A Difficult Move Made Easy

One of my favorite types of clients to work with are those who are moving.  It's part skill, part project management and part emotional support.  Every one of them are different - some have kids, some don't.  Some are upsizing, some are downsizing.  Some are moving willingly, others are moving because of a corporate relocation.
Because none of them are the same, I treat each one differently.  Some need more guidance than others.  Some want to do their own packing.  Some are skilled project managers, so they direct me more than I direct them.

I recently had a client who was moving from a furnished apartment to an unfurnished apartment.  Some of the furnishings were coming from his former residence, where his ex still lived.  The rest he was purchasing.  The move was made more difficult by the fact that he was out of the country the week of the move, returning late afternoon on moving day.

My job would be to coordinate the three-part move, shop for certain household goods and unpack and set up the new apartment.  This was all decided three weeks before the desired move date.  I met with my client at his new facility to tour the complex and apartment with the staff.  The week before the move, I met with the client to pick up the keys to the unfurnished apartment.  I also went to his former house to pack up what would be going from that location.  The day before the move, I packed up his personal belongings at the furnished apartment.

The day of the move, I was to meet the movers at the house to pick up load one, stop at apartment one for the second load, then follow the movers to the final destination where I would pick up the keys from the office to let everyone in. 

As it started happening, I was beginning to wonder if it would all come together...

What Went Wrong?

• The move was last-minute.  It took several calls before I could find a mover available at such short notice in the summer.
• On packing day at the house, the company forgot to bring packing paper, so I had to go out and buy some.
• The day before the move, the two furniture stores called to confirm delivery.  But they had the times wrong and wanted to come out first thing in the morning when nobody would be at the apartment yet.  The office wasn’t open to accept deliveries either.  One store was already closed by the time I could return calls.
  
• Moving day began with a 6a.m. phone call to one store. They were able to change their route and bring the furniture later in the day.
• The movers were late showing up at the first stop. 
• While waiting for the movers, the second furniture store called to say they were at the apartment with the delivery.  I told them they would have to come back later.  They made the mistake, they needed to fix it.
• The electronics store called to say they would be delivering the televisions after the cable company would be there to install them. 
• A call to the cable company (20 minutes on hold) said they would come as late as possible so the televisions might arrive first. 
• When the movers finally arrived at stop one, they pulled into the wrong driveway.
• GPS took the movers to the wrong location for the second leg of the move.  Another 30 minute delay.
• A car was parked in the driveway at the second location, so the movers couldn't pull up to the dock.
• The first furniture delivery arrived the same time we did at the new apartment.  Talk about juggling space in the elevator!
• The second furniture delivery arrived, but one of the pieces was the wrong color/finish!  It didn't match the second piece either.  They couldn't get another one out that day.  It was the bed, and my client was on his way home on a 16-hour flight.
• Comcast arrived two hours earlier than expected, but didn't call me as as directed.  They called the client, who was still in the air!  Comcast left without installing anything.  When I called them back, they said the soonest another technician could come out was four days later.  That being unacceptable to the client, the date was pushed out another three days by the time we called back again.
• I had a bloody nose during the unpack.  Luckily, I had found  the tissues already.
• The hanging file drawer converter I purchased didn't fit the drawer - because of the odd construction of the desk, not my measuring.

What Went Right?

After pressuring Comcast, they somehow found a technician to come out the next day.  Although they still called the client's phone to confirm instead of mine.  At least he was able to answer this time.  The client decided he liked the color/finish of the bed enough to have a new nightstand delivered instead.  It arrived the following day.

I finished unpacking everything that day, except for the things the client wanted to do himself.  I took away all the packing materials, leaving the client with a new, clean apartment.

So what is the lesson here?  Always have a Plan B in place.  Because it's inevitable that things will go wrong.  I didn't panic when things started falling apart.  I made some phone calls, adjusted some times, and pitched in wherever I was needed.  Having had an original plan in place helped - with all the contact names and order info written down.  I'd reviewed everything with the client before he went out of town so I knew where he wanted things. 

Plan A is your ideal.  Plan B is what happens after life gets in the way.  Be prepared!
    

Helping Those Who Can't Help Themselves

I was recently put in touch with a woman who will be moving soon.  Moves are stressful for most of us, but for those with physical challenges, it's even more so.

