If you or your elderly parents have decided to downsize your living space to an apartment from a home you will usually find that you can't take everything with you. It all just won't fit in the smaller space.
You will have to spend some time deciding which items are the most precious to you and then decide what you are going to do with everything else.
Having moved to a smaller space myself I realize that there are just some things that I had, and moved, that have made my new space seem like I have always lived here.
But, then there was a ton of stuff that I either gave away to someone I knew, gave to a charitable organization or just put to the trash. I had lived there for over 40 years and had accumulated a bunch of stuff.
You might even consider making a little money by having a yard sale of some of the items you can't take with you.
When selecting your apartment you can try for one with a lot of space but you or your parents may not be able to maintain a larger space. Plus, if there are limited funds you may not be able to afford a larger space.
Something to look for in selecting your new apartment other than space is the bathroom. If you are choosing an apartment for your elderly parents then you might want to look to see if the bathroom is equipped with handicap bars by the commode and in the tub/shower area.
Another thing to check out is the closet space. Many older apartment building have very small closets. You will not only need closet space for clothes, but you still need a place to put the broom, mop, vacuum, etc.
Take measurements of the furniture items that you plan to keep with you when you go apartment hunting. That bedroom just might not accommodate that king sized bed that you plan to keep sleeping in. On all items in question measure the length, width and height. Some apartments have low ceilings and tall items may not fit either.
Plan to move some things around in your new space. Pictures, lamps and small tables may fit better in a different room. Remember that colors on the walls will be different and you may have to move something to a different room just because it matches better.
It can be kind of fun to look around and try to figure out where things fit best in the new space.
Give yourself plenty of time to move. It always takes longer than you think. Large items will need to be moved by movers. Go to the apartment and plan where these items will go so that the movers can place them for you while they are there.
You will probably move small breakable things yourself. Try to plan to place everything where it is going when you get it there. So plan time for this. It can become overwhelming to move in with a bunch of boxes still left to unpack. Often times they will sit in a corner for months before they get unpacked.
Don't try to move in one weekend. Once you find your new apartment, try to give yourself a complete month to move. Especially if you are moving your parents and they have lived in their current home for many years. It will take them longer to adjust to moving than you may think.
One more thing to look for while apartment shopping is what the washer and dryer arrangements are. Many apartments have a common laundry area on one of the lower floors that are shared by everyone in the complex.
If you find there are no traditional washer and dryer hookups in the apartment you choose then you may want to consider a portable laundry washer and dryer or one of the mini portable washers that you could use to reduce your trips to the Laundromat area. This can be really important for the elderly who have a hard time lifting heavy loads.
