Moving to a new home and downsizing to a smaller home is a process that takes months. Selling the home, packing boxes, cleaning each room for staging/showing, and, finally, unpacking all items and arranging the new space to create a comfortable home often require many hands and different professional services. Many individuals want to simplify the steps of a move, seeking the professional guidance of a move manager and relocation managers.
What is a move manager, and how do they help clients reduce the stress and fatigue of a move? Learn about professional move management services and relocation managers.
What Is the Role of a Relocation Manager?
Relocation managers are professionals who help seniors or any client manage a long-distance move (relocation). These professionals help clients find a new home in the area, managing both the search and aiding with pairing a client with a real estate agent. Relocation managers can also help clients find other professionals, like move managers who help unpack, arrange rooms in the home, and more.
Why Hire a Move Manager?
Move managers establish relationships with various professionals, including real estate agents, estate sale companies, moving companies, and more. Move managers handle the physical and mental load of a relocation or move to a new home. Senior move managers offer specialized training through the National Association of Specialty and Senior Move Managers (NASMM). They guide senior clients as they transition to retirement communities, assisted living facilities, or nursing homes.
General move managers assist clients of all ages with their move. Move managers, including Cardinal Solutions, provide the following professional services:
Packing and unpacking services
Organizing and decluttering
Personal shopping and errands
Realtor selection help
Managing donations
What Is a Move Management Company?
Move management companies manage many aspects of the move. Companies provide move managers who act as personal assistants to clients and manage the physical tasks of moving. A move manager packs items, arranges and declutters rooms to prepare a home for sale, helps clients find the best realtor for their needs, unpacks boxes at the new home, and can arrange and organize the new home.
Clients do not have to utilize every service provided by move management companies. For those who want or need the help of a professional move manager, Cardinal Solutions provides quotes for specific services or a combination of many services to aid the move.
Do You Need to Supervise Movers?
Movers or moving companies do not need to be micromanaged. Cardinal Solutions partners with moving companies and their teams to simplify unpacking and organizing efforts. Move managers provide direction to movers on where boxes need to be placed.
Move managers create lists of all the boxes they pack, which detail the contents of each box.
The team at Cardinal Solutions guides movers and ensures that every box is handled properly onto the truck. At the new home, move managers direct where each box must go.
About Senior Move Managers
Cardinal Solutions offers both standard move management services and senior move management. Only certified senior move managers offer the expertise and background to help seniors navigate the unique challenges they face during their move. Every certified senior move manager must understand the ethical issues involved in senior moves and the safety related to general move management.
Many senior move managers become confidantes and trusted friends for their senior clients. The Cardinal Solutions team always helps senior clients understand each step of a move, and the team works closely with clients to sort through possessions to prepare for downsizing.
Senior move managers know the emotions of transitioning to a smaller home, a retirement community, an assisted living facility, or a nursing home. Every item holds a memory or a story, and senior move managers listen to the stories and personal perspectives of each client. Cardinal Solutions helps all clients hold onto the items that bring them joy; we provide outreach to professionals who can help digitize photos and provide other services to ensure that items can be preserved.
How Do Seniors Downsize?
Downsizing refers to moving to a smaller home. Many seniors choose to downsize when the current home is too large to manage and maintain or if the layout is no longer safe (e.g. stairs pose a fall risk, mobility is limited with doorways, etc). Seniors may also downsize to a smaller home to save money.
Downsizing requires strategic decisions about what possessions to keep, donate, or discard. Not every item can move to a new home; move managers can help clients better understand the items that bring them the most joy. Senior move managers also recommend professionals who can help preserve photos digitally and organize estate sales (to sell valuable items).
What Does a Senior Move Manager Do?
When clients do not have family or friends nearby to help them manage a move, senior move managers fill the gap. These professionals manage physical tasks that seniors may be unable to handle, and they serve as trusted advisors related to different phases of the move. Many senior move managers become friends with clients, helping them emotionally adjust to a new home.
Are Senior Move Managers Worth It?
The help, guidance, and emotional support senior move managers provide often fill a void for clients, especially those managing the move alone. Senior move managers offer customized, supportive solutions for all clients. For those who anticipate moving, downsizing to a smaller home, or transitioning to a retirement community, assisted living facility, or nursing home, reach out to the team at Cardinal Solutions to schedule a meeting and consultation today!
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