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 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 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 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 As we approach the end of 2017, we want to reflect on the year and what it meant to Integrated Move Management. First and foremost, we have met so many great people this year – clients, vendors, and referral sources. I don’t think I realized this until I got my holiday greeting card list together and it was quite long!! We have worked with a diverse range of clients – from a single mother needing help with her move, to many seniors needing help with downsizin

By Mary Holmes One of the services offered by Integrated Move Management is Home or Estate Clean-Out. This may mean different things to different people. It is also defined in a variety of ways by companies providing this service. So perhaps it is a good idea to clarify our definition. We tend to use the terms Home Clean-Out and Estate Clean-Out interchangeably. Traditionally, Estate Clean-Out happens after the homeowner has passed away and all possessions need to be rem

By Mary Holmes So you have made the decision to move – now what? There is so much to accomplish before move day, but as long as you follow some guidelines and have a solid plan – your move day will come and go with minimal stress. Here are some tips to help you make sure your move day doesn’t end up taking a wrong turn. Professionals or Not – As you think (realistically) about preparing for and accomplishing your move, the first decision you need to make is whether or not t

By Mary Holmes When I started Integrated Move Management, I knew I would enjoy helping clients during a stressful time in their lives. Moving is ranked among the highest situational stressors. This type of transition typically is even more stressful and emotional for seniors moving from their long time family home. There have been many great and rewarding moments working with our clients. Here are just a few of my top memories: Finding a Needle in a Haystack – It is quite

By Mary Holmes I was recently asked why I don’t always use the same process and the same vendors with each one of my clients. Within the conversation, I realized that why this person was asking me this question was because they felt I would be more profitable if I created a formula and stuck with it for every client. Although this is a business for me, my primary objective is to ease the stress my clients are feeling during a very emotional and difficult time in their lives