Losing a loved one is difficult enough without having to navigate a mountain of paperwork. While family and friends are gathering, funeral arrangements are being made, and emotions are still raw, there are also practical matters that need attention. An easy to use checklist for clearing a deceased estate can help. Many people assume that…

Losing a loved one is never easy. Along with the emotional impact comes the practical task of sorting through a lifetime of possessions. For many families, this is one of the most challenging parts of handling a deceased estate. While everyone wants the process to go smoothly, it is not uncommon for siblings to have…

Do you and your partner have completely different views on decluttering? Maybe you crave clean, open spaces, while they find comfort in keeping things “just in case.” When one person wants to declutter, and the other wants to hold on, tension can build quickly. The good news is that with communication, compassion, and patience, you…

Letting go of belongings can be one of the most emotionally challenging aspects of preparing for a move. Over the years, we all collect furniture, keepsakes, and household items that carry meaning and memories. When it is time to downsize, deciding what stays and what goes can feel overwhelming. Here in Johannesburg, it is something…

Letting go of possessions during a move is often one of the most challenging tasks. Deciding what to sell, donate, or discard takes not only time but also good information. In South Africa, some items still fetch reasonable prices while others do not. Knowing the difference helps save stress and effort. What Sells Well and…

For many people, retirement is not just the end of a career. It is the beginning of a whole new chapter. This stage of life presents an opportunity to embrace new experiences, rediscover passions, and make the most of the time for things that truly matter. Yet, along with the excitement, retirement can also bring…

Clear Path helps a client move to Cape Town By Pauline Borton, Clear Path Onsite Manager Only days before Felicity was due to move to Cape Town, Clear Path was engaged to oversee her packing and to clean and clear the empty house, flat, and office after the relocation. As usual, Marylou conducted the initial…

Information source: https://www.auria.co.za/living-options/life-rights/In South Africa, “Life Rights” offers a unique approach to retirement living, providing seniors with security, peace of mind, and financial predictability. This model allows individuals to enjoy lifelong residence in a retirement community without the complexities of traditional property ownership. Image from @estateliving What Are Life Rights? A Life Right is a…

For one person, a family heirloom is a treasured reminder of loved ones and family history. For another, it may simply be another item taking up valuable space. If you are preparing to downsize, move to a retirement village, or help a parent transition to a smaller home, deciding what to do with family heirlooms…

Moving into a senior living village or retirement community is one of life’s biggest transitions. For many older adults, it means leaving behind a family home filled with memories, familiar routines, neighbours, and a sense of independence. While the move often brings greater safety, support, and opportunities for social connection, it can also trigger feelings…

Losing a loved one is one of life’s most difficult experiences. Alongside the grief and emotional adjustment, families are often faced with the practical responsibility of managing a deceased estate. Sorting through a loved one’s belongings, handling important documents, preparing a property for sale or transfer, and deciding what to keep, donate, sell, or distribute…

If you’re a senior citizen (or not) struggling to keep up with the ever-evolving language of technology, you’re not alone. With new words and phrases emerging regularly, it can be challenging to stay abreast.  We’ve compiled a list of common tech terms and their definitions to assist you. Whether you’re trying to understand your grandchildren’s…

Declutter vs minimalism! Are you ready to declutter your space? But why stop there? Embrace minimalism and unlock a whole new world of benefits! Let’s explore the key distinctions and advantages of minimalism: Decluttering vs. Minimalism: Decluttering removes excess items, minimising chaos in our homes. Minimalism takes it further, challenging societal norms and reevaluating our…

As you get older, you may be reluctant to adopt a puppy or very young dog for a number of reasons, including a reduced budget. Dogtown has changed all of that with its programme where seniors can foster senior dogs. Dogtown launched a programme Dogtown South Africa launched a foster programme in April 2022 and…

Knowing what a bank will and won't ask for is important to help with efforts to stop being scammed.

5 Tips to consider when clearing a loved one's home. Clear Path recommends contacting them to assist.

As you get older you may need to begin to learn to cook for one which may be challenging after cooking for a family.

