A Guide to Stress-Free Moving for the Over 50’s

Thinking of moving now that you are approaching retirement age or making use of your hard earned pension money?

Do you have a good retirement moving plan? Or a plan for moving in early retirement that until now is not that good?

In this article I will offer you some stress-free moving tips as well as introduce you to some destinations you may not have considered.

Many of us fortunate enough to be born in the late 1960’s are fast approaching retirement age and the magic age of 55 when you have made the decision to ‘take a lump sum from my pension’ (www.gov.uk). Perhaps you now think it is time to ‘release the equity in my home’ realized in the housing booms of the 1980’s. Or you want to move closer to family. Or emigrate before Brexit. Or any one of the thousand reasons to move and finally enjoy some relaxation.

Moving abroad in retirement, or a flat by the sea or a cottage in the countryside are dreams for many of us and now we have the money to realize those dreams.

But where will you go? Where would you like to live in retirement?

Firstly, let’s look at some destinations that you may not have even considered as an option. You will have your own wish-list and aspirations for your retirement but one of these unconsidered destinations may be the answer to your dreams. Spend some time researching each as they will all have something unique to offer, but all have in common that they are well known destinations to spend your Golden Years. Therefore, each will have all the facilities and amenities you will need, as well as being beautiful places to spend all that relaxation time in.

Top 10 Places to Retire to In the UK (The Telegraph)

10: East Lindsey – Lincolnshire

9: Arun – East Sussex

8: West Dorset

7: Tendrig – Essex

6: East Dorset

5: East Devon

4: Rother – East Sussex

3: North Norfolk

2: West Somerset

1: Christchurch – Dorset

Top 10 UK Cities to Retire To (Business Insider UK)

10: Bradford

9: Cardiff

8: Leicester

7: Nottingham

6: Manchester

5: Belfast

4: Liverpool

3: Glasgow

2: Edinburgh

1: Birmingham

Top 10 Overseas Destination for Retirees (The Express)

There will certainly be destinations on the following list you will not have considered (your first reaction for a move overseas may be Europe, but Brexit looms and who knows how that will affect us) and will dismiss immediately, but take a few moments to research all you can about each, who knows if they are just what you are looking for.

Cheaper air travel makes all these destinations more accessible and all your friends and family will flock to visit you. Additionally what a topic for conversation at your coffee morning or in the office “I am moving abroad for my retirement, I am emigrating to Mexico”.  Imagine the kids’ faces when you tell them that!

But you are still young enough to have an adventure so let’s look at the next big destinations hotly tipped for UK retirees in 2017

10: Malta

9: Portugal

8: Nicaragua

7: Spain

6: Malaysia

5: Columbia

4: Costa Rica

3: Ecuador

2: Panama

1: Mexico

A few surprises on that list to say the least, and you will find many different lists on the Internet, but it has given you food for thought. There are many many moving options for the over 50s. After all, you are a young retiree so why stop your aspirations at Skegness.

Now is the time to plan your retirement move

So now hopefully you have decided on your destination. It offers everything you dreamt of and opened up opportunities for your new leisure activities, as well as addressing all your practical needs.  Destination decided. Money sat waiting.

Now the problems start, or do they? You have important questions to answer: How do you plan that dream move? Do you want to move by yourself or entrust your precious possessions to a removal company?

Thankfully, you are young enough to be tech savvy so your first reaction will be to head to the Internet to research your options. We all know the value of good and bad reviews so that is a good starting point – save yourself hours of Internet trawling and read as much of the invaluable information you can.

Now it is time to decide how you are going to physically move. Let’s look at the options for moving in retirement in a bit more detail. You cannot get this element of the move wrong so consider your options very carefully.

 Moving home the DIY way

Assuming you can prise your grandkids away from their mobile phones or games consoles, assuming your family live close by and can help, is moving yourself the best option?

If you hire your own van, will the insurance cover all your precious and sentimentally priceless items?

What happens if your self-hired van breaks down mid journey?

Do you even know how to pack a van safely?

Cost will be a major factor of how you decide to move but more importantly – do you want to risk sentimental or precious items being damaged?

How do you measure if that sofa will fit through the front door?

Can you risk personal injury moving your furniture? That sun tan will be uneven with a plaster cast, or even more distressing an injury to your wine glass lifting hand!

Can you even imagine how you will get that wardrobe down three flights of stairs?

Have you asked yourself ‘what documents or equipment do I need to transport my pets’?

You will inevitably encounter problems you have not even considered. Why waste precious relaxation time or create stress for yourself doing a self-move?

Moving home with the white van man

John, his mate and his transit van from the adverts in the back of the local newspaper may be cheap, but there are many questions that need to be answered before you choose the ‘man and a van’ option.

Most importantly, is he insured? He will have your entire life’s possessions in his care. Would you give a complete stranger the keys to your car and arrange to meet him the other side of the country or even the world? Of course not. But you are about to give a complete stranger every sentimental and valuable item you own. Will he disappear into the sunset with your possessions?

Does he have the equipment required to move that grand piano? A set of wheels from a supermarket trolley will not inspire confidence in his removal skills.

What happens if his van breaks down on moving day?

Does he have the detailed knowledge to get through customs or even to navigate to Margate?

Will he help or advise on how to safely pack your grandparents’ antique tea-set you inherited?

Most of these questions he will answer with “of course guv, done it a million times’’. But this is your money and your precious possessions, how can you know to trust him? The Internet is a great resource for researching businesses you can trust, or not trust, as the case may be, and one of the most respected sites for removal companies is right here. But somehow I do not think John and his mate will be on here………..

How to move stress-free

A professional removal company will not initially appear that cheap, but think about it. You are moving to improve your life, to relax and enjoy your retirement.

Start as you mean to go on. Whilst your precious items are heading towards your new life, you can be sat sipping a chilled glass of wine waiting for your delivery, knowing that everything is safely packaged and in the best possible care. Having read the customer reviews on reputable removal companies, you know you have chosen wisely, drawing from the experiences of real people who have recently used the services offered.

But choose wisely. There are thousands of removal companies. There are many questions you should ask and the following link will give you some pointers to the questions you may ask and many you may not even have considered to ask – learn how to choose the best removal company. From the initial visit from the removal company when they will give you a detailed quote, advice on packing and the full range of services they can offer, you will know you made the right choice based on real experiences from fellow movers.

So now, as your safely packaged, safely handled and safely loaded possessions head to your new life, you can sit back and relax. It is not your problem how they get to Margate or Marseilles. Not your problem if there is a two hour delay at customs. Not your problem that the kitchen table weighs nearly 200 kilos. Not your problem that the M25 is gridlocked yet again. You have chosen the stress-free moving option. You are paying the removal company to endure the stress on your behalf. Your biggest concern now is how good that chilled bottle of Chardonnay will taste………..

Happy retirement!