Are you “relevant”?

More and more these days, I am feeling irrelevant. Like, I don’t understand today’s slang, today’s music, today’s comedy, or (some of the) outrageous fashions. As an example, I asked google what is trending right now. Here are the top ten:

1.       Tiktok ads
2.       Oura ring
3.       Prime gaming
4.       Bokksu
5.       Crypto insurance
6.       Brightwheel
7.       Alivecor
8.       Drunk elephant
9.       Daily harvest
10.       Gumroad

I literally had to google all but two of these topics. FYI, Drunk Elephant is a skin care line.

Also, I have asked my adult children (30’s) why Saturday Night Live is no longer funny – as in I don’t understand what is funny about their skits anymore. And what did they tell me? “Mom, you’re not supposed to understand it.”

I suppose it’s just the same old generation gap that has existed forever, right? I’m sure the cave parents didn’t understand when their children started using tools… or the wheel. And rock and roll, and the bikini are good examples from our lifetimes. According to Investopedia, “[a] generation gap refers to the chasm that separates the beliefs and behaviors belonging to members of two different generations. They state that the generation gap has widened in the 20th and 21st centuries. Here are some of their key takeaways.

• A generation gap is defined as the different thoughts and worldviews held by different generational cohorts.
• The generation gap between individuals can be used to explain differences in the worldviews and actions observed among those of different age groups.
• The current living generations are the Greatest Generation, the silent generation, baby boomers, Generation X, millennials, and Generation Z.

To read more about Generation Gaps, CLICK HERE

At Golden Bridges, one of the biggest “gaps” we encounter is in the significance of belongings. The three older generations value the things they have accumulated – either through hard work and frugal  purchases, or through inheritance. The younger generation, starting with Gen X (and maybe some of the boomers) see only the cost of keeping those items. Whether they are renting a storage unit, or remaining in a two-story, 2000 sq ft home just to keep their “stuff” with them, the cost of housing that collection, that chifforobe, the Jewel T “autumn leaf” china or Precious Moments is pretty steep.  There’s a good chance that they aren’t using the stuff. Maybe it’s nicely displayed in a china hutch or knick-knack shelf. Perhaps it’s in boxes in the attic or basement. More than likely, it’s in a rented storage unit. According to Storage Café, nearly 40% of Americans use self-storage units. For Gen X and Baby Boomers, it’s over 50%. Matthews Real Estate and Investment Services’ website reports that we spent $23.6 Billion on storage units in 2021.

The Storage Café website includes a lot more information, i.e. items stored, state by state comparison, and some of the most unusual items in storage. CLICK HERE for full report

How do we bridge that storage generation gap? That’s where Golden Bridges comes in. We can discuss with our clients the costs associated with keeping the stuff, the financial gain from selling the stuff, and the satisfaction of donating stuff. Not to mention the savings in downsizing to a smaller more cost- efficient living space. When the decisions are made, we can take care of the follow up by finding and preparing for an auctioneer, taking donations, or clearing out that storage unit – even packing and moving if they are ready.

Is it time to have that discussion with the Greatest Generation, Silent Generation or Baby Boomer in your life? It’s your move, Golden Bridges can help!

Susan Scholz, Partner

Golden Bridges

About Us

I have a question for someone out there who’s in the hospitality industry. Do hotels upgrade their toilet paper on weekends? 

Recently I spent six nights on the road. Four of those were consecutive in one hotel. This was a pretty upscale hotel, mind you. So much so that the restroom in the lobby (next to the restaurant) required a magnetic room key to unlock the door.

My first night was a middle of the week Wednesday. I noted that the toilet paper in the room was not of the quality expected for the price of the room. Yes, it was 2-ply. You could tell because the tear lines did not match up. But both plys were less than paper thin.

On Saturday afternoon (when I discovered that locked restroom door off the lobby), I noted that the toilet paper quality was definitely a higher grade in the downstairs restroom than it was in my bathroom upstairs. Because I had not been in my room since morning I assumed that this was logistical… placed there for the restaurant clientele. However, when I returned to my room, after a nice dinner out, I was pleased to find the higher quality toilet paper had magically appeared there too.

Not that I’m complaining. It was a pleasant discovery. But it did make me wonder. Also noted was the fact that the extra roll was wrapped differently from the one that had been there on Wednesday. So… the question remains. I am convinced that hotels do, indeed, upgrade the toilet paper on weekends. But if there’s someone out there who can shed some “insider” light on the tissue, I mean issue, I would be grateful. 