This woman, I'll call her Helen, has Multiple Sclerosis.  Daily tasks like getting your mail from the mailbox, are simple for us, but near impossible for her.  Her current home is a maintenance-free townhouse with two bedrooms, two baths, a den, a living room, dining room and kitchen.  It's not too big for her.  But even though it is on the first floor, it's inconvenient.

Her garage access is through two heavy doors and down a hallway.  Her mailbox is down the driveway and across the street.  Her closets were full of clothes she no longer wears, because of job and health situations. The clothes she wears are in piles on the spare bed, difficult to find.

She made the decision to move to a home in a senior community with the option of assisted living should she need it in the future.  She will have one less bedroom and one less bathroom, but the garage is attached to her house. And she is having a contractor build her a railing to help her down the one step to her car.

When she called me in to help, she was overwhelmed.  She didn't know how she would sort and get rid of the items she wouldn't be bringing to her new home.  The stress was beginning to consume her.

I assured her that not only would I be able to help sort her belongings, I could take all the donations with me to a charity.

We started on her main closet.  Her decisions were easy to make.  Most of the clothes were from her work days.  They were dressier and smaller than anything she wore now.  And the 50 boxes of shoes on her shelf? They could all go!  They were all heels she could no longer wear.  I dropped the first load off at Goodwill.

At our second session, we went through her spare closet.  Half of these clothes could go also.  And we sorted through the items on the floor.  Christmas decorations stayed.  But we parted with a painting and a briefcase.  Again, I dropped these donations off at Goodwill.  And since we don't have another session scheduled for a while, I mailed her the receipts.

Once the remodeling is close to being done at her new home, I will meet her there and look at her new space.  We will measure closets, count kitchen cabinets, and determine whether or not what is left will fit into her new space.  If not, there will be more sorting to do.   We will also talk about closet re-design, and possibly make the rods more accessible for her.  She is unsteady on her feet, so reaching up can cause her to lose her balance.

This is just one client I've helped who has the will and the time to do this all on her own, but not the physical ability.  While still overwhelmed at the thought of moving, she is relieved to know that I will be there along the way to help.

A Tale of Three “Lucy”s – Lucy Three Is Moving!

A Tale of Three “Lucy”s – Lucy Three

You have probably heard from several sources to plan ahead when moving.  It’s never too early to start thinking about what to pack and how it will get to the new facility.  This past November, I was faced with three moves at the same time.  I will call my clients Lucy 1, Lucy 2 and Lucy 3. 

Lucy 1 lived in an apartment on the 15^th floor.  The view was wonderful, the space was large.  But there was this pesky little issue of persistent leaks that the property manager shrugged off as a small problem.  But mold growing under the carpet for years, and several trips to the hospital were hardly small issues for my client, retired from her teaching position.  It was time for a move.

Lucy 2 lived in a maintenance-free townhouse.  At 89 years old, her memory was failing and she had caregivers coming every day to help her dress and eat.  As her disease progressed, it became clear to the daughter that her mother needed someone watching her 24 hours/day. 

Lucy 3 lived in development specifically for residents over 55 years of age.  The homes were single family, but maintenance-free.  A widow, she lived there alone, but had children and grandchildren in the area to help.  She was able to drive, but when her multiple sclerosis and the weather got worse, she was unable to go outside.  She had to rely more and more on others, and began falling more frequently.  When she fell, she couldn’t get up on her own.  She decided to move to assisted living.

Over the next few posts, I will tell the stories of each of my clients and the unique challenges each faced. 

Here is the story of Lucy 3:

Bedroom 2 Before Staging

Lucy Three is a widow who moved from her lake home in Wisconsin to a senior community for residents 55 years of age and over.  It was ideal for her.  There was no maintenance, and she could keep her independence because she was still able to drive.  Several children lived nearby, as did grandchildren.  She was able to function quite well for years, driving herself to doctor appointments or the dentist.  But as her MS progressed, she began falling more.

The community had an alarm system for health emergencies, which Lucy was able to use.  But when the falls became more frequent, she decided she either had to get some help or move to assisted living.  After weighing her options, Lucy decided to move to assisted living.  

Once the decision was made, the family sprang into action under my direction.  Rooms were measured in the new apartment, and floor plans drawn to see what furniture could go with Lucy.  In addition to the furniture, Lucy had to choose which of her personal belongings she wanted to bring with, as it wouldn’t all fit in the new place.

