How do I best plan a senior move?

Backwards from moving-in day, with around twelve weeks' lead time: first notice, care insurer and floor plan, then sorting in stages, the survey and fixed price six weeks ahead, the mail forwarding order and care service two weeks ahead. Share the tasks within the family and put a date next to each item.

What advantages does a professional moving service offer for seniors?

A moving company takes the carrying, packing and reassembly off the family's hands, brings a lorry and tools and is liable under § 451e HGB for damage to your belongings. The family keeps the decisions, the applications and the role of companion. For privately arranged moves, 20% of the labour costs are tax-deductible. A fixed price after a survey makes the costs predictable.

How do you handle furniture that is not to move along?

Whatever does not come along goes to family, is sold, donated or, if you wish, taken by us for disposal . For larger amounts a household clearance helps; plan it four weeks before the move. Furniture the children will collect later can be put into interim storage with us if you wish.

Do you also offer moves into assisted living?

Yes, we also handle moves into assisted living. Check beforehand the size of the flat and whether furniture is provided; often less comes along than expected. For tenants, the three-month notice period applies to the old flat, and registration is due within two weeks.

What happens to valuable keepsakes in the move?

We transport keepsakes in their own clearly labelled boxes, which are loaded last and unloaded first. Plan the decision about what comes along in week eight and take your time; many families pack very personal things together with the parents.

Do you also take over the disassembly and assembly of furniture?

Yes, we dismantle wardrobes, beds and shelves and reassemble them in the new flat according to the floor plan. We set up the bed and armchair first so the first evening feels familiar. Screws and small parts stay labelled with each piece of furniture so nothing goes missing.

Is a senior move over long distances possible too?

Yes, we are based in Berlin and also plan moves to other cities, for example to be near the children; routes under long-distance moves . The older person is best travelling separately with a companion, and someone with a key waits at the destination. We give you the fixed price after the survey in Berlin.

How far in advance does planning a senior move take?

Allow around twelve weeks. That is the length of the notice period for tenants, and it is usually how long sorting takes after many years in one flat. Request the moving date as soon as moving in is fixed; apply for the care insurer grant before work begins. Starting early means deciding in peace.

What is a part load and is it worth it for seniors?

With a shared load , your belongings travel with other consignments on the same route. For a few pieces of furniture, for example for a care home room, or for items that follow later, this can be cheaper. You get a time window instead of a fixed date. We will tell you after your enquiry whether a suitable trip is running.

How do you support relatives during the senior move?

Relatives are welcome at the survey and on moving day; at the survey the whole family hears the same answers. On moving day one person should be the team's contact and a second should accompany the parents. Relatives do not have to carry anything. That way nobody feels overwhelmed, and the parents have a fixed point of contact.

Who is liable if something breaks?

We are liable for damage to your belongings under the German Commercial Code, under § 451e HGB at €620 per cubic metre of loading space. For antiques or jewellery, additional insurance makes sense. Report visible damage no later than the day after delivery, and hidden damage within 14 days.

STRESS-FREE MOVING

Planning a Senior Move: Step by Step

Twelve weeks, six stages: how to plan a senior move step by step, with every deadline and without a rush.

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FROM BERLIN-MOABIT

Senior Move

Planning a senior move: a twelve-week schedule

Step by step

Unsere Firma is based in Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21) and takes care of the survey, packing and moving day within your schedule.

A senior move needs more lead time than an ordinary move – not because of the transport, but because of the decisions that come before it. Allow around twelve weeks. The deadlines come first: tenants give three months' notice, at the latest on the third working day of a month. Anyone with a care level (Pflegegrad) should now ask the long-term care insurer (Pflegekasse) about a grant for measures to improve the living environment; under § 40 Abs. 4 SGB XI up to €4,180 per measure is possible, and the application must be made before work begins. In the same week, get the floor plan of the new flat or check with the care home how much space there is in the room.

Sorting begins eight weeks ahead – with the floor plan on the table and in stages, room by room. Six weeks ahead come the survey and the fixed price, two weeks ahead the mail forwarding order and letting the care service and GP know. On moving day a familiar person comes along, and registration is due within two weeks of moving in. How we support senior moves is described under Senior move. If you give each step a date and a family member's name, you keep track, and the parents have time to say goodbye to the old flat.

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Week six: the survey

Fixed price and a fixed date in the schedule

Call us on 01625978461 as soon as the moving-in date is fixed. We survey the flat at a calm pace, ideally with relatives, and then give you a fixed price listing packing, dismantling, transport and reassembly separately. We reserve the moving day as soon as you confirm; the survey is free and without obligation.

Quotes available individually based on workload, scheduling and the desired scope of services.

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TIMETABLE

The stages at a glance

Twelve weeks counted back from moving in

Twelve weeks ahead: give notice, ask the care insurer, get the floor plan. Eight weeks: sort, share keepsakes within the family. Six weeks: survey and fixed price. Four weeks: bulky waste collection or household clearance. Two weeks: mail forwarding order, inform the care service. Moving day and after: company on the day, registration, address changes. We are based in Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and take care of the survey, packing, transport and reassembly for your senior move; we are liable for your belongings under § 451e HGB at €620 per cubic metre.

