5 Tips to Organize Your Home When Aging in Place

Does the thought of moving as a senior scare you? Change stresses you out and moving is a huge change. Having to downsize your home or move into assisted living is just not what you want. You want to stay surrounded by the memories, the familiar rooms, the neighbors and friends you've bonded with over the years, and most of all, you want to keep your independence.

"A recent AARP survey found that 75% of adults aged 50 and older would prefer to stay in their homes as they age." Empower
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Today we're sharing 5 practical tips for how home organization can aid your plan to age-in-place.

Tip #1: Find Less Stress in First-Floor Living

Most American homes are 2 stories or more, on average about 52% of homes. In New England, a whopping 84% of homes are 2 stories or more.

As we age, it gets harder and harder to climb stairs. There will come a time when it's not the safest thing for you or your spouse to do multiple times per day, and you will need to get creative and transition to first-floor living.

For those who already have a 1st floor guest room, you're in luck! You can switch this room over to your primary bedroom and create a guest space upstairs instead.

For those who don't have a bedroom on the 1st floor, consider transforming your front sitting room, dining room, or office into a bedroom. You can use an armoire, sturdy clothing racks, or shelves to store your clothes worn most often. A more long-term solution is installing a closet unit on one of the walls, or renovating the room to add a walled-off closet. Hang curtains or add doors for added privacy to the room.

If you don't have a full bathroom downstairs, this is the one thing worth investing in most. You can either renovate an existing bathroom or add one. You'll be thankful long-term to be able to easily and comfortably access a shower.

The 2nd floor can be used for guests visiting, as well as storage of some items that you may not want on the 1st floor any longer. Although, we highly recommend parting with as many items as possible and not holding on to items you no longer use. Hence, our next tip!

Tip #2: Pare Down Belongings with Purpose

Deciding to age in place doesn't mean you should avoid decluttering and downsizing your lifetime of possessions. It's a daunting task, we get it. Our stuff isn't just stuff. It's memories of raising our kids, it's things we loved, it's safety and security. But now is the time to make these tough decisions, when you have the energy and physical ability to do so. It will help your family so much down the road.

My parents had 30+ years of accumulation in their large basement. It’s easy to store items over the years when you have ample storage room. Not to mention the motivation to declutter can be really hard to come by.

One day, when visiting my parents, I went downstairs to find my dad, to discover that he had decluttered a large amount of the basement. I said, "Wow Dad, I’m so proud of you for doing this!" He responded that he was doing Swedish death cleaning. Being an organizer, I knew what this meant but I was extremely surprised that my dad knew the term. He had probably heard about it on a show like Sunday Morning. The stuff had been down there for decades, but this one term sparked the motivation for him that is so hard to find.

Although the term Swedish death cleaning is morbid at first glance, the meaning is actually quite sweet. The idea is that we should go through our belongings before we pass so that our loved ones don’t have to do it for us. It’s a gift that we can give them while we’re still here, that will last long after we’re gone.

When people have to go through the belongings of a passed loved one, it is often very emotionally charged. You don’t know what truly meant something to the person or why they kept it. The guilt is strong.

Suddenly, everything feels like it could have been very important, when really, most of it probably wasn't all that special to their loved one. This is why we so often have clients contact us who have rented storage units and moved all of their parents’ items there or moved it all into their own already cluttered homes. They can’t bear the guilt of letting it all go. It feels like letting that person go even more. So they bring an entire home of possessions into their house and feel utterly overwhelmed by it all.

We encourage you to go through your belongings beforehand and ease the emotional and physical burden of your family members. Sort through that storage unit, basement, garage, or attic. If you haven't used an item in the past few years, it's likely you won't use it again. 

We assist clients with this all the time. Our specialty is helping those who are experiencing life transitions declutter and get organized. You don't have to do this process alone. Let us be your motivation and support through it.

Tip #3: Make Room for Alternative Mobility

When your home is cluttered, it makes it harder to safely move around. Letting go of the excess not only gives you more room to walk, but it's less for you to bend and pick up, less to clean and maintain, and less visual and mental stress.

As we age we may need a wheelchair or walker. That means there needs to be bigger pathways to move around. We easily accumulate furniture like chairs, bookcases, and China cabinets over the years. You may need to space out furniture more and remove the furniture pieces you're not using regularly. Closet rods can be hung lower so you can access your clothes from a wheelchair.

Read about how organizing helps you navigate major life changes here.

Other safety measures like removing throw rugs that can be tripping hazards, installing grab bars in bathrooms, and replacing door knobs with lever handles can make a huge difference.

If you're already having mobility issues and can't declutter, you aren't alone. We help countless clients who have mobility issues and aren't able to physically do the organizing themself anymore.

When you work with us, you can comfortably sit in your favorite chair while we ask you questions about what you'd like to keep or donate. Then we take donations for you and provide you with the donation receipt after. We're here to make this easy for you.

Tip #4: Thoughtfully File Paperwork for Family

A will or advance directive is not helpful if no one can find where it is when needed. Having your paperwork tidy and culled to the important documents can give you major peace of mind. 

We recommend storing these important documents together in a waterproof and fireproof safe. Make sure your trusted family members are aware of where the key is and give a point person any additional important details. Things can unfortunately happen quickly and this is a good idea no matter your age.

Having the rest of your paperwork organized in filing cabinets is a great idea as well. Most documents like bank statements can be accessed online now, to minimize the amount of paperwork that needs to be stored physically.

This is something our team of professional organizers can assist with. We can guide you through the process of sorting through boxes of paperwork and mail, shred and recycle what isn't needed, and create an organized and labeled system for what you keep.

Tip #5: Simplify All Storage Solutions

We're back to decluttering again, but it's just that important. Paring down your belongings is not just for your family members, it also benefits you immensely. Start now and you'll be happy you did. You love your home enough to want to live in it forever, so give it the attention it deserves.

Make a plan to simplify and declutter every closet, cabinet, drawer, and any other storage area. Decluttering is like a muscle and once you start practicing and working it, it will snowball and get much easier. 

While decluttering, keep any future limitations and safety concerns in mind. Don't store items in a hard-to-access crawl space or pull-down attic, or heavy items stacked on high shelves. Remember, the less you have, the less you'll have to clean, maintain, and move around.

Once items are culled and organized, add large and easy-to-read labels. Once you start having caregivers come in and out of the home items must be clearly labeled so that things can be easily found and put away. The less you have, the less out-of-order things will get, and the easier it will be for multiple caregivers to find what they need.

You will not regret starting this process while you still have the energy and motivation to do so. It will make the coming years much easier and less stressful. Give yourself the gift of making your future life more calm, tidy, and easier to maintain.

Deciding to age in place can be a fantastic choice for you and your family. Help your home prepare for this next stage with thoughtful decluttering, rearranging rooms, and preparing the necessary paperwork. 

Living a tidy life will make you love the home you chose even more and make things easier for your family in the future. 

If you're ready to improve your home but don't want to do it alone, we would love to help you in this transition. Please reach out so we can chat on the phone to get to know you and your needs.

If you're feeling hesitant and would like to learn more first, please download our organizing guide here. Best of luck on your journey!

Warmly,
Sandi