Get Your Senior to Reduce Clutter

7 Ways to Help Your Senior Reduce Clutter

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When a senior’s home is overflowing with stuff, it can become a safety hazard. For example, while some falls are caused by physical decline, clutter in one’s surroundings can raise the odds of an accident, regardless of the senior’s condition. In this article, we’ll pinpoint a few strategies you can use to help a loved one reduce clutter in a comfortable and manageable way:

1. Have an open conversation

Bringing up the topic of clutter can be a challenging task. However, if it has become a safety hazard for your elder, it is something that you must discuss. Acknowledge the issue as tactfully as possible and offer help. If your loved one accepts the offer, it’s time to start working on an organizational plan.

Conversation about a Decluttering Plan

2. Make a plan

Before you begin the decluttering project, check the house and make a list of what needs to be done. Investigate every room and take note of all potential safety hazards. The clutter may obstruct exits, cause structural damage, or hide issues like mildew. Once you have a clear picture of what you need to organize and declutter, make a simple strategy. You can, for instance, go room by room, and create three separate boxes for things your loved one wants to keep, donate, or throw out. You can find a few extra tips in this article.

3. Focus on the furniture

When starting the decluttering process, make sure the house is designed in such a way as to ensure your loved one’s comfort and safety in all areas of it. As such, always try to look at furniture from a safety perspective. For example, you might want to remove furniture that is too low or has sharp edges.

4. And hazardous items

Likewise, there are many hazardous items that should be removed or replaced in a senior’s home. Here are a few examples:

  • Old rugs
  • Old or broken chairs/couches
  • Power tools or equipment
  • Old medications
  • Expired food
  • Unused electronics and wires
  • And so on.

5. Make a place for everything

Every item in the home should have its place. That means books should be on a shelf, kitchenware should be in the kitchen, and toiletries should be in the bathroom. Misplacing items can cause the house to become cluttered and, consequently, make your loved one forget where things should go. Helping your loved one establish a place for everything will make the whole house more organized.

6. Understand their wishes

Although this might feel like a sensitive conversation, you can take this opportunity to talk to your senior and document their specific wishes for heirlooms and valuable items. Do they want to donate it to charity? Leave it to a relative? Be sure that these wishes are then added to your senior’s will so that there are no discrepancies down the road. 

7. Get professional help

Many companies, like ClutterBGone, can assist you in culling through your loved one’s belongings, deciding what to keep, discard, give away or donate. A professional organizer can ensure everything is safe and comfortable for your senior, boosting their overall health and well-being.

At the end of the day, decluttering is about quality of life. If you want your loved one to have a safe and clean environment, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team of experts. We are always ready to help seniors and their families by providing professional advice and the best decluttering services.