If you have a disability and are planning to move to a new home, you’re probably worried about the process. Moving is challenging for people who aren’t dealing with a disability. But when you have difficulties with mobility, vision, or hearing abilities, the moving process becomes even more stressful. Here are some tips to help you make your move as stress-free as possible.
Create a timeline to help you complete moving tasks in a timely manner. An excellent way of creating your timeline is to work backwards from moving day, setting deadlines for each task that needs to be accomplished. These items on the to-do list include decluttering, packing, transfer of utility services and other important tasks.
Declutter Your Home
When you know you’re moving, start the decluttering process right away. Don’t wait till the last minute to get rid of things you know you don’t need anymore. This will just add to your stress. Instead, systematically go through each room of your home to determine which items to pack, toss, donate to charity, or give to friends and family.
Start with the most cluttered rooms and work from there. Wheelchichome.com advises you to keep enough space in between boxes and piles of items so no one trips while walking through. It also helps you to easily maneuver a wheelchair through the pathways. Not up to decluttering on your own? Recruit family and friends to help you accomplish this often overwhelming task.
Looking for a New Home
Yes, house hunting is fun but searching for a new home is serious business–especially when you have a disability. It’s scary to move to a new environment when you are accustomed to your old place. If you have a visual disability, you’re used to maneuvering through the home even if you can’t see well. You know how many steps are on the staircase and where the refrigerator is located.
If you have a physical disability, you may have a wheelchair ramp installed in your present home. You may have a wheelchair accessible shower or specially installed handrails for the bathtub. When you buy a new home, those home alterations may not be present. While certain newer homes are built with accommodations for people with disabilities, older homes are not likely to be the same way.
As you work with a realtor to search for houses, pay attention to homes that suit your needs. Is the home located by a bus stop? Does the home have doorways wide enough for a wheelchair to pass through? How much yard maintenance will there be? Brainstorm with a friend to think of other issues you should consider. Do plenty of research before bidding on a home that may not be the best one for a person with your kind of disability.
Consider Hiring Professional Packers and Movers
If you have a disability, you may not feel comfortable doing a lot of packing. You may not have the ability or stamina to load and lift boxes or carry them to a moving van. Consider hiring professional packers and movers so you don’t have to worry about it. Reputable moving companies will carefully pack your belongings using high-quality packing materials designed to protect your precious possessions. Moving companies offer professional people who know how to treat your belongings with respect as they load them onto the moving truck. Just be sure to shop around for the right price.
Moving to a new home requires extensive planning and organization. But if you have a disability, you just might want to leave the packing and lifting to someone else. Professional packing and moving services allow you to experience a stress-free move. Using these kinds of services allows you to quickly move into a new home without worrying about physically exhausting work that may be difficult if you have certain kinds of disabilities. If you have a disability and you’re planning a move, rely on family, friends and professional moving services to get you packed and moved to your new home. You’ll enjoy less stress and have more time to experience the fun of your new home.