There are many things most of us can do for ourselves … mow the lawn, clean the house, clean out a closet, paint a room. If we want to do it and we have the time, we can accomplish almost anything. So, why would you ever hire someone to do something you can do yourself? There are lots of reasons that we all hire people to do things, time, motivation and sometimes just because we can. For many people downsizing is something they can accomplish on their own, so why should they consider bringing in a professional?
Downsizing is often a complex, overwhelming process that requires time, effort and some level of knowledge. We encounter many people that have accomplished it on their own or with the help of family and friends. If you've done it, congratulations! There are an equal number of people we’ve met that are very apprehensive about the process, some have put it off or abandoned their dream to achieve a simpler lifestyle and the ability to live like they want. It's not always a move to a senior community, there are many ways people choose to restructure their life. Sometimes it's a condo so that they can come and go as they please without all the worries of a home. Sometimes it's aging in place, but decluttering the house so that it's safer and less stressful. Whatever the goal, there are several benefits of hiring someone to help you downsize, benefits that extend well beyond simply accomplishing the physical work. Here are the top 4 advantages of bringing in a professional to help:
1. Maintaining Independence and control – getting some help allows you to keep control of every phase of the process and every decision. Having experts on hand can help you think through the decisions you have to make and provide unbiased information. It's done the way you want, how you want and when you want. Without the stress of “getting it all done”, you can make well thought out, well informed and independent choices. Without the burden of the workload, you'll give yourself the ability to pay attention to all the details, giving you more confidence in what you've done. You've ensured an organized and dignified transition … exactly what you want, need and deserve.
2. Avoid the potential of being exploited – downsizers bring with them a network of trusted and tested service providers. You won't have to worry about finding, trusting and following up with contractors, movers, estate sellers, etc. Those service providers have relationships with the downsizing company that they need to protect, guaranteeing you fair pricing, great service and quality work.
3. Decreased family stress - this is a big one! Even the most well-adjusted families strain under the pressure of the complexity and stress of a project like this. I’m not suggesting that family can't or shouldn't help, they should. But, if there's a third party focused solely on the needs/wants of their client with practical, unbiased ideas and opinions, there is far less emotion. There’s also a side benefit … without the the mental and physical burden, the family can focus on the parent or relative and their emotional needs during the transition. They can focus on the person while we focus on their “stuff”.
4. Built in problem solving – every project hits a bump or two. With a professional on your side you've got someone with the both the expertise to foresee potential problems and the skills to solve them when they do happen. They'll either know the solution or be able to quickly research so that you have the information you need to look at the problem and feel confident in the solution you choose to stay on track.