This is a job for 145;senior move146; managers

People who use such services can spend 1,500-5,000, depending on the selections and nature of the move

When Sally and Harold Lion decided to sell their home of 43 years in Springfield and move to a retirement complex, Sally thought she had worked out an orderly transition process.

The couple picked out the belongings they wanted and sent them to their new apartment. Then Sally, 78, planned to sort through the remaining contents in the house to decide what could go to charity and what could go elsewhere. But after spending weeks trying to make a dent in the clutter, she felt stymied about what to do.

Finally she turned to Busy Buddies, a local company that had helped her choose what to take to her new home. The company is one of an increasing number of 8220;senior move management8221; businesses offering services to retirees who are moving and must sift through the detritus of a lifetime.

Busy Buddies helped Sally go through her leftover possessions, supervised the sale of some items, rented a paper shredder and packed 45 boxes for charities to haul away. They also offered advice.

8220;They said, tell your children that they have until this date to come and get the things they want,8221; Sally said. Above all, they left her with an empty house.

The sheer amount and sentimental meaning of 8220;stuff8221; stashed away often confound older people or children whose elderly parents die or fall ill. Picking through possessions, dividing them fairly and discerning what has monetary value and what does not can be a mammoth job, especially if done under duress or during a time of grieving.

Busy Buddies is one of 120 companies that belong to the National Association of Senior Move Managers, a group that requires members to follow a code of ethics; businesses must carry insurance and provide references.

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Typically, these companies use a floor plan of the new home to help older clients make room-by-room decisions about what to move. They then help clients sort through their other belongings and recommend estate-sale specialists, appraisers, auction houses and charities. Many companies offer packing and unpacking services. They also assess what is trash and how best to get rid of it.

People who use such services can spend 1,500-5,000, depending on the selections and nature of the move.

Ron Butler, an estate agent in Virginia Beach, tells clients it is generally worthwhile to hire professionals for the downsizing process. He still regrets the hasty decisions he made when he cleaned out his parents8217; home after they died.

8220;They were people who lived through the Depression, and they saved everything 8211; broken transistor radios 8211; in case they ever needed a part,8221; Mr. Butler said. At the time, he felt inundated and threw or gave away things he could have sold.

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Nancy Loyd and Mary Ann Brewer, founders of Busy Buddies, said most their clients were elderly people, but they were getting more and more calls from empty-nest couples in their 508217;s who are moving from suburban homes to smaller city apartments.