How to Move To A Retirement Village
As our circumstances change, whether it’s getting older or we need extra help in our day to day living, some of us may consider moving into a retirement home. Retirement villages can offer peace of mind to those who are looking for retirement communities while retaining independent living, or those in need of aged care on demand.
Retirement living in Sydney requires planning and forethought. Your next chapter in living arrangements should not be a headache. To make it as stress free as possible, we highly recommend taking the following steps.
Shopping Around
When shopping around for retirement homes in Sydney, there are many things to consider when choosing the right one for you. What size place would you want? How independent do you want to live? What facilities do you need? What can you afford?
We recommend speaking to financial advisers to set up a financial plan of action before committing to any lifestyle change. What can you afford now, and how much can you afford as you get older? Will you buy an apartment outright or will you pay fees to live in a privately owned centre?
Before signing any contracts, investigate to see if you would be paying for: shares in a village; units in a unit trust; a community title; a leasehold; a strata with restrictions; or fees for a license to lease the unit in the village.
Don’t forget to account for bills for utilities, maintenance, and, of course, a bond or deposit. Furthermore, check in with Centrelink to see if any of your pension entitlements change under your new circumstances. Make sure you are aware of any changes to your income, passive or otherwise, that may occur when moving into a retirement village.
Once the practical stuff is sorted, you can then start shopping around for the aesthetic and form that works for you. Do you need a place without stairs? Do you want a garden? Do you want to keep pets? How much sunlight do you want streaming in, and how regulated do you need the temperature to be throughout the year?
Other questions you may ask yourself could include: how many neighbours do I want? What neighbourhood do I want to be close to? Do I want to stay close to family, medical facilities, public transport, my favourite shopping districts?
Hopefully, most of these questions will be answered naturally when you look for what’s nearby your current living situation. It just pays to be prepared for costs and compromise.
Downsizing
You can see it all over the internet, a trend that has been repackaged and sold in different ways but ultimately stays the same fundamental idea: it is time for you to downsize. Declutter. Minimise. Marie Kondo your life, only keep things that spark joy.
When planning for retirement living, reducing the number of items you need to move or store can lessen the stress of the day, but also the magnitude of estate planning. That’s right, in our golden years we need to think about what happens to our belongings after we’re gone. Not the most enjoyable task, but practical in the long run.
For tips to help you approach what can be a seemingly insurmountable job, check out our page on decluttering.
Furniture Removals
A part of the downsizing process may require the removal of items too big for the car. This could be furniture, or whitegoods, electronics, or ceramics. VMove Removals has the moving service to suit your need. Whether it is to transport to a buyer, a charity warehouse, or to the tip, our team of expert movers and specialised trucks will take these heavy goods away.
For the day of the move, VMove’s team of professional movers will efficiently get you to your new accommodation. With over five years’ experience and all the tools of the trade to move your belongings with care, our team understands our customers want removalists who listen, know what they are doing and don’t waste time.
Sorting & Packing
So, you have found the retirement home that suits you and the moving day is on the horizon. Things can move quickly and before you know it, you have a whole house of memories to sort through, let alone pack up. Thankfully, V-Move Removals offers a full service package which includes both packing and moving.
Our packing services include packing and unpacking and free moving boxes for hire if you book at least a week in advance. Our expert packers are trained in the thoughtful and sophisticated task of stowing away your belongings.
At V-Move, we make sure we get enough details to give you the most realistic quote from the outset. With a choice between plastic boxes for hire, or buying cardboard boxes outright for longer storage, our packers will be ready and organized with all the materials you need.
