SANDY'S STORY

Sandy decided to leave a comfortable condominium where she had lived for the past 30 years. She was moving to a nearby senior community — no stairs to climb, available meals when she didn’t want to cook, and new activities and friends. But even with family support, Sandy was overwhelmed by the downsizing and moving process. Although she was an organized person, she still had more belongings than she could move, including a spinet organ that needed a new home. In consultation with her family, Sandy hired A Bridge Forward to help her through this complex life transition. The Bridge Forward team created a plan and schedule, worked with her to sort and downsize belongings, scheduled the movers, packed, managed the day-of-move logistics, and unpacked. The team handled taking items to consignment and donation sites. We also coordinated pick-up of the organ, a sofa and a treadmill. On move-in day, church acquaintances and apartment neighbors stopped by to welcome Sandy to her new home. Here’s what Sandy said: “When I made the decision to move from my home of over 30 years to a senior community, I was overwhelmed as to how to proceed. I contacted A Bridge Forward for help. The Bridge Forward team was able to guide me regarding downsizing decisions all the while taking into consideration my feelings. Also, they were valuable in helping with packing and unpacking which made my move go smoothly. I could not have done it without them.” Extra help from experienced senior move managers can go a long way in easing the stress. A Bridge Forward provides free consultations, including a detailed review of how we plan and support a move. Encourage prospective residents to give us a call. A Bridge Forward also provides downsizing, packing, and unpacking services to busy families and singles. When potential clients are on the fence about whether to move because the process is daunting, our organized, supportive team can make the difference.

Let us help you. Learn more at Bridge Forward Moving.

Downsizing and Moving During a Pandemic

With cold, snowy weather approaching, many people, who may have put off a move earlier in the year due to the pandemic, are now getting ready to move before winter arrives.

If a fall move is in your plans, here are some tips for downsizing and moving safely during a pandemic:

Preparing for your move

1. Buy all of your supplies at once to minimize trips to the store. Moving.com has a packing calculator you can use to estimate what you will need based on the number of rooms and people in your house (Packing Calculator). If in doubt, buy extra. At A Bridge Forward we frequently need more supplies than initial projections.

2. If you plan on donating items such as clothing, linens, furniture or dishes, check with the donation site before loading up your car. Many have reopened, but several still are closed. Some have revised policies about what they will accept. If you plan to schedule a donation pickup, give yourself plenty of time. Organizations that do pick-ups are busy and it takes longer to get on their schedule.

3. If you are considering selling items through a neighborhood Facebook group or on Craigslist, plan to implement your own COVID-19 safety protocols including cleaning the item before selling it, planning for a contactless pick-up and wearing a face mask when meeting the buyer.

4. If you are using a professional moving company, ask about their coronavirus protocols. Look for companies that require employees and customers to wear masks, detail how they practice social distancing, and can explain what steps they are taking to screen and protect their employees from becoming sick.

5. Be prepared for a virtual price quote. Moving companies are offering virtual rather than in-home surveys to provide estimates.

Move Day

1. To help ensure the health and safety of all people involved in your move, make sure to keep soap and paper towels by the sink for hand washing and hand sanitizer by the doors where people will be entering and exiting. Keep frequently touched surfaces such as counter tops and door knobs clean with coronavirus approved cleaning products.

2. Wear a mask at all times when movers or other helpers are in your home.

3. Practice social distancing with moving teams.

4. Let the moving company know right away if you or anyone in your family has coronavirus symptoms or is isolating due to exposure. Transparency is important for keeping everybody safe.

If you need help downsizing, packing, unpacking or organizing after the move, contact A Bridge Forward. We provide free in-home consultations, follow strict COVID-19 safety protocols and are experts in move planning. Bridgeforwardmoving.com

Decluttering Demystified

Less to clean. Less to organize. Less stress. More time to spend on things you most enjoy.

These can all be the result of decluttering your home. Whether you are getting ready to move or are simply tired of living with too much stuff, now is a great time to start purging those belongings you don’t use, don’t love, are broken or out of date.

As a move management company, we specialize in working with clients who are getting ready to downsize. We help sort and pack and items being given to family members and remove belongings headed for donation or resale. Although there are memories associated with many of these items, we frequently hear clients lament about not clearing out sooner.

Joshua Becker is a Minimalist author, blogger and speaker (becomingminimalist.com). While Minimalism may not be for everyone, Joshua has great tips about ways to get started decluttering. He also publishes a terrific list of the 101 things that can be reduced in most homes. As he says, just choosing 10 will make a big difference. Here you go:

1. Kitchen Glassware

2. Cookbooks

3. Kitchen gadgets

4. Kitchen appliances

5. Pots / pans

6. Mixing bowls

7. Tupperware

8. Water pitchers

9. Coffee mugs

10. Glass jars

11. Magazines / Newspapers

12. Books

13. Over-the-counter medicine

14. Make up

15. Hair accessories

16. Personal beauty appliances

17. Toiletries

18. Photos

19. Photography supplies

20. Sewing supplies

21. Scrap-booking supplies

22. Other craft supplies

23. CDs

24. DVDs / VHS tapes

25. Wall Decorations

26. Candles

27. Candle Holders

28. Figurines

29. Crystal / China

30. Vases

31. Audio/visual components

32. Audio/visual cables

33. Computers equipment

34. Computer peripherals

35. Old cellphones

36. Furniture

37. Video game systems

38. Video game accessories

39. Video games

40. Shirts

41. Pants / Shorts

42. Dresses / Skirts

43. Hats

44. Clothes hangers

45. Shoes

46. Ties / belts / accessories

47. Coats

48. Winter gear

49. Socks / Underwear

50. Sleepwear

51. Jewelry

52. Purses

53. Pillows

54. Linen sets

55. Duvets / Comforters

56. Blankets

57. Towels

58. Televisions

59. Items on your bulletin board

60. Magnets

61. Home office supplies

62. Coins

63. Pens / pencils

64. Rubber bands / Twist ties

65. Cleaning supplies

66. Old batteries

67. Tools

68. Hardware

69. Coolers

70. Manuals

71. Phone books

72. Coupons

73. Board games

74. Puzzles

75. Decks of cards

76. Unused gifts

77. Baby clothes

78. Baby supplies

79. Old schoolbooks/papers

80. Toys

81. Stuffed animals

82. Kid’s artwork

83. Suitcases

84. Pantry food

85. Paper goods

86. Wrapping supplies

87. Pet supplies

88. Plastic bags

89. Party supplies

90. Seasonal decorations

91. Sporting goods

92. Sports memorabilia

93. Automobiles

94. Automotive supplies

95. Scrap pieces of lumber

96. Brooms

97. Rakes

98. Shovels

99. Garden tools

100. Plant containers / Pots

101. Empty cardboard boxes