Last month we wrote about a new trend in transitioning … that of couples doing major renovations of senior living apartments to customize the rooms to their comfort and personal taste.
This month we will focus on another trend we are seeing at Transitions Liquidation Services. Younger couples moving – perhaps downsizing – to a new home in a new town, but not to a senior community.
Case Study: Ken and Kitty
Recognizing the need to have assistance in the organization and planning of what may be a complicated move, Ken and Kitty called TLS. They, like others before them, have multiple homes and the moving process was complex with many moving parts. In this case, we were referred by Gentle Giant, the moving company who was hired to move Ken and Kitty’s belongings to several locations over the course of a number of months.
The couple has experienced serious life changes in recent years. In their 60s, they are active, physically and cognitively able. Unfortunately, Ken and Kitty have experienced the death of several members of their extended family and have become empty nesters. They are planning to sell their large, single family home in a lovely community in the greater MetroWest region of Massachusetts. They have purchased and renovated a new home in southern California, where Kitty has family and roots. They also decided to renovate their Cape home to make it a more livable space as a permanent summer home as well as to accommodate an extended family as their children age and have families of their own.
Lots of Moving Pieces
The Cape house renovations will take place over the course of ten-to-twelve months. In the interim, Kitty and Ken plan to use their Cape guest house for get aways. The California home is ready for occupancy and their move is planned for December.
Ken and Kitty are working with the decorators in both MA and CA. The decorators are using many of the couple’s current furnishings and furniture (although in different rooms and configurations) and adding some updated items.
Transitions Liquidation was tasked with:
- Assisting the couple in determining what items are being retained and where they may be used: Cape houses, CA home, one of the daughters’ condo’s or long-term storage for future consideration and use.
- Organizing the items in all locations in such a way that Gentle Giant can easily identify and move items to the correct locations.
- Provide photos and measurements of the furniture and art to be used by the decorators in identifying what pieces will be used in CA and the Cape and into the specific room.
- Assisting with the packing, delivery and unpacking/set-up of a daughter’s condo in NYC with items from both the Cape and primary home including identifying and engaging a move manager in Manhattan.
- Identifying items that will not be used and assisting with the sale, donation or disposal of these items.
- Work with Gentle Giant to identify the correct resources required for every aspect of all of the moves as well as to identify the pack and move flow and the dates for pick-up and delivery to coincide with key dates provided by Kitty and Ken. These included contractor vacancy deadlines, holidays, family weddings, etc.
- Overseeing and assisting with the packing and moving of the Cape home items into GG storage.
- Overseeing and assisting with the packing, moving, unpacking and set-up of the items going to CA including being physically present in CA during the move in and unpack.
When we said, “lots of moving pieces,” we weren’t kidding!
While this couple’s situation may seem unusual, it is becoming a more frequent occurrence that TLS is asked to help organize complex moves that include shipments to various locations and the difficult decisions of who gets what and how to handle what’s left.
A Referral to TLS
Couples like Ken and Kitty are too busy to do this alone, and quite frankly, are overwhelmed at the number of details to be taken care of. Gentle Giant Movers recommended Transitions Liquidation because they knew that the couple were dealing with grief and other emotions and TLS was the solution.
The CA shipment alone was 36,000 lbs of household belongings; 400 plus boxes: a full tractor trailer load plus another truck!
“What’s interesting,” said Marie LeBlanc, owner of Transitions Liquidation Services, “is that the process is the same … the organization, planning, scheduling of electricians, movers, contractors … It really doesn’t matter how big the project is. The process doesn’t change. And the skills and knowledge TLS brings to the table – knowing the right questions to ask, knowing the special considerations of interstate moves – gained through years of doing so many moves is what is truly valuable to our clients”
TLS had to be sure the many crates for lights and art were built by GG on time and were on the truck on the same day that the electricians arrived to do the removal of light fixtures. They had to be packed properly, delivered to the right home, and ensure that the electricians were on hand when the items arrived at their destination to install them in the correct locations.
Moving is Stressful
The level of anxiety and emotions we deal with are the same for a young couple as they are for an 85-year-old going to a senior community. It can be especially difficult in the case of younger folks because they don’t expect that to be the case, and they are very used to managing things on their own and doing tasks themselves.
Moving, however, is one of the most traumatic life experiences – in the top five! According to Healthline, a mental well-being website, “Changing homes can be very disruptive. This disruption to your routine — as well as the anxiety associated with the move and adapting to a new space — can trigger deep but temporary sadness. In some cases, moving might also mean losing your support network, experiencing culture shock, and feeling isolated from others.”
Marie added, “This was definitely a complex move. A move manager was certainly a necessity. For people of means, there are those who assist them daily in other ways – nannies, cooks, housekeepers. TLS is the solution for those who have complicated lives. Move management services from TLS can be a gift to yourself or for your loved ones and referring a more manager to your clients facing complex moves is an indication that you understand how useful assistance can be to them.