Downsizing For The Transition Into Pittsburgh Retirement Communities

Make The Move to Memory Care A Breeze!

Transitioning your loved one into a senior residence or a memory care facility in Pittsburgh is a big change for both you and them. It requires significant patience, planning, and time to ensure a smooth, successful transition. There are many pieces of the process, such as finding the right community, selling your loved one’s home, packing their items, changing their mailing address, and more. Being proactive by taking steps to reduce move-in day stress is important. Downsizing is one of the things you should consider and start doing early on.

At The Haven at North Hills, our floor plans consist of a bedroom with a bathroom and closet space. While we offer living spaces that are fully furnished, we always encourage residents to bring their own furniture and personal items to make their living space their own if they would like. If your loved one chooses to furnish their living space, it is likely that they will not be able to bring all of their belongings, and some items may not be necessary as the community offers many amenities. To help reduce the stress of your loved one’s transition into The Haven, one of the best Pittsburgh retirement communities, keep reading for our downsizing tips.

Declutter, Declutter, Declutter

To begin the process of helping your loved one downsize their belongings for their move to The Haven, we recommend that you begin by decluttering. This will help eliminate anything that is outdated, unused, or in bad shape. To do this, begin by identifying belongings according to whether they should be thrown away, donated or sold. Look through your closet, pantry, junk drawers, garage, and anywhere else you might have accumulated items that you no longer need. By decluttering your loved one’s home, you will be able to narrow down their belongings to only items that are currently relevant.

Identify Key Pieces

If your loved one would like to furnish their space, it’s important to identify what key furniture pieces they would like to bring, so you know to keep them. Here are some items to consider:

• Bed frame and mattress
• Dresser
• TV
• Rug
• Love seat
• Reading chair

Bye-Bye Big Items

Keep in mind that the floorplans at The Haven don’t include a kitchen or living room space, so you’ll want to eliminate any large furniture items that will not go into the bedroom or bathroom. Here are some items that your loved one may have that won’t be necessary to bring:

• Dining table
• Large couch
• Kitchen table
• Entertainment center
• Guest bedroom furniture
• Fridge
• Washer and dryer

Be sure to reach out to family members and see if they would be interested in any of the items–it can serve as a reminder of your loved one and let them know that the items are in good hands!

Down to the Basics

It’s important that your loved one has the basic necessities when they move to their new space. Don’t forget to take these on the move:

• Toiletries
• Clothes
• Medicine
• A couple of their favorite snacks for comfort
• A reusable water bottle
• Sunscreen
• Bed linens
• Simple cleaning supplies (in case they want to clean in addition to our housekeeping services).

Add A Personal Touch

Whether your loved one chooses to bring their own furniture or not, it’s always a good idea to add personal touches to their new space to make it feel like home. It can be very comforting to have a sense of familiarity. Here are some items your loved one can bring to feel at home:

• Decorations
• Sentimental items
• Their favorite books
• Hobby supplies
• Throw blanket
• Decorative pillows
• Photos of family and friends

Grand Finale

Once you’ve narrowed down your loved one’s items and determined what you will definitely bring, the unnecessary items will be obvious. Things like kitchen appliances, yard tools and fitness equipment will not be needed. Consider donating or selling any leftover items so that others can use them!

At The Haven at North Hills transitional assisted living in Pittsburgh, we are more than happy to assist you in any way to ensure your loved one’s transition is as smooth as possible. Our doors and phone are always open–if you have any questions about our amenities, room plans or anything else, reach out. Contact our friendly team today to learn more about our Pittsburgh memory care community or to schedule a tour of The Haven.