The family then got together to pack what Lucy needed.  As they packed, they sorted through the rest of Lucy’s belongings, claiming what they wanted.  The family also took photos and posted them on Flickr so the children who lived out of state could select what they wanted. 

Bedroom 2 After Staging

In Lucy 3’s case, the family overpacked, boxing items up that could have been left out for staging.  Also, they used the spare bedroom as a holding place for anything Lucy wasn’t taking with her, and was available to the family.  That’s what I was faced with when I came in to stage the home.

Lucy moved the middle of November.  I was to start staging the home soon after, but a toilet sprang a leak, and flooded the house.  Luckily, it wasn’t anything that moving the furniture and professionally drying out the carpet couldn’t handle.  The water from the master bathroom didn’t go any farther than the main bedroom and part of the living room.  Then the carpet had to be re-stretched. 

I awaited word from the family for when the rooms were ready again.  They put the furniture back where it had been, then called me.  My job was to clean out the front bedroom, pack up the extras, and stage the home.  As I was packing, I put aside some items I knew the family did not claim.  I dropped off a load at Goodwill after clearing out the bedroom.  Items that were questionable with the family remained boxed up and stored in the closet.

Once the staging was done, I let the family know it was ready to list.  This was early February.  I had time to move on to the next project.  Not!  The home sold in ten days!  So back to work! 

Living Room After Staging

The next task was to completely empty the house.  That meant the family had to pick up everything they wanted.  And I had to find outlets for the rest.  I called a dealer, Bob, who buys collections, to see his interest in the Lladros, Madame Alexander Dolls, and Wedgwood Lucy Three was parting with.  I met him at the house on a Sunday morning.  While there, he gave me the name of an auction house in Chicago that might be interested in the furniture.  I took photos of the furniture and sent them to the auction house owner, Roger. 

Bob bought the Lladros, Wedgwood and the dolls. Roger made an offer on the furniture, and I arranged it so he could pick up Lucy 3’s furniture the same day as Lucy 2’s furniture.  It would save him a trip.  He not only loaded up the furniture, but took most of the other donations with him on the truck.  It saved me phone calls to charities, and trips to Goodwill. 

Once all the big pieces were out, the family came and picked up their items.  My next task was to clean out

Dining Room After Staging

the garage.  I packed up the last of the donations in my car and then swept it out.  Then I ran a vacuum cleaner through the rooms, dusted the baseboards, window sills and ceiling fans and took out the last of the garbage. 

I dropped off the key with Lucy Three so she could give it to her real estate agent.  The house closes in April. Another empty house! Another success! 

Next? 

Click here to see Lucy One's Story
Click here to see Lucy Two's Story

A Tale of Three “Lucy”s – Lucy Two Is Moving!

A Tale of Three “Lucy”s – Lucy Two

You have probably heard from several sources to plan ahead when moving.  It’s never too early to start thinking about what to pack and how it will get to the new facility.  This past November, I was faced with three moves at the same time.  I will call my clients Lucy 1, Lucy 2 and Lucy 3. 

Lucy 1 lived in an apartment on the 15^th floor.  The view was wonderful, the space was large.  But there was this pesky little issue of persistent leaks that the property manager shrugged off as a small problem.  But mold growing under the carpet for years, and several trips to the hospital were hardly small issues for my client, retired from her teaching position.  It was time for a move.

Lucy 2 lived in a maintenance-free townhouse.  At 89 years old, her memory was failing and she had caregivers coming every day to help her dress and eat.  As her disease progressed, it became clear to the daughter that her mother needed someone watching her 24 hours/day. 

Lucy 3 lived in development specifically for residents over 55 years of age.  The homes were single family, but maintenance-free.  A widow, she lived there alone, but had children and grandchildren in the area to help.  She was able to drive, but when her multiple sclerosis and the weather got worse, she was unable to go outside.  She had to rely more and more on others, and began falling more frequently.  When she fell, she couldn’t get up on her own.  She decided to move to assisted living.

Over the next few posts, I will tell the stories of each of my clients and the unique challenges each faced. 

Here is the story of Lucy 2:

Lucy Two lived in a maintenance-free townhouse.  Her daughter had recently taken her car keys away from her because her memory was failing and it wasn’t safe to have her on the roads.  She was 88 years old when I started visiting her a few times a week to take her to the grocery store, to get her hair done, etc.  All those things she couldn’t do herself because she wasn’t driving any more.

