Should I move or should I stay? - A personal survey - Heart of The Matter Professional Organizing

Over the next several weeks we are sharing tips and words of encouragement around the process of rightsizing. This can be a very emotional stage of life. Leaving a home where you have lived for many years is very difficult. Warm memories and positive life experiences are no doubt part of the years spent in this home.

Perhaps you are at the rightsizing stage personally. Maybe you are navigating it with your aging parents.

Take some time to answer the following questions honestly. Warning – this exercise is likely to evoke some strong emotions!

1. Am I mobile?

yes
no
sometimes

2. Can I still work in my garden? (Do I want to?)

yes
no
sometimes

3. Can I cut my grass and shovel my snow? (Do I want to?)

yes
no
sometimes

4. Can I go shopping by myself?

yes
no
sometimes

5. Can I look after my own banking and bill payments?

yes
no
sometimes

6. Am I comfortable with living here alone?

yes
no
sometimes

7. Do I need help doing things such as dressing, walking, bathing?

yes
no
sometimes

8. Do I have problems going up or down the stairs?

yes
no
sometimes

9. Do I have independent outings?

yes
no
sometimes

10. Am I a prisoner within my own house?

yes
no
sometimes

11. Can I clean this house? (Do I want to?)

yes
no
sometimes

12. Can I do my laundry? (Do I want to?)

yes
no
sometimes

13. Can I still cook for myself? (Do I want to?)

yes
no
sometimes

14. Is this house just too big for me?

yes
no
sometimes

15. Do I truly enjoy my home the way I used to?

yes
no
sometimes

16. Can I financially carry this house (utilities, taxes, etc)?

yes
no
sometimes

17. Do I wonder if it would be wise to get the equity out of my home?

yes
no
sometimes

18. Does the house require expensive repairs?

19. Is the house in need of modernization?

20. Has the neighbourhood changed?

21. Do I have friends and family nearby?

22. What would be good if I move?

23. Why should I stay?

24. Based on how I have answered these questions, what makes the most sense for me?

Stay where I am and re-visit this survey in 6 months? or a year?
Stay where I am and add some aging in place services.
Selling my current home in favour of a bungalow or smaller house.
Selling my current home in favour of a condo or life lease.
Selling my current home in favour of an independent apartment rental.
Selling my current home in favour of an independent apartment rental with some extra in-home services to help me out.
Selling my current home in favour of a move to assisted/retirement living.

Read more about the rightsizing process:

Understanding Rightsizing – an emotional life decision. Read more
Rightsizing – your time to transition to a peaceful clutter free lifestyle. Read more
Proven plan of action for navigating the rightsizing process. Read more
Your step by step guide to mastering the rightsizing process. Read more

Our website offers some further thoughts on Senior’s Moves by Heart of the Matter.

How can our services help in the Rightsizing Process?

We often tell people that our Senior’s Move services are not “all or nothing”. We always offer a complimentary initial consultation and maybe learning a bit more about how we can help would be a good way to start your rightsizing process. We’d love to sit down with you and your family and discuss the results of your survey questions.

We can offer:

encouragement from a neutral 3rd party
help in creating a workable timeline for your process
loads of resources that you can explore yourself or have us assist with (everything from junk removal, to on-line/live auction contacts, free furniture pick-up etc etc)
physical help to sort things out
floor planning assistance (helping to figure out what will fit in the new home)
assistance with the evaluation process
taking away donations to the Thrift Shop after work sessions together
providing packing supplies
packing
booking our reliable movers
watching over the move day process
full unpack and set-up of new home
taking away all used packing supplies for recycling
and much more!