Week 12: deadlines

Notice (three months), an enquiry to the care insurer before work begins, and the floor plan of the new flat or the measurements of the care home room.

Week 8: sorting

Decide room by room, using the floor plan, what comes along; share keepsakes within the family and digitise photos.

Week 6: fixed price

Survey with relatives, a quote with every item listed, a fixed date; include packing and unpacking as a packing service if you wish.

Afterwards: registration

Go to the registration authority within two weeks; in a care home a special rule under § 32 BMG applies – ask the home or the registration office (Bürgeramt).

STEP BY STEP

What each stage involves

The twelve weeks are divided into six stages. This overview shows what is due when in a senior move – including the deadlines that cannot be moved.

Twelve weeks ahead

Give notice on the flat, ask the care insurer, get the floor plan, bring the family together for a first talk and share out the tasks.

Eight weeks ahead

Sort in stages, one room per week; share out heirlooms, pass on good items to charity shops or neighbours.

Six weeks before

Survey by the moving company, check and confirm the fixed price, include a parking restriction zone (Halteverbotszone) and storage if needed. Relatives are welcome.

Four weeks before

Book a bulky waste collection or a household clearance; order phone, internet and electricity for the new address.

Two weeks before

Set up mail forwarding, inform the GP, the care service and the home emergency call service, and make sure medication is secured for moving week.

After moving in

Registration, pension insurance, health insurance, bank and the broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag) updated; report damage to your belongings in good time.

FOR SMALL LOADS

Some things coming later?

Remaining furniture as a shared load

With a shared load, several consignments share the loading space on the same route. For individual pieces of furniture or boxes that follow after moving in, this lowers the costs considerably. Enter the time window for collection and delivery in the plan; anything needed on the first evening is better off coming on the main move.

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WELL PLANNED

Prepare,
move, settle in

The stages in three phases

The twelve weeks fall into three phases: preparation with deadlines and sorting, moving day with someone at their side, and settling in with the paperwork. How to keep moving day itself calm is described in the article Organising a senior move. If someone is moving to be near their children in another city, you will find advice under long-distance moves.

Preparation

Give notice, ask the care insurer, get the floor plan, sort, obtain a fixed price: the first four stages fill the weeks before the senior move and can easily be shared among several people in the family.

Moving

On moving day a familiar person comes along, and with a packing service and furniture transport the bed, armchair and lamps are set up first – following the floor plan, so the paths stay clear and nobody trips.

Settling in

Registration within two weeks, pension insurance, health insurance, bank, home emergency call: with this list the move is done on paper too, and the parents can settle in at their own pace. Don't forget the care service and home emergency call.

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FAQ

Questions about planning a senior move

Costs, planning, benefits, furniture, assisted living, keepsakes and liability – answered briefly.

The costs depend on volume, floor, lift and extras such as packing, unpacking or storage. Guide prices by number of rooms are in the price overview on this page; we give you the fixed price after a free survey. Factor in the tax bonus and, with a care level, a possible grant from the care insurer.

Process of a senior move step by step

Twelve weeks before moving in, notice is given, the care insurer is asked and the floor plan is obtained. Eight weeks ahead, sorting begins in stages, one room per week, with the floor plan on the table. Six weeks ahead we survey the flat, ideally with relatives, and give you a fixed price. Four weeks ahead, bulky waste collection or a household clearance is organised.

Two weeks ahead come the mail forwarding order and letting the GP and care service know. On moving day we pack if you wish, dismantle, transport and set up the bed and armchair first. After that come registration and address changes – and settling in.

Costs and financial help for a senior move

The cost of a senior move depends on volume, floor, lift, carrying distances and extras such as packing, unpacking, storage or disposal. Because people often move from a large flat into a smaller one, sorting before the survey lowers the price the most. We give you the fixed price after the survey, with every item listed separately.

Two kinds of help are worth checking early. With a care level, the care insurer can contribute up to €4,180 per measure under § 40 Abs. 4 SGB XI if it makes home care possible or considerably easier; whether a move counts is decided by the insurer case by case, and the application is made before work begins. For privately arranged moves, 20% of the labour costs, up to €4,000 a year, also reduce income tax (§ 35a EStG) if payment is made by bank transfer. You can plan the rest reliably with the fixed price.

What do you pay for your move?

The answer depends on the size: 1-room flat from €339, 2-room flat from €599, 3-room flat from €894, 4-room flat from €1,309. Houses and villas always receive an individual quote. For long-distance moves a per-kilometre rate from €3.90/km applies. The best way to settle all the details is a free survey.

Factors that determine your moving price

Volume
Distance (from €3.90/km)
Floor
Lift available or not
Parking restriction zone required

Further services: furniture assembly and shared load.

A moving service with system

Moving services with a system

You can book these services for individual stages.

Private move – right for every household
Company move – well planned and efficient
House clearance – quick and clean
Furniture transport – for every piece of furniture
Move with assembly – a complete service
Shared load – the low-cost choice

Moving to your children in another city

We are based in Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and also plan long-distance moves, for example to be near the children. More under long-distance moves and in the locations overview. Travel to you is included in the fixed price.

Specialist Moves

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July 31, 2026

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Specialist Moves Senior Move Moving Tips