If you are reading this article, then you’re probably helping your elderly parents with their belongings so they can successfully downsize and move out of their old home. We understand you are not just moving belongings from one place to another, you are transporting a lifetime of treasures, stories, and memories.
Downsizing for anyone is never cut and dry. Just like moving, downsizing can be stressful, expensive, and overwhelming. We know, we’ve been there too!!
Here are some ideas we’ve collected from helping many clients with this process:
Get your parents on board the decluttering agenda
Many adult children fear starting the downsizing discussion because of the possibility that they might upset or offend their parents. So, starting the downsizing process sooner rather than later will make it easier for everyone if you are feeling afraid to reach out.
Talk to your parents about all of their options, what they want from the downsizing process, and when they want this to happen. Do not make the move right away; instead, give your parents time to adjust.
Do an inventory of all household belongings
Once your parents are on board, do an inventory of all their belongings. Do an inventory of the whole house by walking through each room and taking photos of everything, from wall to wall. And don’t forget the garage and the attic!
Take images or videos of electronics, fragile things, and valuables. Include receipts in your scans or photos when possible. Utilize the home inventory to save your documents and receipts so that everything is conveniently accessible in one location.
Decide which items to keep, sell, donate, or dispose
Next, sort through your parents’ belongings to determine which should be donated, compassionately discarded, thrown out or sold. You may want to use different color tape to mark them. Determine what belongs in the family home and what may be thrown away as you go through it. Remember, you want everything to go as smoothly as possible throughout the downsizing process, so bringing fewer items will make it easier to keep track of them.
Any old documents that have no value or have expired should be boxed up so they can be shredded.
Keep a binder to store important information in
Put all of this information in a binder or ledger, including your estimates and an inventory of the things you are keeping, donating and getting rid of. Make a binder with copies of your parents’ birth certificates, social security cards, mortgage papers, rental agreements, and other important documents. And do not forget any financial forms they may have. Although this might seem like a lot of work, it is necessary to keep track of important papers and documents.
After you have helped your elderly parents declutter and move out of their old home, you can then focus on disposing of that property. While there are many ways you can do this, the easiest and quickest way is by selling your home to a professional home buyer based in Houston, Texas. If you want to sell that Houston house quickly with minimal hassle, consider selling it to us here at Ohana Legacy Properties.
Why Sell to a Professional Home Buyer?
If you are looking for quick ways to dispose of or liquidate your old family home, you should consider selling it to Ohana Legacy Properties. We understand the urgency, and we are here to help.
We can provide you with the best price for your home, ensuring a quick closing so you can liquidate that home ASAP, no repairs or cleanup needed. Call us and we will take care of the rest. We are your Easy Button! And we will treat you like family.
