By Mary Holmes At Integrated Move Management, we love to help our clients reduce their stress. Downsizing, moving and cleaning out a home can be a trying time for our clients and their families. Our team is dedicated to working with each client to meet their individual needs. We also truly understand that when we are working with a client – it is their move, not ours. We don’t dictate how things should be done; we only suggest what may work well and help them meet their goals

By Mary Holmes As we approach the holidays, I am grateful to think of all the great organizations in the Portland, ME area that support seniors and their families in a variety of ways. Since I started Integrated Move Management, I have met so many amazing people who truly care about seniors and work with them in a variety of ways to reduce the many stressors that seniors face. Here is a partial list of resources that seniors and their families may find helpful: ElderHand, L

By Mary Holmes We have had a very busy summer and fall at Integrated Move Management both helping seniors downsize and move and cleaning out and staging homes for real estate sales. We are grateful for all the referrals we have received from friends, past clients and other business professionals. I thought it would be a good idea to write about several of our recent jobs – which will show the diversity of the types of services we offer. Estate Clean Outs We received a job i

By Mary Holmes Integrated Move Management (IMM) is proud to be a member of the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM), the professional organization that guides the industry of Senior Move Managers. This group was formed in the early 2000’s when it became clear that seniors quite often needed help when they are transition from their large and often well lived in family home to a smaller retirement community or condo. NASMM ensures that their members are proper

By Mary Holmes Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, are currently the largest segment of our population. And many are in the process of transition from their large family home to a smaller, retirement living situation. This means that they have more possessions than they will need going forward, so they will need to right-size. So the question is what to do with all the “extras”. A few obvious answers are to gift to relatives, sell valuable items, or donate to chari

By Mary Holmes This is a topic I have written about before, but it is important enough to continue the conversation on a regular basis. Moving is stressful at any age – there is just so much to do! You may have to downsize, do home improvements, have your home staged for sale, contract with a mover, and of course, pack and unpack your possessions. But when a senior is making a transition to a new, most likely, smaller home – there are additional stressors, both physical an

By Mary Holmes I often reflect on my business in terms of what is working and what is not and what are the biggest challenges and rewards. Certainly one of the most challenging parts of working with seniors as they are downsizing in preparation for a move is watching the anxiety they feel about letting go of their cherished possessions. A senior transition is extremely stressful for many reasons, e.g. there is a lot to do, there are deadlines to meet, there is the prospect

By Mary Holmes When seniors decide it is time to make a change with their living situation, they can feel a flood of emotions. The thought of leaving a home they have lived in for many years and where wonderful memories were created can bring on feelings of sadness and depression. Additionally, how to get started with such a huge project can bring on stress and confusion. Even if you decide the best move is no move, i.e. age in place, you may need help with ensuring safety

By Mary Holmes Integrated Move Management would like to wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2018! As we start a new year, we thought it was a good idea to summarize the services offered by us and the Professional Move Manager industry generally. As it is a newer industry (coming into existence in the early 2000’s), we understand that not everyone is familiar with the broad range of ways we can help you and your family. The Professional Move Management industry originat

By Mary Holmes It is coming up on a year since I started Integrated Move Management with a goal of helping seniors during a stressful time in their lives. Transitioning from their long time home, having to downsize, and the physicality of packing and unpacking can all be hard on a senior. It has been very rewarding so far – I have met so many great people, helped many seniors and their families, and worked with several great employees and vendors. If you want to learn a li