What a senior move manager does
Someone to run the move, so the family can be family.
What the job is
A senior move manager helps older adults and their families plan and carry out a move: sorting and downsizing, floor-plan layouts, coordinating movers, unpacking and setting up the new home, and often selling or donating what is left. The National Association of Senior & Specialty Move Managers (NASMM) is the trade association; it was called the National Association of Senior Move Managers until 2020.
What NASMM says about its members
- NASMM states that Senior Move Manager® is a registered service mark it owns, and that only members may use the title.
- Its FAQ says members are reviewed for insurance and must take its Cornerstone courses, which cover topics such as ethics and safety.
- There is no legal requirement in Colorado, as far as we could find, to be a NASMM member to offer this kind of service. Membership is a voluntary standard.
Sources: NASMM FAQs; NASMM history.
Move manager or moving company?
| Senior move manager | Moving company | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Planning, sorting, setup, coordination | Loading, driving, unloading |
| Colorado oversight | No specific state license that we could find; NASMM membership is voluntary | Household-goods movers need a Colorado PUC permit for in-state moves |
| Often used | Together with a mover | Alone, or with family doing the sorting |
Questions to ask a move manager
- Are you a current NASMM member? Ask them to show it on NASMM’s own directory.
- What insurance do you carry, and may I see the certificate?
- How do you charge: hourly, by the project, or a percentage of sales?
- Who will actually come to the house, and have they done a move like this?
- Which moving company do you work with, and do you receive any payment from it?
- Can you give me three references to call?
We do not recommend individual companies and do not publish any here.