Clutter can build up in a home and become overwhelming. Clutter can also be dangerous and make a home unsafe for seniors who are living there. Often seniors who are aging at home have to make an effort to get rid of clutter because they have accumulated so much stuff over the years. If seniors are living in the family home they have lived in for decades it’s only natural that they will have amassed a lot of stuff. But getting rid of some of that and decluttering the home is important for seniors who want to stay in that home safely as they get older. They may need to hire home care assistance providers to help them continue living safely in their homes.
Some ways that seniors can tackle the clutter in their homes are:
Digitize As Much As Possible
A great way to get rid of all those photos, cards, newspapers, and other paper media is to take photos and videos of all that stuff with a smartphone and save those photos and videos instead of keeping the actual items. Photos and paper-based items will deteriorate over time anyway, so it’s better to get rid of them. Digital photo frames can display dozens of digital photos in a rotation so seniors can still look at all their beloved photos and paper materials without hanging onto the actual items.
Use Wall Space
For items that seniors really don’t want to get rid of but need to be up off the floor or out of the way, seniors can use the vertical space on their walls. Hanging up photos, cards, newspaper clippings, and other items means that seniors will still be able to see them whenever they want but the items won’t be causing a tripping hazard. Memory boards and other creative wall hangings can make it possible to hang up almost any items that seniors want to keep. And standard wall shelves can give seniors a safe place to display items that can’t be hung up individually.
Get A Professional Organizer and Home Care Assistance Aides
A professional organizer that works with seniors can help seniors go through their clutter and decide what they want to keep and what they want to get rid of. Then they can create a custom organizational system that will be safer for the senior parent and allow them to be comfortable at home without as great of a risk of falling. Professional organizers can be a big help to seniors who want to reorganize their homes with safety as a priority. Their home care assistance aides can make sure the seniors continue this pattern for their safety.
Store Items Seniors Aren’t Ready To Get Rid Of
If your senior parent really isn’t ready to let go of some of their larger items, furniture, books, or clothes the best solution is to store those items. Whether you store them in the garage or in a rented storage unit getting the items out of the house will make your senior parent’s space safe while at the same time giving them the peace of mind of knowing their items are safe and sound.