And why, you ask, am I blogging about this on a Senior & Specialty Move Management website blog? Simply because I know that I am not the only one who thinks about this topic. In doing some additional research, I learned that according to Wirecutter, “{t}he average American uses an astounding 141 rolls of toilet paper in a year”. CLICK HERE to read the full article. 

And, yes, the quality (and contents) of your toilet paper can affect your health – both “down there” and your overall well being. In fact, the consensus seems to be that organic, non-lint, unbleached paper is the best. The brand for that is WHOLEROLL, who gives us their top 10 reasons why:

1. 100% organic is great for the skin
2. Super soft, absorbent and strong
3. Compact size and convenient handle (on multi-roll package)
4. One for one commitment (they plant a tree for every package purchased)
5. Long-term sustainable solution
6. Tree free product
7. Chlorine-free
8. BPA-free
9. Safe for septic tank
10. Longer tissue sheets (¼” longer than average retail sheet)

CLICK HERE to read the full article.

In fact, everyone from This Old House to amazon are weighing in on how to select the best toilet paper for your household.

CLICK HERE for This Old House article.

CLICK HERE for Amazon.

The moral of the story: Use the Good Stuff! And while you’re at it, that doesn’t just apply to your toilet paper. Use the good china. Use the good wine glasses to drink the good wine. Use the good linens (even when you’re not having company). Use the best ingredients you can find – even in your weeknight menus. And use a Senior & Specialty Move Manager when it’s time to organize, downsize, or relocate.

It’s your move, Golden Bridges can help!

It’s September already? The Back to School rush is over. Flowers are fading and turning brown. We’re not yet into the full swing of autumn pumpkin spice. It’s the late summer blahs. So, what now?

Plenty! These are the days you can get those summer clothes tucked away and get out your sweaters and jackets. It’s time to gather the fall decorations and trade out the red, white, and blue for the oranges and browns of autumn. And while you’re at it, isn’t it time to weed out some of the overstock?

According to Kendal at Oberlin, fall is a good time to downsize seasonal decorations, winter coats (how many does a person really need?), and all of the following:  https://blog.kao.kendal.org/fall-downsizing

1. Old magazines
2. Plastic storage containers without a lid
3. Socks without a match
4. Half-empty bottles of hair products, makeup, etc.
5. Cheeky coffee mugs

Now is the time to take those extra coats to a donation center or homeless shelter; purge the decor (probably into the trash); recycle magazines and plastic storage containers that you no longer use; and face the reality that the lost socks are not going to be found, the hair product you thought would work miracles just won’t, and the coffee mug that your co-worker thought was funny really isn’t! Kendal subscribes to the Marie Kondo method for eliminating those items that no longer (or never did) spark joy.

And, yes, we’ve heard it all before:

“But, my daughter can fix that broken toaster.”

“Those are good Ball jars for canning. I haven’t been able to do that for years, but they’re still good jars.”

“I always keep these good boxes for wrapping presents.”

“Really, I plan to lose those last 15 pounds and this is a really cute swimsuit cover.”

“No, I don’t bake anymore, but my grandmother gave me this muffin pan when I got married. And yes, I DO need all of these 14 liquid measuring cups.”

If any of these sound familiar to you, it might be time that you brought in the professionals (aka Golden Bridges) to help you with objectivity and lend a non-sentimental perspective. Our staff is trained to recognize items that might have monetary value and help you get them to the right place(s). We can also help you find solutions for preserving photos and videos without needing to rent a storage unit. We will take your donations out the same day, and repack the things you are keeping so they are easily accessible and organized for when you need them.

So… not blah, but begin! It’s your move. Golden Bridges can help!

Susan Scholz, Partner

Golden Bridges

This month carries many causes that claim recognition. Traditionally it includes holidays for the lunar New Year, Groundhog’s Day, Valentine’s Day, the birthdays of US Presidents Washington and Lincoln and of Emancipation activist Frederick Douglas.

Modern celebrations and causes abound. This website lists more than fifty. CLICK HERE

Most of us know about Women’s History Month and African American History Month, but did you know it’s also Cherry Pie Month (presumably in recognition of the Cherry tree myth about President Washington)?

Whether Valentine’s Day is named for a sympathetic Roman priest or a pagan fertility festival, we Americans are certainly entrenched in the flowers and candy ritual. And, you likely will eat a piece of cherry pie during February because it’s  the special at your favorite restaurant on Presidents Day.

