The Short Version
Downsizing is really two jobs. The first is deciding what to keep. The second is moving it. The first job is slow, personal, and often emotional. The second job is fast if the first one is done well.
We are JH Moving, a licensed Bay Area mover (Cal-T201700). Our senior moving service handles the second job: packing, moving, and setting up the new home. This guide covers both jobs, because the move only goes smoothly when the decisions are made first.
Here is the order that works:
- Get the floor plan of the new place, with measurements.
- Measure your large furniture.
- Decide what fits and what matters most.
- Plan where everything else goes.
- Pack, move, and set up.
When to Start
For a planned move, start 2 to 3 months ahead. That sounds like a lot. It isn't. A family home holds decades of life, and sorting goes slowly when every drawer has a story.
A simple timeline:
- 8 to 12 weeks out: Get the floor plan. Start sorting low-emotion spaces like the linen closet, guest room, and garage.
- 4 to 6 weeks out: Book your mover. Ask the new community for its move-in rules in writing, including elevator times, parking, and insurance papers.
- 3 to 4 weeks out: Schedule family pickups, estate sales, consignment drop-offs, and donation pickups. Each one needs lead time.
- 1 to 2 weeks out: Pack. For anything larger than a 1-bedroom, pack on a different day than the move. Two short days are easier on everyone than one long one.
- Move day: Only what is going gets loaded.
When there is no time. Sometimes a fall or a hospital stay means the move happens in days. Then the goal changes. Move what the person needs to feel at home on night one: the bed, bathroom items, medications, clothes for a week, and a few favorite things. The rest can wait in the old house for a few weeks while the family sorts at a calmer pace.
Measure the New Place First
Do not start with your stuff. Start with the space. The floor plan tells you what fits, and that answers half your questions before you open a single box.
Assisted living apartments. Ask for a floor plan of your exact unit with room sizes marked. A generic brochure plan is not enough. Also ask what the community provides, so you don't bring things you won't need.
Condos and 55+ communities. In places like Rossmoor in Walnut Creek, check closet space, storage lockers, and the size of the patio or balcony. Count the kitchen cabinets. Ask about elevator reservations.
ADUs and in-law units. Many are one main room plus a small kitchen and bath. Measure doorways and any stairs or loft ladders. A queen bed may fit the room but not the path to get there.
Measure the big pieces. Measure the sofa, bed, dresser, dining table, recliner, and desk. Get length, width, and height. For anything that has to turn through a doorway, measure the diagonal too.
Two tricks that help:
- Tape it out. Use painter's tape on the floor of your current home to outline the new living room or bedroom. Then you can see what fits instead of guessing.
- Closet rod math. Measure the closet rod in the new place. Mark that same length on your current rod. Whatever hangs inside the mark is your clothing budget.
How to Decide What to Keep
Use four piles. Keep, Family, Sell or Donate, and Toss. Use colored tape or sticky notes so everyone, including the movers, can see the decision.
Work in short sessions. One to two hours is plenty. Stop before anyone gets tired. Tired people either keep everything or throw away things they later miss.
Start easy. Begin with rooms that hold little emotion: the linen closet, the garage, the guest room. Save photos, letters, and keepsakes for last, when everyone has some practice.
Ask good questions. Do I use this every week? Is there a spot for it on the floor plan? Would I buy it again today? Does it make me happy to see it?
The person moving decides. Adult children, this one is for you. It is your parent's home and your parent's life. Offer options. Don't overrule. A favorite chair that "doesn't match" may be the thing that makes the new apartment feel like home.
Keep the story, not always the thing. Take photos of pieces you let go. Make one memory box for small treasures. Scan old photos and share them with the whole family.
Room by Room
Kitchen. Most kitchens hold three times what one or two people use. Keep daily dishes for four, a few good pots, and the tools you reach for weekly. Holiday platters and extra glassware are good family or donation items.
Bedroom and closets. Use the closet rod math above. Keep seasonal clothes you actually wear. Bedding should match the new bed size.