Dining Room Before Staging

Over the next few months, her health remained stable, but her memory was fading fast.  She would forget to eat.  She didn’t know night from day.  She thought her bedroom was her house, and the rest of her house was the office where she worked.  She soon needed assistance 7 days/week, and someone to visit her every night to make dinner.

This went on with a bevy of caretakers over several months.  Lucy began getting more confused.  She didn’t understand why people were coming over when she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself.  She thought we were only visiting, and became belligerent when we tried to help.  After some serious episodes, her daughter, Lynn (the only child living in the area), decided to put her into Memory Care.

That decision was difficult enough for Lynn.  But then came the task of selling the townhouse.  It was full to the brim with family memories and loving knick-knacks – most of which Lucy couldn’t even remember how

Parlor Before Staging

she’d acquired.  The day of the move, November 1, Lynn and I took Lucy to her new rooms, stayed for lunch with her, then went home to pack up some belongings while Lucy attended mass at the facility.  We packed enough clothes for the winter months, and some personal effects, like photographs of the great-granddaughters she loved so much. 

The next step was to allow the family to claim what they wanted from the house.  Children came from out of state to pack up/claim what they wanted.  Then, with the help of the real estate agent, we selected those items that would stay in the house for staging.  I marked those items with painter’s tape.

Dining Room After Staging

A junk removal company, Ease Services, came to pick up the furniture we didn’t need for staging.  They took items in good condition to a charity.  Once the belongings were pared down, the entire house was painted and new carpet was installed.  Lynn had a handyman come and do some small cosmetic repairs.

I packed up the small items that we didn’t need for the showing, and with the help of Lucy’s daughter and grandson, the boxes got loaded and dropped off at a local donation center.  I used what was left to stage the house.  I brought in some accent pieces and colorful towels, and set the dining room table.  It looked like a warm, loving home.  

The house was listed on a Thursday.  By Saturday, it sold!  Yes, that quickly!  What did that mean?  The rest of the cabinets had to be emptied, and the furniture removed.  No rest here!  So the phone calls started again. 

Lynn had friends/family come in to take what they wanted/needed for themselves or children who were moving into their own apartments.  Lynn got estimates from moving companies for shipping her sibling’s items to her in Idaho.  Their brother drove up from Florida with a van to get his things.  Once we knew what was unclaimed, I finished emptying all the cabinets, garage, laundry room, etc., and boxed everything up for

Parlor After Staging

charity.

Ease Services came for a second load, taking the items we knew wouldn’t sell.  Then I called an auction house, who loaded up their truck the same day as Lucy Three's load, and paid Lucy Two for what they took away.  I finished cleaning out the garage, taking the garbage to the dumpster, and the last of the donations to Goodwill.  

The house was empty!!  The closing took place on March 28.  It was a real whirlwind of activity.  Thank goodness Lynn worked close to her mom’s house, so between the two of us, we were able to meet with drivers, repairmen, etc..  And although there were a few glitches, it all worked out in the end.  My final task was to mail some mementos we found in Lucy’s drawers to her daughter in Idaho and her grandson in Oregon. 

Lynn and I are going to dinner to celebrate! 

Click here to see Lucy One's Story
Click here to see Lucy Three's Story

A Tale of Three “Lucy”s – Lucy One Is Moving!

A Tale of Three “Lucy”s – Lucy One

You have probably heard from several sources to plan ahead when moving.  It’s never too early to start thinking about what to pack and how it will get to the new facility.  This past November, I was faced with three moves at the same time.  I will call my clients Lucy 1, Lucy 2 and Lucy 3. 

Lucy 1 lived in an apartment on the 15^th floor.  The view was wonderful, the space was large.  But there was this pesky little issue of persistent leaks that the property manager shrugged off as a small problem.  But mold growing under the carpet for years, and several trips to the hospital were hardly small issues for my client, retired from her teaching position.  It was time for a move.

Lucy 2 lived in a maintenance-free townhouse.  At 89 years old, her memory was failing and she had caregivers coming every day to help her dress and eat.  As her disease progressed, it became clear to the daughter that her mother needed someone watching her 24 hours/day. 

