When seniors get together and socialize, grandchildren are often a topic of conversation. So is commiserating that "our kids don't want our stuff." It's common that homes are filled with a lifetime of accumulated possessions. Deciding what to do with it all is an issue for many seniors. And, the next generation typically doesn't want shelves of knickknacks and collectibles, silver that needs polishing, dishes that can't go in the dishwasher and family mementoes that have been stored in closets and basements for a few decades.
Decluttering has become a popular term. There are many resources and businesses that help people organize and declutter. A house full of belongings can be especially stressful and burdensome when people decide to downsize, move to be closer to family or health issues force a move. This is even more stressful when the move happens in a crisis situation.
Professional "move managers" can provide valuable assistance and help people better manage the challenging and emotional process to sift, sort, organize, donate, move and dispose of possessions. The National Association of Senior and Specialty Move Managers (NASMM) is a professional association of move managers that assists clients of all ages and life situations. A main focus is helping people, especially seniors, transition to another place. It also help people make changes in their current home to age in place or prepare for a future move. Members of NASMM must have general business liability insurance and meet strict requirements related to training and adherence to a code of ethics.
While there are often multiple businesses in large cities, smaller communities typically have only one business certified by NASMM. Golden Bridges, headquartered in Quincy, is the only move management business certified by NASMM that serves the Springfield area.
Suzanne Ellerbrock is president of this women-owned business. Ellerbrock, Susan Scholz and Nancy Waters founded Golden Bridges in 2013 after winning $10,000 in a business plan competition sponsored by the Quincy Chamber of Commerce. Over the past 11 years, they have served 450 clients. Terri Hempstead is now a Springfield liaison for Golden Bridges.
"We provide help and expertise to people who are overwhelmed with the task of downsizing or moving. By working with them, and honoring their decisions, we enable them to live life better." This is Golden Bridges specialty as stated on its website.
Sometimes there are no family members who are available, able or willing to help. Sometimes the client doesn't want family members involved. The decision-making process can be very emotional. The Golden Bridges team provides professional expertise and an independent perspective with no emotional attachments. They can help clients document the significance of items so family members have that information. "We help keep relationships intact," said Ellerbrock.
A time-consuming part of the process is helping the client make difficult decisions about what to keep and what will be moved, given to family members, donated, sold, recycled, shredded, pitched, etc. If the move is local, a team visits the new destination to take measurements and review the layout in order to propose a floorplan template to the client. If the destination is remote, a floorplan is requested. The move managers produce a plan for furniture placement and help the client select items that will fit, according to ADA standards.
Our motto is, "We provide solutions in times of transition," says Hempstead. "What makes Golden Bridges unique in the Quincy-to-Springfield region is the 'soup-to-nuts' scope of our services. As professional move managers, we solve whatever needs to be done."
Things that differentiate a move management company include being licensed, bonded and insured; having professional certifications; and coordinating all elements of the timeline for the downsize and move. Services can include scheduling and coordinating a moving company, arranging for an auctioneer, determining where to donate items and unpacking and settling-in at the new home. The goal is to repurpose as much as possible. The team ensures all the items get to their final destination.
The timeline varies significantly. Golden Bridges works with some clients for a couple of weeks and others for more than a year. Golden Bridges determines one all-inclusive fee for specific services following a free consultation to better understand the client's goals and intentions. In some cases, this may be all a person needs to get started on their own.
Ellerbrock says that many people have to make decisions in crisis mode when something happens that triggers the necessity for a move. She recommends seniors start thinking about this well in advance in order to make decisions while they can and ensure their wishes can be carried out. For many, a big fear is their children putting everything into a dumpster.
What we hear all the time is, "I never knew such a thing as senior move management existed," said Hempstead. "It's a service business that is growing very fast in large cities, and we are bringing it to Springfield."