Four Ways We Can Help You
By Mary Holmes
It has been about nine months since I started Integrated Move Management. I have spent a lot of that time not only getting the word out about my business, but also educating people about the industry of professional move management. It is a relatively new field, which started in the early 2000’s and is just beginning to make inroads in Maine over the last several years.
I thought a good way to explain what it means to be a professional move manager was to describe a few recent clients we have worked with:
Senior Move – We managed a move for a senior in Brunswick, ME who was legally blind and needed help in all aspects of his move to a retirement community. We helped him with floor planning for his new space to determine which furniture he should bring, worked on downsizing and dispersing those items that he couldn’t take through sales and donations, managed the moving company, packed his belongings, and unpacked and settled him in to his new home.
Clean Out for Real Estate Closing – We got a call from an adult child of a senior explaining that her mom had been moved to an assisted living facility and that her house in York, ME needed to be emptied in preparation for a real estate closing in approximately two weeks. Some of the possessions were being moved to the children in Massachusetts and the remainder needed to be dispersed. We assisted the family with getting organized for the movers, sold many items online, sold books to a dealer and art to several local collectors, and brought many bags of clothes to consignment stores. We also made many trips to a local charity with donations and to the recycle/trash facility.
Inheritance Dispersal – We are currently working with clients in Falmouth, ME that are dealing with a large volume of items left to them by their deceased parents. Although they had worked their way down from four storage units to approximately 50 or 60 boxes, they were feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. They had tried several outlets for the remaining items to no avail. After one meeting, we had organized and categorized the remaining items. We made a couple of telephone calls and set up a pick up for two of the major collections (trains and steins) to go to interested dealers and auctioneers. We will also be selling books and record albums to local collectors.
Preparation for Home Sale – This week, we are working in Harpswell, ME helping a woman get her home ready to be put on the market. It is a beautiful home which speaks for itself, but was in need of some decluttering and organizing prior to being listed for sale. In approximately one day of working together, the house is now ready to be put on the market.
We are members of the National Association of Senior Move Managers (check out their website - NASMM), which ensures we are trained, insured/bonded and follow a Code of Ethics. Because we are part of this organization, we are comfortable doing one side of a move and utilizing another member of NASMM for the other side. For example, if a Maine senior is moving to a retirement community in another state, we will do the downsizing and packing and utilize a NASMM member in the destination state to do floor planning and unpacking.
Hopefully this gives a good summary of the services we offer and how we might help you, your friends and loved ones. Please feel free to Contact Us with questions.
