October 22, 2008
At last count, we estimated there are 40 organizations we need to notify of a move. One of our tasks as Seniors Move Organizers is to help make sure you tell all these organizations about your move.
The first organization is Canada Post, who makes the process easy. You can either complete a form online, or submit a paper form at the post office. The current fee for this service is $37 for 6 months of mail redirection, and $66 for 12 months. After the specified period your mail will no longer be forwarded. So it is wise to tell each organization directly of your new address.
Begin with a list of all the types of organizations from whom you regularly receive mail, e.g., utility companies, financial institutions, government entities, medical help, magazines, charities, et al. Many of these will have a process to change your address right on the bills they send you. Complete the information required and send the change notice in before you move, as it may take a few weeks for them to update your address in their systems.
Check your wallet, also. Did you tell the gym? The library? How about your favourite place to rent videos?
And, tell your friends and family. Consider using the address change notification cards available from Canada Post. It’s an easy way to tell all the important people in your life about the important change in your life.
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October 16, 2008
It was a glorious weekend and I hope that you had the chance to enjoy the outdoors, and a fine Thanksgiving dinner. This year I cooked the turkey. It has been a while since I did that, so I had to diligently follow the recipe, including “loosely stuff the turkey.”
On Tuesday we worked at a recently deceased client’s apartment. It has to be completely cleaned out quickly. It is only a one bedroom apartment, so I didn’t think that it would take us too long. . It took longer than expected.
Why?
Then it hit me. Because some of us have a tendency to jam every cupboard, drawer, cubbyhole and flat surface with “stuff”. We don’t follow the recipe.
If it’s bad to overstuff turkeys, is it also bad to overstuff closets? I think so. Once the space is overcrowded people just don’t go into it. If they use anything, it is just the items on the very top.
So here is my thought. We feel the need to stuff closets and drawers because if we don’t it is wasted space. But if we do tightly fill them, it is wasted stuff. Stuff that other less fortunate people could really use.
So which is worse? Wasted space or wasted stuff?
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October 8, 2008
These are how many hits we got when we searched on “seniors” in Google. Obviously, for any search to be useful we’d need to narrow it down by using more relevant search terms, e.g., Seniors Move Organizer.
We use search engines when we’re looking for help. If we are looking for help on a complex problem or situation, it will probably take many different searches to find all the help that’s required.
As Seniors Move Organizers we’ve spent time learning and documenting the steps we need to take to help move our clients in the most effective and efficient way possible. And we’ve put together a list of outstanding preferred suppliers and services. We’ve learned that we can rely on these companies and the people in them to provide the best help possible for our clients.
We’ve done all that “googling” for you.
If you’re concerned about how much work it will take to put a move together, consider hiring a Seniors Move Organizer to source the help you need, and to manage all the steps involved. We can begin working with you before you’ve even confirmed that you want to move! We will help declutter your home, sorting the items you’d like to keep from those that can be donated or discarded. If you’ve decided on a move, we will get you organized, packed and moved to your new home.
Calling a Seniors Move Organizer to help may be the only “hit” you need.
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October 1, 2008
A friend recently told me that she is going to move from her townhouse into a Retirement Residence. Why? Because she has come to the conclusion there are too many things she still wants to do in her life that she’s not getting to because of the time it takes to care for her home.
She wants to trade off taking care of her property for taking care of herself.
She’s going to take time to do what she wants to do in life versus what needs to be done.
She remembered that her mother-in-law had been talked out of just such a move and had ended up living her life alone instead of in an active environment around other people with similar interests. And my friend promised herself it wouldn’t happen to her.
Moving to a Retirement Residence is probably one of the hardest decisions you’ll make. Too often it’s perceived as an “end of life” decision and is often accompanied by the phrase “I’m not ready”. And yet, it can be one of the most beneficial things to do for yourself because you are putting your needs first. You are making room for new experiences and relieving yourself of many mundane tasks and stresses of everyday life. This is not “end of life”, this is finding the best life you can have.
Staying too long in a home you’ve outgrown, where the things you once enjoyed have now become a chore, is not something you want to have happen. Make your decision and move now, so that you have enough time to enjoy your new place, and your new community. You deserve it.
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September 24, 2008
A client recently engaged me to help her “declutter“. My reaction was “declutter what?” Her home was immaculate – everything in its place and nothing seemingly jammed into where it shouldn’t be – so what needed to be done?
Two days, 29 boxes and 5 bags later we are finished – and Doreen is delighted. Not only has she reclaimed cupboard space in her kitchen, but she can now reach everything she regularly uses. Her linen closet is organized and she can easily see what toiletry supplies she owns. Items on closet shelves are now nicely spaced instead of jammed together allowing her to easily retrieve anything she wants to use.
What was removed? Spices long since expired; utensils, dishes and cooking appliances no longer used; pieces of paper, e.g., receipts, bills, and magazines, no longer relevant; books long since read; linens, toiletries and Christmas items no longer wanted. In general, we removed all the “stuff” that has accumulated over time because we rarely take the time to go through and discard it.
Where did the items go? Most went to very grateful charities that desperately needed what Doreen no longer required, while the rest went to recycling and garbage.
What did we learn? You don’t have to be moving to declutter. Take the time to declutter on a regular basis so that you can enjoy space you forgot you had, and the task won’t seem nearly as daunting.
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