The thought of moving itself can make it difficult to consider moving to a senior housing community. Likely, your parent has lived in their home for many years and figuring out where to start when it comes to sorting through years of collectibles can be just a s overwhelming as finding the right community to move to. Learn how to prepare for a move to a senior housing community with these five steps.

1. Downsize one room at a time

Depending on the timeline you are working with, identify one room per week (or per day if a move is more imminent) to go through with your parent. Identify the items they’d like to keep versus the items they wish to give to family or donate. Take advantage of the opportunity to share stories with your parent about the items you are sorting through.

2. Measure your new apartment and identify what furniture will fit

Allow your parent to identify what furniture they would like to move with them. Communities often have floor plans you can use to map out how furniture will fit in their new apartment. Once your parent has identified the furniture they’d like to take with them, determine if the other furniture will be given to family, donated, or if an estate sale (depending on how much furniture there is) would be appropriate.

3. Pack an overnight bag containing all the essentials

If you think back to the last time you moved, it was likely a process that wasn’t complete in a day. Pack an overnight bag with all the essentials so your parent has the necessities the first day in their new home.

4. Work with the senior housing community to identify preferred local moving companies to help with fragile valuables

Whether it be because most family lives out of the area, or because the items mom or dad are taking with them are valuable and fragile, working with a moving company can help make the transition of transporting items much easier. Some senior housing communities have special programs to help with this part of the move.

5. Have your parent visit senior housing communities and have lunch with your next-door neighbors to be

Learning how others made the move can help decrease anxiety and give you a sense of how they approached moving. If your parent is having a difficult time downsizing, speaking to others who can relate to the emotional aspect of making a move to a senior housing community can help set your parent’s sites on the exciting new adventure ahead of them.