Stressed Out About Moving?
Are You Dreading Downsizing into a Smaller Home or Apartment?
Feeling Overwhelmed by an Upcoming Move?
Welcome to Lone Star Transitions
We are Professional Move Managers —
Our goal is to make your move as care-free as possible by taking the stress out of moving.
What Is A "Senior Move Manager"?
We are.....
A Senior Move Manager is a professional who specializes in assisting older adults and their families with the emotional and physical aspects of relocation and/or aging in place.
Lone Star Transitions provides a range of professional services tailored to your specific needs. We will make your transition as care-free as possible.
More About Senior Move Management...
Although specific services vary, the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM) states that most Senior Move Managers can help with some or all of the following:
- Developing an overall move or "age in place" plan
- Organizing, sorting and downsizing
- Customized floor plans
- Arranging for the profitable disposal of unwanted items through auction, estate sale, consignment, or donation
- Interviewing, scheduling and overseeing movers
- Arranging shipments and storage- Professional packing (if properly insured)
- Unpacking and re-settling the new home
- Related services, such as cleaning, waste removal, shopping, senior escort, assisting with selection of a realtor and helping prepare the home to be sold
Some Senior Move Managers provide these services directly; others function in more of an oversight or management role. Senior Move Managers have extensive, practical knowledge about the costs, reputation and availability of various local community resources.
Don't know which of our services you might need?
No problem.
We provide a complimentary (free of charge) 1-hour in-home consultation, during which we discuss your needs and concerns and help identify the areas where you might want our help.
We then provide you with a no-obligation estimate tailored to meet your individual requirements and goals.
About Us
Who We Are
Lone Star Transitions and LST Auctions are Texas Limited Liability Companies located in Katy, Texas and serving clients in the Greater Houston, Texas area. We are bonded, insured and members of the National Association of Senior & Specialty Move Managers (NASMM) and the Texas Auctioneers Association.
Our Mission
To make the moving experience as "care-free" as possible for our clients and their families by reducing the fear, anxiety and stress associated with such a significant life change. We also work to liquidate our client's residual estate property they are not taking to their new homes, so they can sell their greatest asset (their house).
The Owners
Greg & Crystal Drake are co-owners of Lone Star Transitions
They always dreamed of owning their own business and working together — and helping seniors is a passion they share.
Greg is retired military having served 20 years as a Logistics Officer in the U.S. Air Force. He has a master's degree in business administration, military training in logistics, leadership and project management, and a demonstrated desire to serve others, especially seniors and veterans. Greg is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion and Lone Star Veterans Association.
Crystal has a background in Senior Living and Care, having worked as a Program Director for a large independent living retirement community as well as a Family Liaison for an Alzheimer's/Memory Care unit. In addition to supporting Greg in his military career and setting up new households seven times in 15 years, Crystal also helped several family members and friends organize various parts of their homes. She is an avid quilter and has a passion for helping others, especially seniors, to improve their quality of life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Move Management Services
Why would I need a senior move manager?
If you've lived in your house for more than five years, you've probably accumulated a lot of "stuff". We can step you through the moving process and help you make informed decisions about what to move to your new home. Moving is not only physically stressful but can be emotionally overwhelming too, especially for seniors, but also for their family members. Our personal move managers are trained professionals who are experienced with how to deal with the anxiety of a move late in life. We take care of all the details to relieve you and your family from the stresses involved. We personally manage all aspects of your move and our processes help save money while ensuring your move is as "care-free" as possible.
Your business seems focused on seniors — do you organize or move other groups as well?
Certainly. We love working with seniors and their families, but we can work with people of all age groups. Moving can be stressful regardless of your age--believe us, we moved seven times in 15 years as a military family, so we've been there. We can also tailor our services to fit the needs of anyone who is moving and just needs a little extra support in certain areas.
On average, how much does a pack and move cost?
Costs are based on several variables--the level of services requested, how much the client wants to take, travel time to the packing/unpacking locations, etc. So it's difficult to give averages. That's why we offer a free, no-obligation in-home consultation and provide a free estimate for every client. Lone Star Transitions charges on an hourly basis so clients can choose the number of hours or services that best fit their needs and budget.
