As parents grow older, many individuals find themselves faced with the question of how they will care for their aging parent. While the answer to that question varies from family to family, if you have made the decision to move your elderly parent into your home, there are helpful tips that will help both you and your parent have the space you need as you transition through the process.  

If your aging parent is leaving his or her home to come live with you, chances are they have a fully furnished home of their own. With years of memories collected in furniture and personal belongings, additional space will be needed to accommodate their household items. If extra room is limited at your home, one of the easiest ways to add additional space is to get a storage unit. This will help you to avoid the dangerous accumulation of clutter that could pose a trip and fall risk to your elderly parent. It will also provide both you and your parent with the room needed to help make everyone comfortable with the new living arrangements.

Before the move, give your parent the opportunity to consider which items he or she would like to store and which items will be brought to your home. By enabling your aging parent to still have personal items that belong to them nearby, it will provide them with a sense of independence, as well as a special reminder of their previous home.

Make the moving process enjoyable for your parent. Go through items together so that you can both reminisce about the various pieces of furniture and belongings from another time. This will bring joy to both you and your parents, and help to lighten the experience of the transition.

Give your aging parent the opportunity to see the storage unit for themselves so that they will know exactly where their belongings are and that they are readily available for them to see or use upon request. This will provide an added reassurance and level of comfort to help make the move easier on your parent.

Storage can benefit you as well by freeing up space within your home to make room for your parent. If you need to clear out an extra room, use a storage unit for your extra furniture and belongings. If you decide to add on an additional room or renovate part of your home in preparation for your elderly parent’s arrival, moving items into storage can help you complete the process more effectively by making room for construction.

Consider sharing a storage unit with your aging parent, if you find that you both have items to store, but not quite enough to fill an entire storage unit. This is a great way to maximize the amount of storage you use, and it is a smart choice for your wallet.

If your parent prefers to have his or her belongings stored closer to home, try portable storage options that can be stored on-site. The convenience will be worth it, and provide an extension of both your home and theirs. The overall goal is to make sure that both you and your parents have a level of comfort with your new living space, and no one feels overcrowded or cluttered.

For additional helpful storage and moving tips, please visit our Storage and Moving pages.