We often talk about downsizing and when we do, it’s going from a 4-bedroom home to a 1-bedroom apartment. But, as we get older, our physical needs change and that may mean that living arrangements need to change to improve quality of life.
Perhaps you or your parents have already transitioned from the family home into an apartment or condo, and now you or they are considering moving into an assisted living facility, senior living community, nursing home, old age home, etc. In a lot of cases, downsizing or rightsizing really happens when a person transitions into longer term care situations. The space they once lived in is drastically reduced and folks find themselves having to make tough decisions about personal belongings. These choices are often rushed, which means stuff is given away or thrown out that still has value or meaning. Small self-storage can help prevent that.
When you or your loved ones move from their apartment into a long-term care home or similar situation, you’re likely not able to bring a lot of your own furniture. But that’s probably ok because you have gone through the process of giving things away, selling items, or determining they’ve served their purpose.
What you will still have are memories, pictures, specific personal belongings that you’ll want to revisit again and again and keep in good condition for the next generation.
You may also have a time mismatch – you need to sell your home quickly and have it staged, but your son and his wife, who would love to take your dining room set, won’t be able to come to town for a few months.
You may also have a health issue that requires that you immediately change your living situation, so you’re now relying on movers to move your belongings quickly, but they can’t make decisions on things to keep, or where to put them.
A great solution to these issues is a small self-storage unit that is heated or climate-controlled. The cost per month is very reasonable, and you don’t need a huge unit storing things you don’t need. A major benefit is that if you have certain items earmarked for family members, you can place those into one small self-storage unit those family members have the availability to come and collect the items. You could also transfer this small storage unit into the family member’s name at any given time, and than rent for yourself a smaller sized self-storage unit to keep memories, family heirlooms, seasonal decorations and clothing, trinkets, and picture albums in. That kind of separation, while you’re going through a big life change, is nice to have because it allows you to keep your boundaries and gives you peace of mind.
A small self-storage unit is less than 100 square feet and is basically the size of a medium to large closet.
These really are the perfect sized storage units for seniors. You can stack plastic totes fairly high in this sized unit, and as long as things are very well labelled on the outside of your bins, you can quickly and easily find your favourite picture album, seasonal decor, or the mug that your grandkids painted for you.
Something else to consider as you look towards transitioning to a new living arrangement, are your short-term storage needs and long-term storage needs.
In the short term, getting into your senior living home may be time-sensitive and an emergency senior relocation; they only hold spots for so long, so you have to pack in a hurry. In this situation, you might want to rent a larger self-storage unit for a few months while you sort through your belongings and organize family members to take certain things. Then you will be able to move down into a much smaller (and more cost effective) unit. That’s the kind of benefit Storage Solutions offers you – flexible self-storage unit sizes to suit your exact need at your specific time. This flexibility is also very helpful for your long-term storage needs because they can also change from year to year.
When setting up your self-storage rental with Storage Solutions, please keep in mind that the person listed on the rental agreement is our customer. This means that they are the person we have authority to speak with and deal with for your unit. So, if you want your son or daughter to be able to access the unit or ask questions about the account, consider having them listed on the contract alongside you. Or, once you’ve signed up, you can send an email to the office, and we will look after adding specific people to your account.
We are a small, family-owned business. We care about our customers, and we personally manage our locations so that they are clean, accessible, and safe. We also understand that life changes and will work with you to find a storage solution that meets your current and future needs. This is why we make renting self-storage simple, easy and no hassle:
if you're looking for storage for seniors, consider Storage Solutions!
If you have questions about storage for seniors, contact us. We have lots of tips, advice, and knowledge on self-storage – we’ve been in business since 1997! Make sure to like or follow us on Instagram & Facebook.
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