How long does it normally take to pack and move a house?
Our staff may be small but they are trained to pack efficiently and with extra care so our client's belongings don't get damaged--we do it right the first time. Our goal is to do all local moves in a single day, but some larger moves may need to be packed and moved on one day, then unpacked, dusted, polished, beds made, hook up computers and TVs the next day. We will tell you how long your move should take when we do our initial consultation/estimate. Just remember...we do everything--all you have to do is walk in, sit down and relax. We don't cut corners.
What if I don't need all your services, but only for certain parts of the move?
We are flexible! We only want to provide you with what you need. You're the boss--we can do as much or as little as you are comfortable with. Our services can be requested ala carte as needed, whether it be packing, unpacking, organizing or de-cluttering, you can pick and choose what you want us to provide. We will customize our services to meet your requirements.
Do I have to be present while you pack, move or unpack my belongings?
No you do not. Our company is insured and our employees are bonded for your protection. We are experienced in carefully packing, unpacking and organizing our client’s belongings. We pride ourselves on being able to make your new house a home.
My mom really needs to move, but she is adamant about staying where she is--any advice on what I can do to change her mind?
No one likes change, that's just human nature. But for seniors it can be overwhelming to contemplate leaving the home they have lived in for many years. It is very important to give them some time and try to calmly discuss what their concerns are and why they don't want to move. This process could take several discussions to identify and address all the obstacles. Learning more about what retirement communities have to offer is always helpful to the discussion, for both you and your mom. And visiting a few communities and attending some of their events can give her choices and just might help her overcome some if not all of her objections. It is not unusual for seniors to think about retirement community living for several years before they finally decide to move.
Do you provide free estimates?
Yes, we can provide you with free no-obligation written estimates for all of our services. If you need move management or organization services, our in-home consultations normally last about an hour.
My parents are in Texas and considering moving closer to me, but I live in another state. I have no more time off from work and they are much too overwhelmed to do it by themselves. Can you help with an out-of-state move?
Yes we can. We can handle any or all aspects of the move process, to include floor planning, sorting, downsizing and estate disbursal, if needed. The Lone Star Transitions team will do all the packing at the your parents' current home and we can obtain estimates from a trusted long-distance moving company. We'll also coordinate with a NASMM affiliated Move Manager at the other end to arrange the unpacking and settling at your parent's new home. Everything is taken care of so you won't have to worry.
Estate Disbursal
How do you handle those items that mom & dad don't need or can't take with them to their new (smaller) home?
There are several options and we work with you to disburse your parents' items according to their/your wishes. We can arrange for items to be donated to a charity of choice, shipped to family members, sent to a consignment shop or sold at an estate sale if needed. If you can't hold an estate sale in your neighborhood, our sister company, LST Auctions, LLC is an online auction service that can help liquidate your residual estate. Moving is a very emotional time and we can customize our services to meet your particular needs.
Testimonials
Thank you Greg & Crystal for helping me go through and organize my household items. You really made it easy to decide whether or not I needed to keep it or get rid of it. You were so patient and I truly appreciate your help.
I'm a working professional and mother of two so my time is at a premium. My walk-in closet had become so cluttered I was wasting far too much time each morning searching for the items I needed. Lone Star Transitions was able to help me sort out and donate more than 100 clothing items I no longer needed (or wanted), and they organized the remaining items so now I never have a problem locating anything. The tips they provided help me to stay organized so I find I have much more time to get ready in the morning and am less stressed out trying to find things. I am very satisfied with the results.
After my husband passed and I found myself with a house that had become a combination office, library and crowded living space, as well as a garage full of tools, boxes and a lot of storage items, I knew I needed help getting it all straightened out. Greg & Crystal helped me turn my house into a safe and comfortable home, with a garage that is not only organized and accessible, but now also holds my car. If I ever need to downsize in the future I would definitely call on them.
Contact Us:
Email: Info@lonestartransitions.com
Mailing Address:
565 S. Mason Road #520
Katy, TX 77450