July 9, 2008
Be on high alert for expiration dates. If you were raised like I was you probably still get a bit twitchy when thinking about throwing things out. It seemed like my parents didn’t believe in throwing anything out. And I see the same trait in many of the seniors I work with. But for health and safety reasons, there are some items that just have to go.
And, as most moves begin with discarding of unwanted items, purging items with past due expiry dates is a good first step. Ironically, everyday items we have are often those we often keep for too long.
First and foremost are prescription medications. Most medical professionals agree that at the very least the effectiveness of the drugs is questionable after the expiration date. In addition, most people don’t store their medications in optimal conditions, so keeping them too long can have a more severe impact. Remember too, you should dispose of expired drugs at your pharmacy.
Most vitamins also have expiration dates on them that are often around two years after the date of purchase, which should be plenty of time to use them. The same issues will affect these pills, although some experts suggest definitely tossing them within a year of the expiration date.
Once the medicine cupboard has been purged, move on to the kitchen and pantry. “Fresh” food such as milk, eggs, fruit and vegetables begin to show, and smell old within a few days, and should be disposed of promptly. Dealing with packaged goods, processed foods, and canned food requires a bit more thought.
If our client is moving to a Retirement Residence, we like to donate these grocery items to our local Food Bank. As a rule-of-thumb: would I purchase this item in a grocery store with the same expiry date? If I can say “yes”, then it goes to the food bank., if not then it goes to trash.
Finally, check the freezer. Frost build-up and freezer burn are definite signs that it could be unhealthy to consume the frozen product. Guidelines for keeping frozen food are readily available on the internet, and if the item does not have a “date frozen”, err on the side of caution.
After you’ve tackled these items, it may be easier to go to the next cupboard and toss that hardened shoe polish (when did I have red shoes?), year old mascara, and dried up nail polish.
Cleaning out your cupboards of items past their due dates on a regular basis will quickly give you more shelf space. And, it’ll make it that much easier to pack up when you move.
I’ve just checked my medicine cabinet and I spotted two containers of 2005 vintage pills to drop at the pharmacy. It feels less cluttered already!
0 Comments
July 3, 2008
We’re cheering you on … go for it! Do you think a move is in your future? We do. As a matter of fact, for most people at any time in their life, a move is in their future.
And for many older adults, a downsize move is coming up. You may be moving because your children have left home – finally! – and you no longer need all that space. Or, you may find that looking after a large home is physically, or financially stressful.
One way to prepare for a move, especially when downsizing, is to “get rid of it.” Now is the right time to get rid of the hundreds of plastic bags you’ve been storing, or the collection of toothpick holders, or the file folders of your work documents you’ve saved from your first real job 40 years ago.
There are five things you can do with your stuff: do nothing; sell it; give it to friends or family; donate it to a charity; or, dispose of it.
If you know that moving is in your future, do you really want to move everything? If you’re moving to a smaller home, you simply may not have the space. It seems, “do nothing” is not an option.
Selling “it” can be a viable, and financially rewarding, alternative. However, you need to be realistic. A majority of your items will sell for considerably less than you paid for them. Furniture, clothes, and electronics that were the height of fashion or technical achievement will not bring a lot of money. Very few of our personal possessions would be shown on “Antiques Roadshow”.
Items can be sold through newspaper classified advertisements, auctions, content sales, on-line, or through word-of-mouth. Just remember that some methods of selling may actually cost you more in time and effort than you’ll realize in the sale.
You can divest yourself of some your possessions by giving them to friends or family. You may have decided to give your favourite collectibles away, and put this desire in your will. Why not give the intended recipient this collection now, while you’re still able to see and share in their pleasure in receiving it.
Donating to a favourite charity can ensure your possessions will be put to good use. Some charities are interested in only certain items, and some will even pick up from your home. Contact them to find out what they need, and for information on how to move your donated item to them.
The final destination for some of your possessions may be the recycler, or to trash. Check with the bylaws in your area of how to dispose of items; you may need to hire a trash removal company to help with disposal.
Whatever method of “getting rid of it” works for you, do it now. And when it comes time to move, you’ll have that much less work to do. Hurrah!
0 Comments
June 25, 2008
A quick search on the web shows that on average we move once every five years, with young adults moving more frequently than older adults.
Younger adults tend to do it all themselves. A combination of an abundance of physical energy, lack of financial resources, and the yen for something new drives their do-it-yourself move. The older we get the more we look for outside sources to help with a move.
One important element of all moves regardless of one’s age is who is making the decisions. We’re deciding where we’re moving, what we’re taking, and when to move. But the older we get, the more difficult it can be from both a physical and emotional perspective to organize all the details and actually carry out the move – to make all the required decisions.
What happens when the person moving is an elderly relative? They may not be able to make a move without assistance, and you may not be in a position to help them because you are working or living in another location. And the move may need to be done quickly if they are in need of daily assistance to ensure a good quality of life.
As a Seniors Move Organizer we work with the senior, or the adult children of a senior. We work on each step of the move, from deciding what to take, through packing, and setting up the new home. We will deal with the movers, facility managers, and utility companies. We’ll do the packing; we’ll make suggestions on the disposition of items not wanted or required in the new home. We will make it all happen.
As the adult child you can be assured that your parent is well looked after. Your parent will have someone working on his or her behalf each step of the way, and won’t be overwhelmed by the myriad details generated in a move. If you’re the senior we’re assisting, you’ll be spared the stress of the move, and be able to enjoy your new surroundings before you know it.
0 Comments
June 9, 2008
Greetings! This week we moved from the look and content of our old website to this new look and feel. We were a little apprehensive about the move because we knew it would take time, money, and be a bit stressful. Of course we’d have to learn new ways of doing things. But we wanted to make new friends, and be easily available to more people and bring better and more timely information to you regularly.
Read More
0 Comments
subscribe to our RSS feed
