Moving When You Are "Older"

More on the move of Karen, 66 years old, and Ruth, 99 years old. We moved from Ashland, Oregon to Portland, Oregon and I for one (Karen) learned lots about myself, about the logistics of moving and much more. I want to share with you some of the ways that I was able to make the actual process of packing and moving a little easier.

First rule; get rid of everything you possible can. I really mean that from bottom of my toes! Have a yard sale, donate to shelters, churches, organizations like Goodwill, and my personal favorite, the "FREE" sign in front of my house. My discards were like a treasure to many people and the smiles and gratitude were really worth so much. Often times I would put a listing on Craig's List for the free things I had in front of the house and not long after it hit the Internet, people would appear to take the things with them.

Another helpful reminder is to accept the offer to help pack your things. Many friends will step up and say, "what can I do to help?" so let them know, don't be shy. My rowing club friends came over one afternoon, brought some take out food, and a bottle of wine( well, a couple of bottles) and we packed my entire kitchen! We had so much fun, and it was such a huge help to me. By the way, if you are a rower, and ever find yourself in Ashland Oregon, look up the club and they will be happy to have you join them for a row. www.ashlandrowingclub.org

Then hire some pros to help you pack your truck, van, POD or whatever mode of transportation you are using. Save your back! They also know how to do it perfectly so that your possessions are safe, and you can use much less space that by trying to do it yourself, no matter how good you think you are. I know this can get to be a little expensive, but if you can possibly do it, it is money well spent. Siskiyou Movers in Ashland are brilliant, and can pack like putting together a puzzle. 2 Brothers Moving in Portland unpacked us, and they are fast, efficient and went the extra mile by setting up beds for us.

You have choices depending on your moving situation as to what kind of transportation you will use. I chose to use PODS, because I was not sure if I would have to store things before my new house would be available. This is a great feature, as you can store the container as long as you need and don't have to rush to get it unloaded and back before another day's charge is added on. PODS was pretty efficient, not perfect, but all in all they were the right choice. I would just suggest keeping in touch with the main call center to confirm the arrival, pick up, etc.
And if you have pets, ( have a dog and two cats) remember this is a stressful time for them as well. I moved my sweeties in my car on the day I left Ashland. Several days before our take off, I had placed their crates in the house with comfy blankets and kept the door open. The cats especially loved to wander in and out and finally started sleeping in them. So, by the time I was ready to travel the 5 hours up the freeway, they were used to their traveling crates. Keep in mind if it is at all warm outside, even 68 to 70, you cant leave them in the car for more than a couple of minutes when you stop to get something to eat or use the restroom. I had packed some lunch for myself and so when I stopped to get gas mid way, I gave Max, my dog, a potty break and some water and off we went to our new home.

Planning, accepting the help offered, taking care of your back,all will help you have a positive experience moving.