If you’re considering moving into an independent living community, you may find yourself standing in the middle of your current home wondering what you will be giving up.
Yet most new residents discover instead that they celebrate the freedom, time and inspiration the move allowed. Why? Because they were able to create a home that reflected the life they want today, not the one they lived 30 years ago.
Personalizing Your Independent Living Residence: Where to Begin
If you’re ready to trade the empty rooms and headaches of home ownership for a place where every inch of space is now useful, your next question might be whether or how you can personalize your new home to reflect your lifestyle.
Here are a few tips and suggestions to consider, but please note that these aren’t just decorating choices. They also can bring continuity from the old home to the new one and make your residence feel familiar from the first day.
Tips to Make Independent Living Feel Like Home
1. How do I know what to bring?
New residents often worry they’ll bring either too much or not enough. The correct answer is usually somewhere in the middle. But how do you make the decision? Try this simple exercise.
Walk through your current home and notice what you actually use, sit in, look at and love. That favorite chair for reading? Bring it with you. The quilt your mother made? Absolutely. The collection of framed photos that traces your family through the decades? They can be the first thing you put out.
2. Create lighting for warmth, comfort and practical uses.
The right lighting in your new independent living residence can make a room inviting as well as make certain tasks easier. Consider these tips:
- Use table or floor lamps to create softer lighting
- Add a reading lamp near your favorite chair
- Layer lighting to make sure you have the right illumination during the day and night
3. Your passions deserve dedicated space.
Think about how you live day to day.
Do you start every morning with coffee and the newspaper? Design a little corner for exactly that. Are you a painter, a quilter or a gardener who loves to nurture houseplants? Dedicate these hobbies where your apartment is filled with natural light. If you have a small balcony or patio, consider how you could use this outdoor space.
4. Everything should have a reason to be in your home.
When the lamp by your reading chair or the soft throw at the end of your bed has been with you for years, bringing these to your independent living residence will create continuity and comfort.
You also may want to explore the efficiency and convenience of furniture pieces that can serve more than one purpose in your home, such as a coffee table that also contains storage or a loveseat that converts to a bed.
5. Your home should display your life and style.
You may want to create a dining area where your family can share a favorite meal. Or a seating arrangement that makes conversation easy. Think of how you can decorate so that the people who matter most feel welcome when they walk through your door.
You can introduce favorite colors and textures with pillows for the sofa, vases full of spring flowers or wall art. Don’t forget fluffy towels in the bathroom or a cozy comforter for your bed.
6. Personalize your home before you move in.
Look for independent living communities that provide personalization options before the furniture arrives:
- Different floor plans to suit your preferences
- Opportunities to select finishes, colors or design elements to match your taste
- Spaces for furniture that will support your lifestyle
It’s Your Story and Your Space
There’s another benefit to independent living that goes beyond the four walls. You will have more free time now that you no longer have to manage a house.
You know what brings you peace, what makes you feel most relaxed and what you simply don’t need anymore. A move into an independent living residence gives you the chance to express all of that fully.
And remember, although you may be downsizing your physical footprint, you now have an amazing opportunity to upsize your daily life. The maintenance, the repairs, the seasonal upkeep are no longer your responsibility. Just imagine how you will choose to fill that free time.
Independent Living at Presbyterian Village North
We offer a unique blend of comfort, convenience and peace of mind with our non-profit senior living community set on 66 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds. Whether you prefer a spacious apartment or a freestanding home, the variety of beautiful residences ensures you’ll find the perfect space to call your own.
With chef-prepared dining and a wide range of amenities, including a fitness center, therapeutic aquatic center and walking paths, every day offers opportunities to stay active and engaged. Residents enjoy a vibrant, welcoming community, open to all faiths, with endless opportunities for connection and personal growth.
From our on-campus pharmacy services to a resident clinic, professional security 24/7and a wireless emergency call system in every residence, your well-being is always a top priority. With exceptional amenities like a performing arts theater, woodworking shop, dog park, putting green and salon services, every detail is designed to enrich your life.
For more information about how Presbyterian Village North can help you or your loved one thrive in retirement, please reach out by calling (214) 355-9000 to request a personal tour or more details today.