Lucy 3 lived in a development specifically for residents over 55 years of age.  The homes were single family, but maintenance-free.  A widow, she lived there alone, but had children and grandchildren in the area to help.  She was able to drive, but when her multiple sclerosis and the weather got worse, she was unable to go outside.  She had to rely more and more on others, and began falling more frequently.  When she fell, she couldn’t get up on her own.  She decided to move to assisted living.

Over the next few posts, I will tell the stories of each of my clients and the unique challenges each faced. 

Here is the story of Lucy 1:

Lucy One lived in a suburban apartment building, close to the train, shopping and many amenities.  Physical limitations prevented her from enjoying most of these attractions.  However, the view west from her 15^th floor apartment was unobstructed and breathtaking throughout the seasons.  The building had onsite laundry facilities, handicap access, handicap parking, secure access and onsite maintenance staff.

As I stated above though, the unit had one big problem – the sliding patio doors leaked, and when it rained, water came in.  At first, we thought it was only during heavy rains.  The water would soak the carpet and seep up upholstered furniture a good 6-8 feet into the room.  After a serious health scare, Lucy had a mold inspector come in to assess the damage.

New Kitchen Before Unpacking

Lucy was in the hospital at the time, so I met the inspectors and gave them access to the unit.  As it turned out, the problem was more extent than we imagined.  Even small amounts of rain were apparently getting through the door.  Mold can’t grow without moisture, and the amount present under the carpet indicated it had been there a long time.  The property manager agreed to replace the carpet, but never addressed the fact that the water was still coming in.  And as long as it still leaked, the mold would continue to grow.  My client decided, with the help of a lawyer, to walk out of her lease.

New Living Room Before Unpacking

She began searching for a new apartment—farther east and closer to the lake.  She wanted a view of the water now that she was retired and home all day to look out her windows.  Well, she found that view, but lost many other features of her old apartment.  Thus began my challenges as a move coordinator.

The new apartment was smaller, and different configurations meant furniture couldn’t be used as it was in the old place.  Lucy had some tough decisions to make.  What furniture/belongings would she take with her, what would she donate, and could she afford offsite storage for the rest? 

She directed me from her extended stay facility.  I would bring photos, and she would tell me what to do with the items.  After several trips, I had marked everything that would be trashed, and packed up what would be going with.  I also set aside boxes for donations.  Her brother helped in this process, taking many of the larger items to the dumpster and helping with packing.  He also brought some boxes to the new apartment before moving day.

Living Room After Some Unpacking

On moving day, the weekend before Thanksgiving, the movers arrived at my house to pick up a piece of furniture my client had had refinished.  They then went to the apartment, where my client’s brother met them to supervise.  The apartment and two storage lockers had to be emptied.  After the truck was loaded and gone, I went to the old apartment and did a final look-through.  It was not necessary to do a thorough cleaning, as the apartment was being gutted and getting a complete make-over.  (Mind you, my client had been living there for 17 years, during which time the building did nothing to update the space.)  But again, they were doing this with the door still leaking.  Good luck to the new tenants.

I closed up the old space, checked the mail for the last time and dropped off the keys. 

I didn’t go to the new apartment on moving day, but went during the week to unpack the priority boxes – kitchen, linens, etc.  Lucy was still at extended stay.  She moved in on Thanksgiving, and was able to enjoy a take-out dinner with her brother and his partner.  There were still boxes to unpack, but at least she was in a healthy environment – no water leaks, no mold. 

Kitchen After Unpacking

The new building and apartment presented challenges, though.  There was no handicap access, no parking for visitors, small elevators, and no garbage chute.  Lucy hired others to help with the unpacking. And while it is a work in progress several months later, it is looking much better!  Many of the boxes still there will be emptied as the rest of the furniture comes in from the storage unit.  I’ve taken in even more donations as we determine there is no home for the items in the new space.  Lucy has purchased organizing systems that will make the most of the space she does have.

Yes, we are still moving things around as we figure out the best configuration for her.  But that’s part of the process.  This was an unexpected move.  My client really had no intentions of moving at this stage of her life.  Yet it was best for her health.  And with proper planning and cooperation all around, it came together. 

If the sun ever shines in Chicago again, Lucy will see that magic place on earth where sky meets water – right from her window.

Click here to see Lucy Two's Story
Click here to see Lucy Three's Story