It’s not my fault you have too much stuff!

We completed a move last week that brought this to mind.

A very pleasant couple was moving into a fairly large apartment at a Senior Living complex. Even though the new place had 2 bedrooms and a fair sized living room, they had 30 years of love and living in their current home. Some things would have to go.

BD Movers logo (tm)

We thought we had it pared down to a comfortable amount for them. The kids would take some items, some items had out lived their usefulness.

On packing day we saw that things had changed again. We packed way more than would fit at the new place but the kids insisted it go.

On moving day, the kids did not take their items so we had to move those as well to to the new place. A very long day.

Three days of unpacking, (where can we fit this?) and the job was done.  Almost. We have been back twice to help move furniture around in the vain hope of making more room for them.

Please, take only what will fit, only what you will use, and only what you truly love. The rest will weigh you down.

Oh, and it is OK to tell the kids to mind their own business sometimes.

Faith can move mountains, for everything else there is BD Movers!(tm)

Voting Tips for Seniors

I found this article with some great information on voting day, thank  you! http://exclusiveseniorcare.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/voting-tips-for-senior-citizens/

 

Here are quick tips for voters, including seniors, before heading to the polls:

1. Be sure you are registered to vote. Click here to contact your local election official to double check if you are registered to vote.

2. Know where and when to vote. To check your voting location and poll hours, click here. Most polls close between 6pm to 9pm so be sure to check the poll hours. Note, that the voting location might have changed from the last time you voted so it will be wise to check the location and poll hours before you vote.

3. Find out the ID requirements. Please note that it might vary per state. Click here to check the ID needed in your state to cast your ballot. Bringing your passport or your driver’s license should be okay, but checking ID requirements is recommended.

4. Allocate Time. Allocate plenty of time. You’ll never know if you’ll hit be bad traffic and if there will be long lines. Usually, mid-morning or early afternoon won’t be as crowded.

5. Bring your sample ballot. This will definitely help you complete the official ballot faster.

 

Faith can move mountains, for everything else there is BD Movers! ™

NJ Senior Moves

I was called to help a customer that was moving from Toms River NJ to an assisted living facility.

When I met her, she was just getting back from the doctors. Her arthritis has gotten so bad that the simple things are sometimes just to hard to do. Cooking is impossible some days, and getting dressed can be an ordeal.

Moving day

We will help with all the packing. The packers will arrive the day before the move to make sure everything is ready to go. On moving  day we are scheduled to start at 8am at her house. We should be on the road by 1030 or so. By 2 in the afternoon, everything we have been moved and our unpacking team will be there to get everything organized by dinner time. If we had tried to do the packing, move and unpacking all in one day, it would run much longer than the average person has the patience for. This way, there is much less stress.

At our estimate I make a phone call to a great cleaning company to help our client with that last big clean.

The only reason you hire a mover is make your life easier!

Faith can move mountains, for everything else there is BD Movers!(tm)

Senior Moving Specialist

I did an estimate yesterday for a senior moving to the Buffalo NY area. I have not been so charmed by anyone in quite awhile.

She met me at the door with a huge smile. We walked through the house and she pointed out what is going and what is staying.

He house in immaculate and she is almost all packed already. She is so positive about life and the new apartment. I was there way too long and had to call my next appointment to let them know I might be a few minutes late.

After another successful senior move, smiles and pictures

We will supply Mrs M with boxes for her to finish packing. We will pack the pictures for her. We will load and travel straight up there for unloading the next morning. We might drop a couple of pieces off at a nieces for her.

The conversation roamed into other things on her mind. We discussed a lawyer to update her will. We discussed a handyman to help fix some minor issues a the house.

When she calls with a firm moving date, I hope I’m on the job!

Faith can move mountains, for everything else there is BD Movers!(tm)

NJ Senior Move Specialist

I did an estimate for moving yesterday for a couple moving to North Carolina. They are moving to be closer to their children. The daughter found me and asked us to go out and determine the needs and costs involved.

This couple is into their 90′s and very sharp. We went over what would go and the packing they required from us.

We came up with a plan that included them doing some of the packing and we would do the china and fragile pieces. We will deliver the boxes they need so they can get started soon.

Recent move to the Poconos with BD Movers

Some items will not fit in the new home and we supplied them with contacts that either bought furniture or auctioned it off. We suggested a handyman to help with some minor repairs the house needs before it can be sold.Some items will be delivered to the daughters house when we move mom and dad.

The daughter will be kept in the loop on all arrangements and suggestions.

We are discussing moving dates that will accommodate the parents and daughter, and making them firm. No vague “windows of time” for loading and delivery. We give a set time and date to load and a set time and date to deliver.

Faith can move mountains, for everything else there is BD Movers!(tm)

New Jersey Senior Move Specialist, BD Movers

Friday was typical, I had a couple of estimates for seniors that involved assisted living,

The first was in Eatontown NJ, my client is moving into assisted living because her husband has dementia. They need a great range of care options now, it is just too much for her to do by herself.  We will handle the heavy packing and the move. My men will set up everything and make sure it is placed correctly. She is working with “Transition

NJ Movers arrive in Eatontown

Magicians” a senior move manager that is handling the light packing. She has arranged for an auctioneer to help sell the items not going and she has drawn complete diagrams of where everything will go, so we all know it will fit.

The next estimate is for a niece that is handling the affairs of her aunt. In this case we will complete the packing of antiques, move the items to self storage, and arrange for an appraiser and a hauler to handle the items not going.  She is out of this area and needs our local knowledge to help find the right people to complete each task.

