by Gary Foreman

Moving out the family home can be a big decision. You should answer these questions before deciding to sell and downsize to a smaller house.

Your kids have moved out, and since they have good jobs, it’s unlikely they’ll be moving back. You’re getting tired of all the maintenance and have started thinking that it’s time to downsize and move to a smaller home or apartment.

But, unlike past moves where each home was bigger than the last, this time you’ll be moving to a smaller home.

We wanted to find out if there were any issues that need to be addressed when baby boomers move out of the family homestead into a smaller residence. To help us answer these questions, we contacted Ross Sapir. Mr. Sapir is CEO and Founder of Roadway Moving in New York.

Q: Assuming that they’re downsizing, what’s the best way for empty nesters to estimate what will fit into their new smaller home?

Mr. Sapir: The best way to plan ahead on what will fit in a new home is to get the measurements beforehand.

Finding a moving company that will measure your new location for you to better help you plan ahead will make the transition into a new home seamless.

Related: Downsizing Your Stuff When Moving to a Smaller House

Q: Many empty nesters have been in the same house for years. What’s the procedure for finding the right moving company and how long should it take to find them?

Mr. Sapir: Do your research before choosing any moving company. Looking on sites like Yelp or Angi will offer customer reviews as well as insight into what the experience will be like.

At Roadway, we offer storage units for people who don’t want to let go of their most prized possessions, which would be important for anyone having to downsize.

Q: Are there some items that most empty nesters move to their new residence?

Mr. Sapir: Their new residence will most likely come with limited space, so they can’t bring everything with them. However, I’ve noticed that they usually always pack their favorite linens.

Q: Is there a way to estimate how long it will take to prepare for a move (including time to reduce the number of possessions)?

Mr. Sapir: We suggest prepping or at least having help from family members two to three weeks in advance to help organize and sell furniture and other belongings that they can’t bring.

By allowing enough time before the move, the process will go much smoother on move-in day.

Related: Dividing Up Family Heirlooms When Downsizing

Q:When empty nesters move out of the family home, often they need some things to be delivered to other family members or friends. Can a moving company deliver to more than one location?

Mr. Sapir: It’s important to do your research when choosing a moving company. Roadway Moving will be happy to provide additional services like dropping off belongings at more than one location to help ease the stress of trying to find a place for everything in your home. Not all companies will do this, so it’s important to ask beforehand.

Related Articles

• Advice and Tips for a Cross-Country Move
• Downsizing Without Guilt
• Tax Consequences of Selling Your Home in Your 50s or 60s
• Does Home Ownership or Renting Make More Sense In Retirement?

Reviewed August 2023

About the Expert

Ross Sapir is the CEO and Founder of Roadway Moving, NYC’s premiere moving company.

About the Author

Gary Foreman is the former owner and editor of the After50Finances.com website and newsletters in 1996. He's the author of How to Conquer Debt No Matter How Much You Have and he's been featured in MSN Money, Yahoo Finance, Fox Business, The Nightly Business Report, US News Money, Credit.com and CreditCards.com.