As your parents get older, taking care of their larger family home just isn’t possible anymore. Whether they’re moving in with you or a senior living community, you need to downsize a lifetime of belongings. Here are a few professional organization tips to make this seemingly daunting task a little easier and show them the benefits of cleaning house.

Downsizing Guide for Better Senior Living

1. Start Early

You’ll avoid a lot of unnecessary stress if you start well before their move into the senior living community. Getting started six to 12 months before the move gives you the luxury of time to make decisions about items and how to deal with them. Going through a lifetime of belongings is an emotional process, so enjoying memories with your parents can be a fun experience if you can take your time with it. You can also give siblings notice that they need to come by and remove anything they are storing at your parent’s house.

2. Decide What to Throw Away

Throwing away some belongings will clear out some much-needed space for sorting through everything else and make the rest of the job feel less overwhelming. Begin by throwing out expired food and medications, along with old paperwork that is no longer needed. Next, go through household items in storage and clothing that hasn’t been recently worn and get rid of anything that can’t be used.

3. Sort Everything Else

Go through the home with colored stickers to sort through the remainder. Choose a color for each category you’ll sort belongings into—save, sell, or donate. Look at every item and decide on the best outcome for it. Some items might be able to be sold for a fair price, and you might consider donating everything else to a thrift store.

Once you have downsized, your parents will be ready to look forward to their future. A wonderful senior living community will provide the support and sense of community that they need to enjoy their retirement. Provident Village at Creekside in Cobb County, GA, and Provident Village at Canton in Cherokee County are assisted living facilities that offer a peaceful environment and exceptional living accommodations. Their well-trained medical professionals provide a range of care levels, including dementia care. Visit their website to learn more about their communities. Call (678) 210-7135 for the Smyrna location or (770) 450-5135 for the Canton location to schedule a tour.