Life Stages Senior Move Managers & Senior Move Facilitators

The old adage "A place for everything and everything in it's place" has never meant more than when you downsize. Moving from a spacious home into a smaller residence or apartment requires a careful evaluation of how each room functions in order to get the most out of every square foot. Multiple-function rooms become a necessity, but that doesn't mean that you have to sacrifice style or comfort. A well-coordinated interior can accommodate many different functions and still be charmingly beautiful.

Consider Scale

Don't underestimate the importance of scale when selecting the furniture to take to your new home. Over the past couple of decades, single-family homes and room sizes have grown increasingly large. This has prompted massive, over-scaled furnishings. This style trend can make your downsized home appear ridiculously overcrowded. Smaller rooms require proportionate furniture. Consider the following ideas:

Settees rather than full sized sofas - generally no more than two sit on a sofa at the same time anyway. Better yet, individual upholstered chairs offer more flexibility.

Upholstered seating with exposed legs & arms rather than full upholstery - visually takes up less space.
Twin or full size beds - especially if you sleep singly. Also, iron headboards & footboards add a nostalgic charm without the visual mass of a solid headboard.
Eliminate cocktail tables. They are often difficult to maneuver around and consume a great deal of floor space. Instead use decorative chairside accent tables than can be easily moved.
Select a small scale drop-leaf dining table. When not being used, it folds down and creates additional circulation room.

Utilize Vertical Space

Even very small rooms can provide a lot of storage if you take advantage of the vertical space. Tall chests or armoires enable you to store as much as a full sized dresser without occupying nearly as much floor space.

If you have many books, always opt for a tall bookcase rather than a shorter one. It will take up the same amount of floor space, but double your storage capacity.

Color Choice Matters

The color of the walls and ceilings in your home can have a big impact on how you perceive the space. Light colored paint always makes the room appear larger. In addition, light walls and ceilings provide better light reflectance, enabling older people to see more clearly.

Personalize It!

Even a very small studio apartment can feel like home if you personalize it with the things you love. Instill a sense of who you are in your home. Use tabletops, countertops, walls and don't forget that empty space above cabinets. Don't over-do it until it looks cluttered. Be discerning and select only those things that make you feel good or bring back fond memories. Since space is limited, it's even more important to make the most of it.

Be creative in the way you display your accessories. Create interesting groupings by combining wall mounted decor with mantle or tabletop accessories. You'll find it's far more interesting than a single framed art piece, and gives you the chance to incorporate a variety of your collected pieces.

Be sure that the display has visual balance. The general rule is to place the tallest item in the grouping on the left side. Usually an uneven number of items creates better balance than an even number. Yes, I know this example shows tens items. It's only a guideline. Trust your own instincts. If it feels right to you, ignore the rules!

Don't Leave Your Memories Behind!

Surround yourself with memories that remind you how full and meaningful your life has been. Celebrate your accomplishments! Enjoy the richness of your life! Although your space may be limited, it's important to be able to look around and see the culmination of all your years of living.

Many seniors have boxes and boxes of old family photographs. Downsizing might prevent you from taking all of these boxes with you, but it doesn't have to mean that you must throw out your photos. We can arrange to have all or part of your photos digitized. They can be stored on discs that can easily be copied for each of your children or grandchildren. We can even load the photos onto a digital photo frame that will display a rotating assortment of your treasured photographic memories

Protect your special photographs and memorabilia in display cases, curio cabinets, shadowboxes and scrapbooks. Exhibit them where you can see and enjoy them every day. Share the wonderful stories that each treasure represents.

Your memories are the greatest legacy you can leave for your family!

See our Life Stories website to enjoy some of the unique collections and displays of memorabilia we have done in our Senior Living projects.