One that struck a chord with me was AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month. Good vision is so important to graceful aging.

CLICK HERE to read more.

But if vision loss is age-related, how do we avoid it or compensate for the issues it causes?

According to the website eye.ufl.edu, “the exact cause of AMD is not known. But there are a number of risk factors that may play a role. Some you can help control, some you can’t. The same things that put you at risk for heart disease and stroke also put you at risk for AMD. These include:

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Obesity
• Smoking

Risks you cannot control include age, family history, gender and race.”

Also, knowing that our vision will change, we can prepare our homes to improve visibility with proper lighting upgrades and the removal of obstacles or confusing light sources.

Horizontal and vertical blinds can cause shadows on the floor that resemble steps and are difficult to negotiate. Low light on stairs makes it difficult to see the treads. Sunlight or light bulbs that are too bright cause glare that can confuse your senses. Some careful attention to lighting can make it easier to stay in your home longer. Aging in place costs less, is more comfortable, and can slow memory loss. CLICK HERE to read more.

Do you have questions or concerns about your home? Golden Bridges’ certification includes Aging in Place from NASMM@home. Call us at 888-922-6368 to schedule a consultation. We can help with lighting, rearranging frequently used items at easy to reach levels or recommended remodeling that allows you to remain at home.

It’s your move, Golden Bridges can help!

Susan Scholz, Partner

Golden Bridges

CLICK HERE to learn more about Golden Bridges

How many unfinished projects did you find when you pulled out the Christmas holiday decorations this year?

Here’s my list

• QCT t-shirts for making a quilt
• Beer can coozies for making a quilt (seriously, I have so many advertising coozies I could make a king sized quilt)
• Hotel room key cards for doing a mosaic of… whatever (there are some really cool colors and designs on them)
• Pictures of my adult kids with Santa for a collage
• Neckties to make into pillows or weave around a lampshade
• Old photo slides to create a lampshade
• QCT playbills for a display

Ah, Pinterest, you mock me with your great ideas and beautiful pictures!

When I googled “unfinished projects”, I got this litany of words that follow it (in order): ADHD, website, for sale, meme, and crossword. And that’s before scrolling up. Arrggghhh! 

Did you know that there’s even an unfinished projects syndrome? According to trig.com, “Fear of turning personal projects, which are supposed to provide rejuvenation, into “another work project” seems to slow our creative roll. The project becomes another deadline, but one that you can blow off without “consequences” because you’d only be letting down yourself, after all, if you don’t finish.”

https://www.trig.com/tangents/why-do-we-leave-projects-unfinished

Project enthusiasm is energizing, but it can also be troublesome if it leads to clutter. Additude mag.com suggests the following strategies to deal with unfinished projects and saving of “someday” clutter.

• Practice just-in-time knowledge and materials
• Make a date to start and stick to it
• Avoid FOMO (fear of missing out) on participating in the latest craft craze

https://www.additudemag.com/too-many-unfinished-projects-adhd-clutter/

So, if you are also a project procrastinator, how do you SOAR? Well, to start with, Pinterest has 190 entries for craft room organizing ideas. Ha! You mock me again, Pinterest! But the best advice is to get some shelves, totes, boxes, cubbies, or other visual storage system that reminds you what you have and the plans you had for creating with it. Print that picture from Pinterest and tape it to the outside of the container. This time of year is a good time to shop for those, and January is even better.

Now, mark your 2022 calendar with the deadlines for completing those projects! And if your 2022 calendar is too full already… then it’s time for Project Jettison.

Either way, if you don’t think you have it in you to complete the organizing or jettisoning on your own, we can do that for you. Got clutter? Get Clean! Estimates are free. Call 888-922-6368. https://goldenbridges4you.com/contact-us/

It’s your move, Golden Bridges can help!

Susan Scholz, Partner

Golden Bridges

It’s understandable that none of us wants to admit that we’re getting older. And nobody wants to face the fact that we might need “assistance” for activities of daily living. But the truth is that the assists available today could make life easier and safer for any of us.

For someone returning home after experiencing a stroke or a hip or knee replacement, these assistive devices can assure a successful recovery and the ability to remain in their own home independently for years to come.

