Assisted living in Yorba Linda can make one’s life far easier, but, as with any move, there are plenty of tasks that must be accomplished prior to settling in to your new home. Before you make the move, consider completing all of the following tasks.
1. Downsize Your Belongings
When you move into assisted living in Yorba Linda, you typically will be moving into a much smaller space. Typically, people have studio apartments or one-bedroom units at their facility for assisted living in Yorba Linda. Even if you opt for a larger, two-bedroom unit, chances are this will be smaller than your previous home. This means you have to part with many of your belongings.
While this certainly can be stressful, the upside is that life without all of these belongings can be very freeing. Additionally, you can sell many of the items and use that money to either pay for part of the cost of assisted living in Yorba Linda or perhaps save it up for some fun excursions.
To make downsizing easier, begin with items that have less sentimental value such as extra towels and sheets, furniture, electronics, the lawn mower, tools and other items. If you have special items, consider giving them to friends and family as keepsakes rather than trying to fit it all in to an apartment for assisted living in Yorba Linda.
2. Select The Items You Wish To Bring
Generally, a studio apartment at a home for assisted living in Yorba Linda might be about 300 to 400-square-feet and one-bedroom apartments might be 450 to 600-square-feet. This might seem incredibly small, but if you’ve ever visited an Ikea, you’ve probably seen that they can work some magic in a small space. Prior to moving in, play around with the room design and consider some clever storage options to get the most out of the space.
Some of the best items to bring to assisted living in Yorba Linda include family photographs, a favorite chair or small sofa, your favorite clothes, comfortable bedding, a couple of houseplants and perhaps one or two special knickknacks. You also will need personal toiletries, towels, sheets, blankets, pillows and items such as a coffee pot or electric tea kettle. Some facilities include a microwave and small fridge, but you also might need to purchase these items. While all meals should be provided by the facility, a small fridge and microwave allows you to always have snacks and drinks on hand.
3. Make Sure Your Affairs Are In Order
This might sound ominous, but frankly estate planning is something that even people in their 20s and 30s should handle. Every adult should, at the very least, have a legal will in place. Having a living trust and a will typically is your best bet and these documents ensure that your wishes are followed out during your lifetime as well as after you pass on. However, a trust is more expensive than will, so if you cannot afford a trust, at least have a will in place.
Before you move into a facility for assisted living in Yorba Linda, consider talking to an estate planning attorney and making out a will or trust and discussing medical power of attorney. The latter item will ensure that your health care wishes are followed. If you have a serious health emergency, having your wishes spelled out legally also makes it much easier on your children and spouse who might be hesitant about making these decisions.
4. Change Your Address & Cancel Services
These days, you can change your address online and you don’t have to actually go to the post office in order to have your mail forwarded to your apartment for assisted living in Yorba Linda. Once you have a set move-in date, forward your mail to make sure that nothing gets left behind. It also is wise to contact credit card companies, magazines, medical offices and other businesses and have them update their system to include your new address.
Additionally, you will want to cancel services such as cable, internet, gas, water and electricity prior to moving into assisted living in Yorba Linda. The upside is you don’t have to worry about setting up service at your new place as the monthly fees should include all of your utilities and probably internet and cable or satellite TV, as well. Your cell phone service probably will be the only item you will have to pay for separately.
5. Divide Up The Work
There are a few universal truths, and one of these is that moving is hard work. To make it easier, ask family members and friends to help. You can divide up the tasks to make it easier. One person can take items to charity shops, while a few others can help set up a garage sale. Another person can help you with packing and unpacking at your new facility. There also are private services that you can pay to help you downsize and move. The staff will help you pack and organize and even get your house ready to sell. This can be a good option even if you have a few family members to help. Anything that makes moving easier usually is a great idea.
If you are just starting to think about assisted living in Yorba Linda, we can help you select the best possible facility for your needs. We are a free eldercare placement service that will provide you with a list of suitable facilities in your area. To get started fill out the Assess My Needs questionnaire, and an associate quickly will be in contact with you.