“I sometimes use the expression, ‘it’s almost as if you’re going off to college,’” said Michelle Kavanaugh, CEO and founder of Organize Senior Moves, LLC. “the first day is always scary, but the following day it’s a breeze, and it’s always exciting. If you allow somebody to help you with the process. It can done very quickly and efficiently. It won’t be as bad as a lot of our clients think it’s going to be.”
Moving for anyone is a stressful process. If you are moving into a smaller space, you will also have to downsize your possessions. For the elderly it is particularly difficult; having to consider what to keep and what to pass along is also an emotional event. Nearly everything that they come across will have some significant meaning to it. Kavanaugh said It is her team’s job to oversee the process, working closely with the client and their family.
Organize Senior Moves is a member of the National Association of Senior Moving Managers. It is an independently owned senior move management company trained and certified to work with clients during this emotional time of their lives. Its goal is to make the transition from home to another as smooth and stress free as possible. Kavanaugh said her team is aware of the challenges of the move, and is sympathetic to each client’s concerns.
Organize Senior Moves has access to several resources their clients may need during the process. Auctioneers, movers, realtors and more — Kavanaugh’s project managers can identify and recommend any services their clients may need, but no decision is made without the client’s input. Organize Senior Moves facilitates the move, while the client conducts.
“Regardless of age of our client, the number one thing that we hear when we meet with a client for the first time is that they are overwhelmed and do not know where to begin,” said Kavanaugh. “After our free, one-hour assessment, we develop a plan of attack, scheduling days for downsizing. If the client is willing and able, we leave homework with them to do in between visits.”
The process is simple:
1. Measure the new space, then work with the client on a layout.
2. Help the client make decisions of which items they will keep vs. give to family, sell and donate.
3. Pack the client.
4. Unpack and set-up the client at the new home. This will include placement of furniture, ‘making of beds, setting up and putting away all personal items and picture hanging. On moving day we aim to have the client completely unpacked and comfortable in their new home.
Each job is a work of passion for Kavanaugh and her team of 20 employees. At the end of the day, the result isn’t just satisfying to customers, but to her and the team as well.
“The most exciting part of our job is the day we move our clients,” said Kavanaugh. “When we unpack them, and set up their home — we are able to make their beds, put their dishes away, hang art work and making sure they have adequate lighting. “At the end of this long process our clients walk into view their new home, their expressions on their faces are priceless.”
You do not need to be a senior to take advantage of Organize Senior Moves’ services. Their Delmar location at 125 Adams Street is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. To find out what Organize Senior Moves can do for you, call (518) 528-2622 to schedule a free, one-hour consultation.