Posted: October 11, 2021
For older adults, downsizing to an assisted living apartment doesn’t need to be stressful or scary. With a little bit of planning and creativity it’s easy to create a stylish and functional home. Dayspring Villa resident, Carole Howell share’s her best tips and tricks on downsizing and maximizing enjoyment and space in a studio apartment. You can read more of Carole’s tips and tricks in Part 1 of this 2-part series.
I hope that people that come to Dayspring Villa will look at the activity list, and think to themselves, “How many times am I going to go to activities? How much time am I going to spend outside of my apartment? Do I have any hobbies? Do I like to do puzzles?” It’s important to think about what brings you joy and how you can create your space to reflect who you are and function for your needs.
Are you a recliner person? Are you an Ikea bench person? Think about what kind of a person you are. What do you like? What do you not like? What about that huge window – do I want to be able to see out all the time? Do I want some pretty film on it to reflect light in? Do I want plants? These are all important questions to ask yourself when downsizing to an assisted living apartment.
Don’t Be Afraid to Try and Buy New ThingsA lot of the time, the artwork people bring to their new assisted living apartment is what they had in their house for years. Maybe it’s time for something new. What about a really beautiful piece that can go over your bed area or in the living room? It’s almost like a treat that they can look at and go, “Wow, look at that! That’s so cool.” If you always wanted to go to Ireland but haven’t had the chance, why not print some beautiful pictures from your computer of Irish castles and have them framed to put on your walls. That is a special little thing you can do to make your space your own.
Some of the best places I’ve shopped at are second hand stores and Habitat for Humanity. They have really cool lamps and vases, and the money goes towards something so good, I love that! I also like to go to the Dollar Tree or Wal-Mart and at the bottom of the flower section are $1 flowers You can get some great ones that are on clearance. You may feel overwhelmed if there are a lot of options, but the rule of thumb is to keep it simple. There’s always a rule you can follow to help – three colors, or five colors, always do things in an oddball number and try not to go over that. You can easily decorate without breaking the bank. And for the tech savvy folks out there, now we have Amazon!
A nice little 4-piece set of really pretty little dishes would do the trick. A favorite store of mine is Old World Market. They have really interesting, unique things that can add a lot of character to your home. Adding a new set of curtains on the windows can make such a difference and adds a wonderful coziness to your space. And don’t forget the shower curtain, this little detail can turn a plain bathroom into a spa of relaxation. It’s all about the little details that can turn a drab space into a fabulous and beautiful space.
The most important rule is that the person who will be living in the apartment gets the most say. All of these things need to be thought out and discussed prior to move in day. There needs to be communication and plan. Nothing creates more stress than not knowing where anything is because there was no communication and items were haphazardly packed and unloaded into the new home. Use this as an opportunity to purge of old raggedy items and buy new, beautiful things that will fit your space and bring you joy.
I see so many families moving in and the mom or the dad aren’t even a part of the decision-making process. At the end of the day, it is important to remember who exactly it is that will be living in this space, they get the final word on decisions. Planning and communication can go a very long way to creating a happy, functional home . Dayspring Villa is an all-inclusive Assisted Living community located in the beautiful Sloans Lake area. Not sure you’re ready to make the move? Here is a guide to help you decide.
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