Many of us hope for happiness in retirement. After an era of working hard, we finally get to kick back, rest, and enjoy the bounty of our labors. Some realize that when they attain senior citizen age that they now need to move. It could be that it is because they don’t need the area in their Oklahoma City home with their children grown and moved elsewhere, perhaps it is because they find themselves living on a limited income, or maybe it's because they want to finally move to that warmer climate they've always dreamt about. Regardless the reason for moving once you reach retiree status, it's important to give the task some deep thought.
Tip #1: Ponder a Fall or Winter Move
A big advantage of being a retiree is you’re no longer obligated to the same schedules as people who have to work. You need to go to the store on a Thursday afternoon? Go for it, you are in charge of your schedule. Want to catch a movie matinee when everyone else has to work? Enjoy the show! And if you have to move, then you have the opportunity to do so in the off-season, when demand and prices are both at their lowest.
Warmer months are the most busy for moving for many reasons (warm weather, children are done with school, etc.), and hence is is also the most expensive time to move. Changing your move date by a few months one way or the other can save you money.
Tip #2: If You Don't Have to Have It, Don't Move It
The more time you live in a home, the more stuff you accumulate. Everything, from clothes you haven't worn in a long time, to papers from a job you barely remember, fills in the crevices in your home. So, before you move, start paring down. A good rule of thumb is to ask whether you have used the item in the last half of a decade. If not, you surely don't need it. So, sell it, gift it, give it away to whoever will take it off your hands, but if you don't have to have it, don't move it.
Tip #3: Create a Plan
Moving should not be done on the fly, especially not when you're a retiree. You should pause, do some investigating, and make sure you have everything in order. You need to know where you're moving to, how you're going to get there, if you need to hire a professional Oklahoma City mover, when you're going to go, and most importantly, you need to have your budget figured out to the penney. And, just to be on the safe side, you should have several alternative strategies in place, just in case something fluctuates, or doesn't pan out the way you want or need it to.
Tip #4: Prepare
Planning is when you write down your goals; preparation is when you start warming up. When you're preparing for a move, you're paring down your possessions, setting aside cash for the moving expenses, deciding when to put your house up for sale, etc. Preparation is the second part of the three-act play that is a move.
Tip #5: Don’t Rush
Moving shouldn’t be done hurriedly. Decisions need to be weighed carefully, and you should have all the information on-hand before deciding on anything. Not only that, but you should set aside time to prepare and resolve any loose ends that need to be resolved before you pull stakes and head off toward your destination. You don’t have to rush, so go at a pace you're comfortable with.
Ready to get started? A-1 Freeman Moving Group in Oklahoma City is standing by to help you every step of the way. Get a free estimate here.
