If you’re in your golden years, you’ll eventually need to choose whether you can age in place or should transition to a senior living community. If you’ve decided to move to an apartment complex for seniors, you should downsize your belongings before transitioning to the new residence. Here are a few tips to make the process easier.

3 Downsizing Tips for Seniors

1. Sort Everything

Before packing, sort your belongings into three piles: one to keep, give away, and trash. Sort decisively and make sure what you bring will fit into the new home. If you aren’t sure what to do with an item, put it in a fourth pile and revisit it later. After sorting, go through the items you’ll keep to determine what’s coming with you and what’s going into storage. Take the same approach to the give-away pile to decide what’s going to charity or relatives and friends.

2. Consider the Size of the New Place

Get the dimensions of the room you’ll have in the senior living apartment complex. Everything you bring should fit in the new space, so you may not be able to bring large pieces of furniture, like the living room couch or an heirloom hutch. Place these treasured investment pieces in storage to save them for your children or grandchildren.

3. Take Your Time

Moving can be an emotional experience, especially if you’ve lived in the same house for several years. Start early, so you can enjoy reminiscing over the lost treasures you find while cleaning. A longer time frame will also give you ample opportunity to visit loved ones who are receiving one of your belongings—you can share stories about the item and tell them how to care for it.

If you’re ready to downsize and start a new chapter of your golden years, move to Pohulani Elderly LLC, in Honolulu, HI. This senior living community welcomes adults over the age of 62, providing a safe community where residents can interact with their peers. They offer studios and one-bedroom apartments that are equipped with cable, carpet, and a refrigerator. To get more information about their amenities, visit the website or call (808) 744-6063.