We work with many senior care facilities and assisted living facilities. They appreciate the broad range of solutions we provide to their residents. No stress makes everyone happier on moving day

NJ Moving company BD Movers, arrives at Assisted Living

faith can move mountains, for everything else there is BD Movers!(tm)

Why do Seniors Move?

There are many reason why we decide to move, new job, better schools, bigger house. That fits the bill for 20-50 year olds but why do seniors move? You may be surprised by a couple of these.

• Closer to family. Obvious, we all would have guessed this. In fact it is one of the top reasons why any of us move.
• Yard work. They are just tired of it and are looking for a place that either provides this service or eliminates it, like assisted living.
• Downsize. The house is just too large, too expensive and has too many stairs. Seniors are downsizing but not by much. In general they still have all that stuff and don’t want to get rid of it yet. Some of the senior developments near me offer homes that have over 4500 square feet of living space. It appears we downsize but it is relative to what we are moving out of. Rarely does anyone move to a one bedroom apartment from a 4 bedroom house.
• Cost of living. They move to reduce taxes and cost of home ownership. New Jersey is seeing a huge movement of people moving south. The average tax we pay on a home in NJ is $7300.  I have friends in Florida that pay half that for more house.

Health plays a huge role also, it is often the driving force behind the other reasons.

The reason most mentioned to me on estimates? Yard work.  They do move into smaller places, they do move closer to kids and they do reduce their taxes but, the yard work and house upkeep is just too much now.

Faith can move mountains, for everything else there is BD Movers!(tm) your senior move specialist.

Moving companies and Senior move managers

There is a difference between the two and there is a new hybrid.

Moving companies typically pack and move, perhaps unpack onto counter tops and table tops. That is it.

Senior move managers help you decide what to take, organize the process, help pack . At the new place they may unpack, sort, place and organize. Perhaps hang pictures and arrange the furniture. There is a host of services that they provide, except the moving and heavy lifting.

The hybrid, which is more like my company, BD Movers, looks like this. We do the heavy lifting and moving, provide packing if needed but we also come with an arsenal of related professionals to help you. Need a cleaning service? No

Happy Client and her BD Movers crew

problem. Need hauling or trash removal? I got a guy. Need to have an estate sale or auction? I know people. Need to fix a few things for the sale to go through? I have handymen, plumbers, carpenters and roofers.

But, do you need help sorting and organizing? or calling utilities? or just deciding on what to take, or give the kids?  I call a senior move manager to help with the move.

I love move managers! They are “key”  to a successful move for some people. They almost become a hands on concierge service.  Our clients often call them their new family. When I partner with them, there are no gaps in what is needed.

Kids in another state? How comforting is it to have a person or business here, totally in charge of the move and accountable?

I recently partnered with ASortedAffair in Washington DC. Our client moved from New York so we did packing and moving. When we arrived in DC, they met my crew. We unloaded the truck and placed everything where they wanted. ASortedAffair then unpacked everything, hung pictures and mirrors, placed lamps, made it a home again.The client only had to sit, watch and make a few decisions. Perfect move.

I often partner with TransitionMagicians Howell NJ. In this case, Judy Kessler does all the arrangements and we provide just moving services, and perhaps the heavy packing. We move and place it and Judy takes over again doing the unpacking and setting up the house or apartment. Another perfect move.

Faith can move mountains, for everything else there is BD Movers!(tm) you senior move specialist

National Association of Senior Move Managers

What is or who are the NASMM?

Mrs Albanese, day of move, working with BD Movers, Senior move specialist

Well they describe themselves this way :
The National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM) is a 501(c)(6), not-for-profit, professional association of organizations dedicated to assisting older adults and families with the physical and emotional demands of downsizing, relocating, or modifying their homes. As the only professional association in North America devoted to helping the rapidly increasing 55+ population with middle and later life transition issues, NASMM members are committed to maximizing the dignity and autonomy of all older adults.

What do they do? Again, taken from their web site, they describe the job as:

Although specific services vary, most Senior Move Managers can help with some or all of the following:

• Developing an overall move or “age in place” plan
• Organizing, sorting and downsizing
• Customized floor plans
• Arranging for the profitable disposal of unwanted items through auction, estate sale, buy-out, consignment, donation, or a combination of the above
• Interviewing, scheduling and overseeing movers
• Arranging shipments and storage
• Supervise professional packing
• Unpacking and setting up the new home
• Related services, such as cleaning, waste removal, shopping, senior escort, assisting with selection of a realtor and helping prepare the home to be sold.

I’m proud to say I am a member and I endorse the use of any member you see on the site. I have used a few myself and I have always found them to be very helpful and knowledgeable. The web site is http://www.nasmm.org

Faith can move mountains, for everything else there is BD Movers!(tm)

Strangers on moving day

Pleased BD Movers client

Consumer agency’s tell us that our seniors, as a group, are the most taken advantage of in our country. They tend to more trusting (a good thing) but that leads to bad decisions sometimes.

Can we stress enough the importance of knowing who is coming into the house ? The company hired should do background checks on all employees and have insurance for mistakes. You don’t want someone who subcontracts the work or hires day workers, (they may be great but who are they?)

Service people  have the greatest opportunity to be unethical.  We are usually in the house unsupervised and have access to more that we should.

Summary; Service companies or contractors that work in your house,  know what you have, they know where and how you live, and they know who is vulnerable.

Faith can move mountains, for everything else there is BD Movers(tm)