Whether you are moving your aging parents into your home, a small apartment, or an assisted living complex, you will likely be faced with the dilemma of what to do with all of the things they have accumulated throughout the years. Downsizing, relocating, and giving up a huge portion of their independence can be a traumatic experience for your elderly parents as much as it is a change for you. Taking advantage of a self-storage unit can lessen the stress and trauma for all of you.

As you assist your parents with the move to a smaller place, help them select the most important items they need to take with them. Keep in mind, you should not expect them to relinquish all of their tangible memories such as family photos and sentimental gifts they've received over the years. Explain the limited space issues to them and let them know you have arranged a way to store some of the things they feel they simply can’t part with. This temporary solution can make things easier for all of you.

Parents tend to want to pass things along to their children and grandchildren. Chances are, the grandchildren may be very young, are in college and have no place for those items. Adult children may not have space for the items their parents want to give them. Hurt feelings can be avoided by temporarily storing those items.

Once the transition to another location has been made, your parents may lose interest in the things that are stored. Their new lifestyle may give them a different perspective on things. They may soon agree to selling or giving away the things they don't need.

On the other hand, you may find that occasionally taking things from the storage unit such as holiday decorations is a way to lift their spirit. You could establish a rotation with the home decor items you have stored so your folks can continue to enjoy their things.

Whether it's a storage container on your property or a storage unit nearby, either option can make the transition to a new lifestyle easier for you and your aging parents.