Transitioning your parent into a care facility is not an easy task, especially if your parent leaves behind a home full of a lifetime of personal possessions. Depending on the health of your parents, the majority of the work may be left to you. Breaking up the work into smaller chunks and following a few tips will help you finish the job without feeling overwhelmed.
Let Go of Unnecessary Possessions
If your parent has been dealing with health issues, they’ve probably been unable to get rid of unwanted items recently. Try to go through some things together before the move to the facility. Items that are still in working condition, such as small appliances, can go to a thrift store. You can also host a garage sale to earn some extra cash. Broken items should be collected and thrown out with the trash.
Move Treasured Items to the Facility
Although your parent may have limited space at the new home, they can still bring along some mementos and other personal items. Photographs and trinkets will help make the facility feel like a comfortable home. If the room at the facility has extra space for small furniture, you can move in a favorite chair or cabinet.
Involve Your Family
Before you sell or toss large items, such as furniture, ask your family if someone can use the it. For example, if you have a niece or nephew moving to college soon, ask them if they could use any extra pieces of furniture in their dorm. This is a great way to keep items in the family without stuffing your home. Your relatives may also be willing to store important family possessions, such as scrapbooks.
Get a Storage Unit
Even after spending hours removing and rearranging the items in your childhood home, you may still have more stuff than you can comfortably store at your own home. A storage unit in Oxnard CA, like the ones at Epic Group Inc offer a safe place to store items that may come in handy later. Organize and label the contents of the storage facility so you can get favorite items for your parent with ease and remember where everything went to later on.
Leaving home to move to a care facility is a stressful experience for an elderly parent. If your parent is facing an upcoming move, make the change smoother by handling the belongings at your childhood home yourself. Taking care of extra possessions quickly will relieve a burden from you and your parents.
