Did you know that clutter has a detrimental effect on your mental well-being? It can slow down your productivity and heighten stress levels. It may even cause symptoms of depression or anxiety.
When it comes time to transition to assisted living, decluttering can give you concrete improvements in your life.
If you're uncertain how to declutter without feeling overwhelmed, we're here to help you. Keep reading to learn all about our senior move tips and how to keep stress at a minimum!
What are the goals you want to accomplish during your downsizing? What are the size and storage limits of your new senior apartments?
These are questions you'll want to keep in mind as you prepare to declutter. They'll help guide you to good decisions and keep you on track.
Some common goals you can use as inspiration include:
Make sure to balance realistic expectations and your daily needs with the limitations of your new apartment. Write down your goals so you can remind yourself of what you want to accomplish.
Decluttering takes time, energy, and effort. You don't want to set yourself a goal that'll push past your abilities and cause unnecessary strain and stress.
One of the best elderly decluttering strategies is to make a timeline that you stick to during the process.
For example, you could say you want to organize at least one room every other day until it's time to move. Or maybe you'll dedicate spending an hour a day to decluttering until you're done.
Whichever timeline you give yourself, make certain it doesn't force you to overwork yourself.
Trying to go through your home in its entirety is a good way to start feeling overwhelmed. Instead, try to organize each room individually.
This helps minimize stress and can make the entire process easier.
As you go through the rooms in your home, make different categories to help you keep things organized. Gathering everything into different piles gives you an easy-to-see method that shows when you might have too many things in the keep pile compared to the others.
Effective categories for simplifying senior living include:
For your donate pile, don't be afraid to offer those items at your next senior event. You never know when someone will jump at the chance to take home your old items.
Deciding to keep or throw away an item can be tricky. The idea of throwing away anything is a struggle for many people since they like to hang onto things 'just in case'.
A simple method to help you recognize whether an item is worth keeping or not is to imagine it was caked in smelly mud. Is the item worth the time and effort of cleaning or would you rather throw it away?
If you think the item is worth the effort, then it's probably an item you'll miss if you throw it out.
Going through the 'maybe' pile in this way can help you eliminate any item that doesn't add any value to your overall life. Keep going through your belongings in this manner until you've downsized enough to suit your new apartment.
Of all the belongings you'll categorize, nothing will be quite as difficult as sentimental items. The emotional attachment to certain mementos can make it feel impossible to donate or throw away.
Sometimes it doesn't matter that we haven't seen that item in years or that we can't actively use it for anything. We simply can't bear to throw it away, even though it's cluttering up our home.
Have you thought of digitizing your sentimental belongings?
Taking a photograph of an item, such as a beloved figurine, can keep those memories strong without taking up needed space in your apartment. This tactic works well for people who love to collect things or have gathered a lot of decorations over the years.
To keep your mementos as part of your home, a digital picture frame that cycles through a variety of photographs can be the perfect solution. You'll keep that sentimental connection strong without sacrificing valuable storage areas.
Organizing for assisted living can be draining. Moving is one of the most stressful events in a person's life, so you must give yourself plenty of time for breaks and relaxation.
Otherwise, the overwhelming stress can lead to a feeling of resentment that could make you dislike your assisted living apartment before you even arrive.
Add plenty of break periods within your organization plan. You'll keep the excitement of your assisted living transition going strong.
Even with all of the right precautions, downsizing for seniors can be a difficult process. You may not have the energy or ability to do all of the necessary organization in time for your move.
It's okay to ask for help with decluttering.
If you don't need any physical help with your project, sometimes it can be a relief to ask loved ones to hold on to sentimental items for you. This gives you the chance to still interact with the memento without it taking up room in your apartment.
To ensure a smooth move into a new senior community, decluttering is a must. It'll give you a clean slate for your next adventure in San Ramon without too many unnecessary items slowing you down.
The Watermark at San Ramon is led by an Executive Director with over 10 years of senior care experience. With his guidance, we can offer residents individual care plans that meet their needs without taking over their independence.
Contact us today to schedule a tour and learn more about our buzzing San Ramon, CA, senior community!