A recent article in the New York Times (and shared through our NASMM WordPress) follows the story of one patient, John, whose life was changed by making the bathroom accessible with grab bars, a shower stool and a heightened toilet. These low cost improvements allowed him to be more confident and comfortable living in his own home. They extended the time he could remain independent and not rely on family or caregivers.

For full article CLICK HERE

Yes, some other home modifications can be expensive. Installing a chair lift can cost as much as $4,000, but moving to an independent or assisted living facility can cost that much per month.

According to the Assisted Living website, the most common home modifications for those who want to remain in the home include:

• Widen Doorways
• Install Ramps
• Kitchen Modifications
• Shower and Bathtub Modifications
• Flooring Modifications

For the full article CLICK HERE

Lighting, trip hazards, and storing items in places that are easier to reach are modifications that can easily improve home safety, often at low cost to the homeowner. At a higher level, technology can allow patients with chronic conditions to manage their health through electronic monitoring of vital signs and capturing  dangerous situations such as blood sugar changes or falls.

With the NASMM @home certification, Golden Bridges can come to your home to provide an assessment and connect you with the products and services needed to keep you safe at home.

Do you, or someone you know, need to explore your options? Check our website www.goldenbridges4you.com for more information about NASMM@home, or call us at 1-888-922-6368 to schedule your free consultation.

It’s your move. Golden Bridges can help!

Susan Scholz, Partner

Golden Bridges

Recently, my sisters and I had lunch with our mother in our childhood home in our hometown. My sisters live in Virginia. They had come to see the family, and to pick up my mother for a visit in Virginia. Of course, my mother spoke of the trip in the words that must not be said as “possibly the last time”. Therefore, it was no surprise when after lunch she set us down at the table. She gave each of us a notebook and a pen. She retrieved a folder that she has obviously been keeping for this purpose. It contained her life insurance information, her retirement savings account information, and names and phone numbers for the locations of her lock box, her undertaker, and a list of hymns she would like to have sung during her funeral.

Following the conversation about these final wishes, we spent some time looking inside her China hutch at some of her treasured items that had been passed down to her from family members. We discussed the likely recipients based on their lineage, and reminisced about their origins.

Since I live in a town nearby, I was already aware of most of this information and knew that I was tasked with maintaining and remembering these final wishes and dispositions.

My mother is a worrier, a skill that I too have honed against the whetstone of my own motherhood.

She worries about the weather, she worries about any of us driving on the highway, she worries about the pandemic, she worries about the sharp division in our country, and she worries that when she is gone she won’t have enough money to leave to her children. Although we have often expressed exasperation at this last worry, she has frugally saved and sometimes done without in order to make this a reality.

Mom lives in a very small town and lives a fairly simple life. She was an Avon Lady and worked at a bank. She still plays the organ at her church. She attended college while I was in high school. She makes the best red cake. She is my mentor and my friend.

Our mother has traveled to all 50 states. This is a fact in which she takes great pride. Her photo albums are filled with those experiences. She is trying to go through them to remember those times, and the drive that she and her husband had for reaching this goal. She knows that when she’s gone these photos will not be preserved, and has told us many times to “just back up the dumpster”.

Have you had The Conversation with your parents? Have you had The Conversation with your kids, or significant others? Preparing your family to honor the decisions you have made is important. But not as important as actually making those decisions so they don’t have to.

Woman taking care of her senior mother

According to AARP, these are some things that you can do to get started.

•           * Choose a photo you would like to use for your obituary (if you wish to have one)
•           * Choose your burial plan
•           * If you wish to have a funeral, choose the type of service
•           * Write your life story for your family to preserve
•           * Gather a list of the people who should be informed, including contact information

To read more  CLICK HERE

There are also several tools that will help you. Start with the funeral home you prefer and discuss your wishes. They have workbooks and questionnaires to walk you through the process.

There are also online assistants: https://www.mywonderfullife.com/

https://www.everplans.com/articles/checklist-pre-planning-your-funeral-or-memorial-service

https://www.thedignityplanner.com/

As for me, I plan to become a diamond. A few years ago I learned about a service that will turn your ashes into jewels. What could be better?

CLICK HERE to read more on “Diamonds from Ashes”

CLICK HERE to read more about “Life Gem Diamonds”

CLICK HERE to read more about the “Top 5 Companies Making Diamonds from Ashes”

Whatever your final plans include, be sure to include the important people in your life. And for all the things you leave behind, tell them to call Golden Bridges.

Susan Scholz, Partner

Golden Bridges