Senior Living Community in Clinton: Essential Packing Tips for a Smooth Move

More than 800,000 US adults live in assisted living communities across the nation. You're far from the first to make this transition, which means there are plenty of resources to take advantage of to make your transition easier.

The first step is downsizing and packing up for your big move. How early should you start preparing? What should you bring with you, and what should you leave behind?

As a top senior living community in Clinton, we're always looking for new ways to support our current and future residents. Read on as we share our top tips for moving to your senior community.

Get Started Early

If you're in a single-family home, start downsizing up to a year in advance to reduce packing stress. Here are some of the early steps to take before moving to a senior community.

Work With an Estate Planner

An estate planner can help you itemize your belongings, including heirlooms and valuable assets. This is a great way to assess your senior living budget and determine which assets to liquidate.

It's also a great opportunity to decide which of your belongings will go to specific beneficiaries. That way, nothing gets tossed or sold that was meant to stay in the family.

Use Easy Selling Resources

When you're selling a home, you call a real estate agent. Who do you call when you want to sell individual items, like art or furniture?

If the goal is to sell off a household's worth of items, consider talking with a company that manages estate sales. Otherwise, you can participate in community yard sales or list items for sale on platforms like Facebook Marketplace.

Take Advantage of Donation and Trash Pickups

The remaining items will need to be donated or thrown out. Unfortunately, the city doesn't facilitate bulk trash pickup in Clinton.

There are several private junk removal companies you can hire in the area. Some may also take donations to local thrift stores. Make sure to assess a company's services and request a quote before you schedule your pickup date.

How to Decide What to Bring

Moving into an assisted living apartment often means getting rid of quite a few things. What should you keep? Here is our packing checklist for seniors.

Toiletries and Disposable Products

There are many services and amenities residents can enjoy in assisted living communities. Staff members can help you with activities of daily living like bathing, grooming, and dressing. However, you'll still need your own products.

Make sure to pack toiletries and disposable products you use often, like shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, and toothpaste. This also includes basic cleaning supplies like disinfecting sprays and dishwashing detergent.

Medications and Medical Supplies

It's useful to make a full medication list before you start packing. Include:

Current prescriptions
Dose and use information
Over-the-counter pain management medications
Vitamins and supplements

Having this list will not only make it easier to pack but also easier for staff members to provide medication management. If you have any additional medical supplies, like a sleep apnea machine, make sure to pack that, too.

Essential Furniture

Unless otherwise told, you'll most likely need to furnish your private quarters in assisted living. Depending on your floorplan and the square footage of your apartment, you may want to bring a:

Bed, box spring, and bed frame
Dresser
Nightstand
Couch or comfortable chairs
Coffee table or side tables
TV stand
Small dining table

Make sure you verify what appliances, if any, are already installed.

Comfort Items

Not all senior living essentials need to serve a practical purpose. While you don't want to bring a ton of bulky furniture or duplicate items, we encourage you to bring reasonable items that bring comfort.

For example, many of our residents decorate their private quarters with photos and artwork that hold sentimental value. The goal is to make your new living space feel like a home.

Important Paperwork

In the process of packing and moving, it's easy to lose track of important documents. Before you start putting things in boxes, we recommend putting together a folder or lockbox of these documents, including your:

Birth certificate
Social security card
Passport (if relevant)
Healthcare or medicare card
Standing property deeds (if relevant)

If you've undergone any estate planning, make sure to pack all of your future planning documents, too.

Additional Senior Packing Guide Tips

Are you still feeling underprepared? We have a few additional senior living tips before we part ways.

Study Your New Floor Plan

Are you struggling to decide which furniture to bring? The floor plan of your new senior living apartment can help you build a clear visual.

Start with a loose layout, including your seating and dining areas. Take measurements of your furniture to take scale into account and avoid overcrowding your space.

Ask About Restricted Items

Before you finalize your packing list, make sure you ask your community director about restricted items. For example, some communities do not allow open flames, meaning you'd need to leave your candles behind.

What about your pets? Pet policies vary from one community to the next. Addington Place of Clinton is proud to be a pet-friendly assisted living community!

Label Boxes for Easy Unpacking

As you're packing smaller items into boxes, try to keep things organized by room, use, or type. Keep a marker on hand to label each box as you tape it up.

While it isn't a must, labeling your boxes can help you streamline the unpacking process. It can also help your movers place your boxes where you need them to be, reducing the need for heavy lifting.

Find Your Senior Living Community in Clinton

Are you ready to move into a senior living community in Clinton? Use this guide to make downsizing, packing, and moving easier to manage.

Before you dive into packing, it's time to find the perfect community for you. Addington Place of Clinton offers different floor plans, all with full kitchens, window treatments, cable, and air conditioning. What you'll find in your apartment is only the beginning!