Moving later in life is different from any other move. It often means leaving a home that holds decades of memories, deciding what to keep, and settling into a smaller house, an apartment or a senior living community. The right help makes it manageable, for the person moving and for the family helping them. This guide explains what senior moving services include, how to plan the move, and how to choose the right people to help in the Richmond area.
What Are Senior Moving Services?
“Senior moving services” covers several kinds of help. It helps to know the difference, because they are not the same thing:
- Moving companies: provide the crew and truck to pack, load, transport and unload your belongings.
- Senior move managers: professionals who plan the whole transition. According to the National Association of Senior & Specialty Move Managers, they typically help with planning, sorting and downsizing, floor plans, selling or donating items, hiring and supervising movers, and unpacking and setting up the new home.
- Packing and unpacking help: hands-on assistance with wrapping, boxing and setting up the new space.
- Cleanout and junk removal: clearing a home after the move or ahead of a sale.
Many families use a combination: a move manager or family member to plan and sort, and a professional moving company for the heavy work. Some move managers work with a local mover to complete the job.
When to Start Planning
Start earlier than you think. Sorting a home that has been lived in for many years takes longer than packing it. A reasonable plan:
- 8 to 12 weeks before: choose the new home, measure the rooms and decide what will fit. Start sorting rarely used rooms.
- 6 to 8 weeks before: get moving estimates, book your date and begin donating, selling or passing on belongings.
- 3 to 4 weeks before: pack out-of-season items, arrange utilities and update your address.
- The week before: pack the essentials, label everything by room and set aside the items you will carry yourself.
- Moving day: be present or have a trusted person there, and walk through the home at the end.
For a longer look at planning, read our guides to senior downsizing in Virginia and moving to Richmond after retirement.
Downsizing Without the Overwhelm
- Start with the easy rooms: Guest rooms, garages and storage closets build momentum before the harder decisions.
- Use the floor plan: Measure the new home and decide the furniture first. Everything else follows.
- Sort into four groups: keep, give to family, donate or sell, and discard.
- Take photos of sentimental items you will not have room for, and pass keepsakes on to family while you can enjoy doing it.
- Go at a gentle pace: Short sessions are easier than marathon days, especially emotionally.
Our post on what to do with stuff you can’t take when moving and our junk removal service can help with what is left.
What a Moving Company Can Do for You
At Cavalier Moving, our residential moving crews can:
- Pack a few rooms or the whole home, and supply boxes and padding
- Take extra care with art, antiques and other valuables
- Move furniture, including heavy and awkward pieces, and protect floors and doorways
- Reassemble beds and furniture at the new home through our furniture assembly service
- Unpack and place boxes where you want them
- Work on a day and time that suits you, with an estimate before you book
We are a moving company rather than a senior move manager, so we do the packing, lifting and transport. If you want someone to manage the sorting and downsizing as well, a senior move manager can work alongside a mover.
How to Choose a Mover You Can Trust
- Get a written estimate that states the rate, crew size and what is included.
- Check the company: Look up its USDOT number, read recent reviews and confirm it has a real local office. See moving scams and red flags in Virginia.
- Ask about insurance and how damage claims are handled. Our guide to moving insurance in Virginia explains it.
- Ask about experience with senior moves, stairs and specialty items.
- Have a family member involved in the calls and the contract, if the person moving would like that.
Local Support for Older Adults
The Span Center is the Area Agency on Aging for Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover and nearby localities. It offers information and referral, care coordination and other services for older adults and caregivers. You can reach it at 804-343-3000. Henrico County also has its own Advocate for the Aging office for residents age 60 and older.
What a Senior Move Costs
The cost depends on the size of the home, how much you move and how much help you need. All moves in Richmond are billed hourly with an hourly minimum requirement. For real examples by home size, see our pricing page and our guide to mover costs per hour in Richmond. Senior move managers set their own fees, which vary and should be in a written estimate.
Ready for a straight answer on your move? Call Cavalier Moving at (804) 404-8048 or request a free estimate. We are open 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a senior move manager and a moving company?
A senior move manager plans and coordinates the whole transition, including sorting, downsizing and setting up the new home. A moving company supplies the crew and truck to pack, load, transport and unload. Many families use both.
How far in advance should we start planning a senior move?
Eight to twelve weeks is a good target, and earlier if the home is large or full. Sorting takes much longer than most people expect.
Can movers pack and unpack for an older adult?
Yes. Our crews can pack a few rooms or the whole home and can unpack and place boxes at the new home.
How much do senior moving services cost in Richmond?
It depends on the home and the help you need. Our all moves are billed hourly with an hourly minimum requirement, and our pricing page shows what customers paid for different home sizes.
Where can older adults in Richmond find other help?
The Span Center, the Area Agency on Aging for the Richmond region, offers information and referral at 804-343-3000, and Henrico County has an Advocate for the Aging office.