A Guide to Apartment Decorating Ideas for Senior Living

If you’re considering making the transition from your current home into a senior living community, it’s critical to ensure that your new space feels warm and welcoming. What better way to feel at home than to create one? Plan how you want to adorn your space with this complete list of apartment decorating ideas for senior living.

Why Decorate Your Senior Living Apartment?

Whether you’re moving into a senior living community or helping a loved one make the transition into this new phase of life, it’s important to ensure that the new space feels like home. Having familiarity woven into the apartment helps new residents feel more welcome, settle in more quickly, and ease what can be a stressful transition if not done right.

10 Apartment Decorating Tips for Your New Space

Tip #1: Always plan ahead. Don’t wait until the day of to look for apartment decorating tips for senior living. By planning ahead– taking a tour of the new space, considering where you’ll place furniture, and taking measurements to ensure everything fits. Carefully go through your own belongings to see what will fit in the new space and what can be sold or passed on to family, friends, and neighbors.

Tip #2: Scale down beforehand. You don’t want to clutter the new living space. Clutter makes it difficult to find things and can also be a fall hazard. A cleanout is at the top of our list of apartment decorating tips. Be sure to purge unnecessary furniture, appliances, and personal items that aren’t needed and won’t fit into the new apartment.

Tip #3: Consider mobility and fall prevention. One important thing to consider when it comes to apartment decorating tips for senior living is mobility. You want to avoid accidental falls and subsequent injuries. Be aware of cords, loose rugs, and other decorative items that interfere with pathways and could be tripping hazards.

Tip #4: Functionality first. Some items may look nice but lack functionality or even pose a danger. Reconsider items like wobbly tables or uncomfortable furniture. Not only should every item coming into the apartment have a function, but it should also be a good use of the limited space. Always remember to keep functionality in mind when considering apartment decorating tips for your new senior living space.

Tip #5: Bring the outdoors in. Greenery is a great way to introduce outside elements into an indoor living space. If taking care of live plants is too much work, consider realistic-looking artificial plants. They require no maintenance yet make a space feel warm and lived in.

Tip #6: Make room for four-legged friends. Don’t forget the pets! Whether it’s a fish, bird, dog, or other animal, consider bringing them along to your new senior living apartment. Pets make a home feel welcome and also create a sense of familiarity in a new apartment. Make sure you check the pet policy at your new community and ensure your apartment has easy access for walks and bathroom breaks that your four-legged friends may need.

Tip #7: Personalize as much as possible. Another must-do on our list of apartment decorating tips is personalization. You want to feel at home in your new space, and the easiest way to do that is to make sure it’s personalized to you. Bring furniture that you love, supplies for your hobbies, photos and art, and even consider painting the walls if your community allows it.

Tip #8: Choose furniture carefully. This goes hand in hand with considering functionality while exploring senior apartment decorating tips. You want to ensure that the furniture you choose is space-efficient, comfortable, and safe. Low tables (like coffee tables) can be a tripping hazard for seniors, while power recliners make it easy to sit and stand. Make sure all chairs have sturdy armrests and tables are non-glass surfaces for safety.

Tip #9: Organization is everything. When you’re downsizing and moving into a smaller space, organization is key. Plus, organizing your belongings makes them easy to find and also prevents them from becoming trip hazards. Look for organizational storage that makes things easy to find (clear storage is helpful for residents with memory loss). You should also make sure to store things where they’re easy to reach without stretching or stooping.

Tip #10: Plan the bathroom carefully. Bathrooms can be one of the most dangerous spaces in a senior living space when it comes to slips and falls. When exploring senior apartment decorating tips, be sure to consider that. You should invest in non-slip mats, a hamper for towels and laundry, and a hook for a bathrobe. Further, make sure the community has installed grab bars and other safety features installed in the bathroom before you move in.

Explore Senior Living Apartments Today at Evolve Senior Living

Ready to explore your new senior apartment options and make the transition into the next phase of life? Contact us today and let’s get started.