Research says that staying active and engaged is important. Clear Path shares some ideas on how to do this.

Internet connectivity can be really confusing if you aren't a digital native. Here are explanations to help understanding Wi-Fi.

Janet chats with Marylou Bawden, owner and founder of Clear Path Senior and Speciality Move Managers, and explores her journey of building a successful business. Marylou tells us what motivated her to start the business, who inspires her, and what satisfies her soul. Finally, we hear what song she is dancing to in the quick-fire…

What is the difference between a moving company and senior move managers?

By Gordon Banks, Behaviourist at Dogtown South Africa So you’ve decided to relocate and are going to take your furkids with you – well done, moving home with your dog is a very good decision.  Relocating is said to be one of the most stressful events that one may experience. Well, the same applies to…

Lionesses of Africa spoke to entrepreneur Clear Path to learn more about this impactful business and the inspiration behind the business.

When we work with a client to assist them to sort, pack and move to a new home, we guide them through the four steps of sorting, packing, moving and unpacking.

Working with seniors gives me the opportunity to slow down and hear the amazing stories giving insight into their lives. It's not just about clearing and moving their homes.

Clear Path details the top 7 reasons to hire a senior move manager to assist with downsizing and moving into a retirement village.

We helped a niece to sort her aunt's home and settle her into a retirement village.

So you want to move to a retirement community – but what are the cost comparisons? What is the cost of moving? You may have come to the conclusion that the house is now too big for you and you just don’t have the energy to maintain it like you know you should. Perhaps you…

Our senior move journey with Pat and Stan began with packing and sorting. This story follows the move and unpacking.

Clear Path recently worked with clients to downsize and move one partner to assisted living and the other to a cottage in the retirement village.

When dealing with seniors, it is important to speak normally and not use Elderspeak.

The thought of packing up a home you have been in for years is a daunting task. Now imagine downsizing what you own to fit into a smaller place. While downsizing is often stressful and may even make you feel overwhelmed, it can also be liberating and the more planning and preparation you do, the easier the move will end up being.

Deciding to move into a senior living village and move out of the family home that you may have been in for many years is not an easy one to make. There is a lot to consider – what are the benefits? Are there risks? Here are 5 things to consider that we hope will help with making the decision to move to a senior living village.

Clearing a deceased estate on behalf of loved ones is one of the more frequent projects that we tackle. It is at a particularly trying time for the family and having a professional person empathetically take over the job of sorting the possessions relieves a tremendous burden for the family.

For families dealing with the grief of losing a loved one, the process of handling the sorting and dispersal of a deceased estate can be emotional and physically exhausting. For families living out of the area, finding the time and resources makes it even more challenging.

Spring has arrived and this is a perfect time to do some spring cleaning, clearing and sorting of your home whether it be in preparation of selling to downsize or move or even just in preparation of socialising again after both lockdown and winter. Here are some tips to tackle that project that you have wanted to do for so long but just don’t really know where to start…

When Marylou Bawden’s, owner of newly launched Clear Path Senior Services, mother-in-law began the process of clearing out her home of 50 plus years, she was fortunate to have her family to help her. This, however, raised a question for Bawden – how do seniors cope with stressful events such as downsizing, sorting and moving house?

Often the decision for a senior to move from their home into a senior living community comes about because of an event like a fall or the death of a spouse.

The time has come and your mom has finally accepted that she needs to move. The problem is that you don’t know where to begin with clearing the clutter and, quite honestly, you are concerned that she has the tendencies of a hoarder.

In my line of business, I have regular conversations with family members or staff at retirement villages who label someone as a hoarder. Hoarding is a term that we tend to use very loosely and comes with lots of negative feelings. So, collector, clutterer, hoarder, which one are you?

Are you one of the many children with parents over 65 who are battling to get them to downsize and make the decision to move into a retirement village?

At Clear Path we have identified 5 main points seniors should consider when deciding if it’s time to make the move.