Living room. Pick seating that fits the floor plan and is easy to get in and out of. One comfortable chair you love beats a sofa set that crowds the room.
Garage, attic, and basement. These spaces often hold the most stuff and the least emotion. Start here early. Paint, chemicals, and propane need your county's household hazardous waste program. Movers can't take them.
Papers and valuables. Gather wills, financial papers, medications, and jewelry in one bag. That bag rides with you, not on the truck.
What to Do With Everything Else
Every item that is not moving needs a place to go. Each option has a different lead time.
- Family. Offer pieces early. Set a firm pickup date. Mark family items clearly so they don't get loaded with the move.
- Estate sale. An estate sale company prices and sells items in the home, usually for a share of the sales. It takes weeks to arrange and works best when there is a lot to sell. This is a separate business. We don't run estate sales.
- Consignment and selling. Consignment shops and online marketplaces work for furniture, art, and jewelry with real value. Be ready for prices that are lower than you hope. Large wood furniture and china sets often sell for less than families expect.
- Donation. Thrift stores and Habitat for Humanity ReStores (the East Bay has stores in Oakland and Concord) take usable furniture and household goods. Donation pickups often need a few days of scheduling. During your move, our crew can also drop usable items at a local donation center on the same trip.
- Haul-away. For broken, worn, or unwanted items, our junk removal service works during your move. Same crew, same truck. Labor is billed hourly with the move, and dump fees are passed through at cost and quoted upfront.
- Storage. If the old house will sit empty for a while, or a family member wants a piece later, storage can buy time. Our full-service storage option moves items to a trusted local facility and back out when you are ready. Set a decision date, because monthly costs add up.
Where Movers Fit In
A good mover makes the last step easy. Here is what our crew does on a downsizing move:
- Packs room by room with our full-service packing team, labels boxes by the room they go to, and unpacks at the new place.
- Takes apart and rebuilds beds, tables, and other furniture.
- Places each piece where the floor plan says it goes.
- Makes the bed, sets up the bathroom with medications in reach, and unpacks enough of the kitchen to make a meal.
- Follows the community's move-in rules, including elevator times and insurance papers.
- Leaves behind anything marked for family, donation, or storage.
What we don't do: sort belongings, help decide what to keep, appraise items, or run sales. If you want a professional for that part, read our guide to senior move management in the East Bay.
What Senior Downsizing Costs
The move. We bill by the hour: $150 for 2 movers, $200 for 3, and $250 for 4. A downsizing move from a 2-bedroom home usually takes 5 to 9 hours with 3 movers. A full 3-bedroom house into a 1-bedroom apartment usually takes 7 to 12 hours and often needs 4 movers. Packing supplies are quoted separately. California double drive time applies. A $100 deposit holds your date and goes toward the final bill. Every estimate includes a written Not to Exceed price.
Everything else. Move managers, estate sale companies, storage, and dump fees each have their own pricing. Get each one in writing.
How to spend less. Sort before the movers come. Fewer items means fewer hours. You can also pack the easy rooms yourself and have pros pack only the kitchen and fragile items.
Bay Area Help Worth Knowing
Every county has an Area Agency on Aging with free help for seniors and caregivers. You can find yours through the California Department of Aging or by calling 800-510-2020. They can point you to in-home help, housing lists, and caregiver support.
Before you hire any mover, check their license with the California Bureau of Household Goods and Services. Ours is Cal-T201700.
Many of the downsizing moves we see start in Walnut Creek, Lafayette, and Orinda. Hillside homes with long driveways and stairs take extra planning. If that sounds like your home, our Orinda moving page covers what to expect.
Ready When You Are
Downsizing is hard. The move doesn't have to be. When your plan is set, call (510) 495-1884 for a free estimate. We are family-owned, licensed under Cal-T201700, and proud of 300+ five-star reviews. Hablamos Español.
Have more questions? Browse our moving FAQ page or see how our senior moving service works from start to finish.