When an older adult is preparing to downsize or move—whether into a smaller home, a senior living community, or to remain safely at home—families are often introduced to many unfamiliar service providers. Knowing which professionals do what can significantly reduce stress, confusion, and costly missteps.
This resource serves as a practical, easy-to-read glossary of senior downsizing and senior move services. Each section explains a common service type, what they do, and when families typically use them during a later-life transition.
Aging in Place Services
Aging in place refers to living independently, safely, and comfortably in one’s current home for as long as possible. These services focus on home modifications and safety improvements rather than relocation.
Certified Aging-in-Place Specialists (CAPS) assess a home and recommend solutions such as grab bars, ramps, widened doorways, improved lighting, and bathroom or kitchen modifications to reduce fall risk and increase accessibility.
Accrediting organization: National Association of Home Builders – CAPS
https://www.nahb.org/
All-in-One Downsizing Services
All-in-One Downsizing services provide start-to-finish support for a senior home transition. These professionals manage planning, sorting, organizing, packing, coordinating movers, setting up the new home, and clearing out items that don’t move.
Many All-in-One Downsizing providers are Senior Move Managers®, or they include Senior Move Management as a core part of their services. This approach is ideal for families seeking a single point of contact to oversee the entire downsizing and moving process.
Skip down to see the glossary entry for Senior Move Managers, or read our full guide here: Senior Move Managers.
Art & Furniture Appraisal
Art and furniture appraisers help determine the fair market or insurance value of artwork, antiques, collections, and furnishings. Appraisals are often needed for estate planning, donations, insurance coverage, or equitable distribution among heirs.
This service helps families make informed decisions about whether to keep, sell, insure, or donate valuable items.
Auction & Consignment Services
Auction and consignment professionals help seniors and families sell usable or valuable belongings rather than discarding them. Auctions may be conducted online or in person, while consignment shops sell items and pay the owner a percentage once the item sells.
These services are commonly used for furniture, décor, artwork, collectibles, and household goods during downsizing or estate clear-outs.
Donation & Recycling Services
Donation and recycling services help families responsibly rehome unwanted items. Many organizations accept furniture, household goods, clothing, and décor, and some offer pickup services.
These services reduce waste, support charitable organizations, and simplify the downsizing process.
Estate Liquidation
Estate liquidation services assist when a home needs to be cleared of furnishings and household contents. Options may include an in-home estate sale or a full-service clear-out where items are transported to auction, donation centers, recycling facilities, or disposal services.
Estate liquidators help streamline the process and reduce emotional and physical burden for families.
Financial Planning for Senior Transitions
Financial advisors who specialize in senior transitions help families plan for the financial aspects of downsizing or relocation. This may include budgeting for a move, planning for senior living costs, managing daily finances, or arranging financing for a new home.
Many families look for fiduciary advisors, who are legally required to act in the client’s best interest.
Floor Planning & Space Planning
Floor planning services create scaled layouts that show how furniture and belongings will fit into a new space. This helps seniors avoid moving items that won’t work in their new home and reduces unnecessary moving costs.
Floor planning is especially useful when moving into smaller homes or senior living communities.
Interior Design & Home Staging
Interior designers help downsizers create comfortable, functional living spaces that reflect their personal style. Designers often assist with blending existing furnishings into a new home or selecting new pieces that fit both the space and lifestyle.
Many designers also offer staging services to prepare a home for sale by creating a buyer-friendly environment that can help it sell more quickly.
Jewelry, Coins & Silver Specialists
Specialty dealers help evaluate jewelry, silver, coins, and collectibles that may have resale value. These professionals offer guidance on whether items should be sold, donated, or kept for future planning.
This service is commonly used during estate downsizing or inheritance preparation.
Junk Removal
Junk removal services handle items that cannot be sold or donated, such as broken furniture, damaged items, appliances, outdoor equipment, and general household debris.
Reputable junk removal professionals follow local regulations for recycling and proper disposal, including hazardous materials.
Move Coordination
Move Coordinators focus on managing logistics rather than physical labor. They create timelines, schedule movers, source packing supplies, and ensure that each stage of the move happens in the correct order.
This service is often used alongside organizers or movers to reduce stress and prevent delays.
Movers - Senior Focused Moving Companies
Senior-experienced movers handle the transportation phase of a move with added care and attention. Services may include packing, wrapping, furniture disassembly, room-by-room unloading, and setup.
Moves may be local, long-distance, or international, and some movers specialize in partial or senior living community moves.
Photo & Paper Digitization Services
Digitization services convert photos, documents, and albums into secure digital formats. This reduces physical storage needs while preserving important memories and records.
Digitization is especially helpful for seniors moving into smaller spaces or simplifying paperwork.
Photo Organizing
Photo organizers help seniors sort, curate, and preserve decades of photographs, slides, films, and videos. This service focuses on storytelling, accessibility, and long-term preservation.
Photo organizing is often one of the most emotionally meaningful parts of downsizing.
Professional Organizers
Professional Organizers assist seniors with decluttering, sorting, organizing, and simplifying belongings. Their goal is to improve functionality, comfort, and ease of daily living before or after a move. Many organizers also help with packing, unpacking, and setting up the new home.
Accrediting organization: National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals (NAPO) https://www.napo.net/
Senior Move Managers® - Senior Move Management
Senior Move Managers® are certified professionals who specialize in helping older adults downsize and relocate. They plan and manage the move, coordinate other service providers, create timelines, and often oversee move day.
Many Senior Move Managers® also provide organizing, packing, unpacking, and settling-in services, making them a central resource during a senior transition.
All About Senior Move Managers
Accrediting organization: National Association of Senior & Specialty Move Managers (NASMM)
https://www.nasmm.org/
Senior Real Estate Specialists - SRES® Realtors
A Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES®) is a REALTOR® who has completed focused training to serve the unique needs of home buyers and sellers aged 50 and over. Unlike a typical real estate agent, an SRES® understands the emotional, financial, and lifestyle factors that influence later-life housing decisions — whether you’re downsizing from a long-time home, relocating closer to family, moving into a retirement community, or seeking a home that supports aging in place.
SRES® professionals go beyond transactions to provide compassionate, personalized guidance through every step of the process. They bring deep knowledge of local housing options for mature adults, insight into financing and retirement-related considerations, and access to a network of senior-focused professionals who can support your transition. Working with an SRES® gives you confidence and peace of mind that your real estate decisions are handled with integrity, respect, and a clear understanding of what matters most at this stage of life.
All About Senior Real Estate Specialists
Accrediting organization: National Association of Realtors (NAR)
https://www.nasmm.org/
Small Moves & Specialty Shipping
Small move and specialty shipping companies handle situations where a full moving truck isn’t required. These services are ideal for shipping furniture, artwork, rugs, antiques, or heirlooms to family members or multiple destinations.
Many provide crating, white-glove handling, and door-to-door delivery.
Specialty Cleaning & Move-Out Cleaning
Specialty cleaning services handle deep cleaning after a home has been emptied. This may include move-out cleaning, pre-sale cleaning, or specialized remediation services.
Professional cleaning ensures a home is ready for sale or transfer without adding stress to families.
Storage Solutions
Storage services provide temporary, long-term, or on-demand storage for belongings that don’t immediately fit into a new home. Storage is commonly used during staging, renovations, or while families decide what to keep.
Many moving and downsizing professionals help coordinate storage as part of a larger transition plan.
Trusts & Estate Law
Trust and estate attorneys assist with wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and estate planning decisions that often accompany a later-life transition.
Because estate laws vary by state, it’s important to work with licensed professionals familiar with local regulations.
