5 Tips to Make Your Senior Long-Distance Move Easier

Are you ready to move long-distance to a warmer climate for retirement? Do you need to relocate closer to your family for medical reasons? Moving as a senior is a bigger challenge than most people expect. It involves coordinating with movers across multiple states and packing up a household full of belongings. 

If you aren’t quite up to it alone, you’ll need to get help from an Albany long-distance moving company. However, this is just one part of streamlining your long-distance move. To make the most of your relocation and reduce stress as much as possible, consider implementing some of these five tips to make your long-distance move easier.

Work with a Moving Company that Respects Your Communication Style

Staying up to date on the progress of your long-distance move is essential. That’s why it’s important that you choose a mover who offers reliable communication. There are many ways a moving company can communicate with customers, such as telephone, video call, email, and text. But not all seniors are comfortable with the newer methods of staying in touch. Be sure to confirm that your potential mover is willing to use the method of communication you prefer to keep in touch.

Find a Patient Mover Who Will Provide Ample Time for the Process of Downsizing

People collect many possessions over a lifetime. It’s going to take a while to sort through them all when downsizing to a smaller home. Plus, you’ll need to make decisions about which items to keep, which to throw out, and which ones to donate. 

Look for a moving company that provides ample time to sort through your belongings, either alone or with packers on hand. It’s also helpful if the movers can deliver donations to a local charity of your choosing.

Consider Taking Advantage of Their Full-Service Packing & Unpacking Options

Speaking of support, many long-distance movers provide full-service packing and unpacking of your belongings. You might want to take advantage of these services to streamline your relocation. Also, trained packers know how to prepare items to reduce the risk of breakage in transport. They can also be helpful when it comes to coordinating a move for an out-of-state relative. 

Ask About the Relocation of Medical Equipment

You may also need to relocate some medical equipment as part of a senior move, but not all movers provide this service. Medical equipment is bulky and expensive. Some movers don’t have the training to safely move these items, nor do they want to deal with the potential cost of replacement if the equipment breaks. 

Look for a moving company that does offer relocation of medical equipment. Plus, you’ll want to find out what steps they take to ensure that equipment is carefully packed and kept secure in transit. 

Coordinate with the Mover About Transportation of Persons & Pets

It’s vital that seniors and their pets have a safe and stress-free relocation. If you are working with a moving company to relocate a senior relative, the mover should understand this need. They should work with you to create a plan for packing days and moving day that allows their team to do their jobs without too much hassle to your relatives. 

A few suggestions for these days include:

• Being present with a senior relative on moving day, if possible.
• Keeping pets leashed and with you at all times.
• Keeping pets in an out-of-the-way room with comfort items.
• Updating your relative about each step in the process as it happens.

Find Out More About Don’s Moving & Storage

If you are looking for a long-distance mover in Albany to conduct a senior move, we can help out. Don’s Moving & Storage has a broad range of moving services that you can utilize, including:

• Packing Services
• Custom Crating
• Fragile-Only Packing
• Valuation Coverage
• Supply of Moving Boxes
• Short- or Long-Term Storage
• Use of Furniture and Doorway Protection

We’re also agents with Wheaton Worldwide Moving, capable of working within their network of moving and storage experts to complete moves all over the United States and around the world.