaments, and even make the bed. It’s a really lovely feeling when our Homeowners arrive and their new apartment is ready to move into and they can start to enjoy their life at Adlington straight away.”

Whatever your needs, Adlington Retirement Living can assist. From arranging bespoke support from Michelle and her colleagues at The Senior Move Partnership to providing you with a personal clerk to handle your paperwork and a luxury welcome pack to help you get settled in on arrival. The whole moving process can be taken care of, leaving you to look forward to settling into your new home.

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