OAKLAND, Calif. – September 30, 2026 – Park Glenview Oakland Senior Apartments, a family-owned independent senior apartment community in Oakland’s Glenview neighborhood, today published a free guide to senior downsizing. The guide helps older adults and their families plan a move to a smaller home one room at a time. It covers when to start, how to measure a new apartment, how to sort belongings, and where to find local downsizing and moving help in Oakland.
The guide, “Senior downsizing in Oakland: why the easiest move starts with a single drawer,” is available now on the Park Glenview website.
Why Park Glenview wrote a senior downsizing guide
Downsizing is one of the most common reasons families first contact Park Glenview. Many prospective residents are leaving a house they’ve lived in for decades. Many callers are adult children relocating a parent to the Bay Area while raising young families of their own.
Those conversations tend to raise the same questions. Where do we start? What furniture will fit? What do we do with everything else? Who can help?
“Families usually call us after they’ve already felt overwhelmed,” said Felicia Howard, who manages Park Glenview Apartments. “We wanted to give them something practical they could use before a tour, whether or not they end up living here. Downsizing doesn’t have to happen in one weekend, and nobody has to do it alone.”
What the senior downsizing guide covers
The guide is written for older adults, adult children, and family caregivers. It is organized around five practical steps:
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Start early and work on one room or area at a time, so the process stays manageable.
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Measure the new apartment and decide which furniture and belongings will fit comfortably.
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Prioritize belongings that are useful, meaningful, or important for daily comfort.
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Sort items into clear categories: keep, give to family, donate, sell, or discard.
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Ask family members, professional organizers, senior move managers, and movers for help when needed.
The guide also includes:
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A sample room-by-room plan that starts with low-emotion spaces like linen closets and saves photos and keepsakes for last
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Space planning tips, including taping furniture outlines on the floor before moving day
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A “do not pack” folder checklist for IDs, Medicare and insurance cards, financial statements, and estate documents
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An eight-to-twelve-week senior move timeline
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Answers to common questions, such as what age most seniors downsize and what not to do when downsizing
Local downsizing and moving resources for Oakland seniors
The guide lists Bay Area and Oakland resources families can contact directly. Senior Settlers, a senior move management company, helps older adults and families with downsizing, organizing, sorting belongings, packing, unpacking, and setting up a new home.
The guide also lists three local Oakland moving companies: Big Family Movers, which advertises special rates for seniors; Sweet Lemon Moving Services; and Jay’s Small Moves. These companies are presented as local options rather than companies formally endorsed by Park Glenview. Families are encouraged to contact each one directly to confirm services, availability, and pricing, and to check any mover’s permit with the California Bureau of Household Goods and Services before booking.
“We’re not a moving company, and we don’t pretend to be,” Howard said. “But we can tell a family the size of an apartment, help them picture where the bed goes, and point them toward people who do this work every day.”
Part of Park Glenview’s senior housing guide series
The downsizing guide is the latest article in Park Glenview’s series on senior living in Oakland. Earlier guides in the series include:
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2026 guide to senior apartments in Oakland, CA, which explains how senior apartments work, how independent living differs from assisted living, and what to ask on a tour
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Senior housing in Oakland, CA for active adults, which covers what active older adults look for in a senior community and how to compare options
Together, the guides give families a starting point for three questions that usually come in order: what kind of senior housing fits, what life there looks like, and how to actually make the move.
About Park Glenview’s history
Park Glenview Apartments was built in 1978 by Mort Howard, an Oakland contractor and resident. He brought the project before Oakland’s affordable housing board in response to a recognized need for affordable housing built specifically for seniors.
Nearly fifty years later, the 84-unit building is still owned and operated by the Howard family. Mort Howard’s youngest daughter, Felicia Howard, handles management and daily operations. Both ownership and management are based in Oakland, so residents and families talk directly with people who know the building.
Because most residents live on fixed incomes, Park Glenview takes a mindful approach to rent, pricing units affordably relative to the surrounding neighborhood and keeping increases infrequent. Visitors who tour after seeing other communities often comment on how well-kept the building and grounds are.
Park Glenview provides housing, not medical care or assisted living services. The community serves older adults who can live independently and want to simplify daily life, without a yard to maintain or a roof to repair.
“My father built this place because Oakland seniors needed somewhere good to live,” Howard said. “Helping families get here with less stress is part of the same job.”
Schedule a tour
Older adults and families planning a move in Oakland can schedule a tour of Park Glenview Apartments. Visitors are encouraged to bring a tape measure, ask to see a floor plan, and use the downsizing guide to plan which furniture will come along.
To book a visit or ask about current availability, call (510) 531-2510.
About Park Glenview Apartments
Park Glenview Oakland Senior Apartments is an 84-unit independent senior apartment community located at 3761 Park Boulevard Way in Oakland’s Glenview neighborhood. Built in 1978 by Oakland contractor Mort Howard, the community has been owned and operated by the Howard family ever since. Park Glenview offers independent senior apartment living for older adults who want to simplify their lives while staying independent. Learn more at parkglenviewseniors.com.
Media Contact
Company Name: Park Glenview Senior Apartments
Contact Person: Felicia Howard
Email: Send Email
Phone: (510) 531-2510
Address:3761 Park Blvd Way
City: Oakland
State: CA
Country: United States
Website: https://parkglenviewseniors.com/
