By Patricia Hagan, Indianapolis Star and News

After 30 years in the same home, Betty Jo Heubi decided it was time to make her move. "That yard was really overwhelming," says the 70-year-old widow. And the three-bedroom house had more space than she needed.

So she contracted to build a two-bedroom condominium nearby and started packaing. Problem was, the closets pulged and the basement, well...

"That basement was awesome," she recalls. Among other things, it contained furnishings from her late husband's old medical office, including an examination table.

"I had to get rid of an awful lot of things," she says.

Heubi, of indianapolis, is one of about 1.5 million older Americans on the move this year, according to Mayflower Transit. In most cases, they are moving from a house to a smaller residence - an apartment, condominium or retirement center - and must drastically reduce their possesions.

It's a transition that's dificult both physically and emotionally, says Mary Ann Yates, owner of Elder Moves, an Indianapolis company that helps senion citiens make the switch to smaller quarters.

Parting with belongings and memories can be traumatic, says Yates, even when the person is ready to give up the responsibility of maintaining a family home.

Packing and sorting usually takes more time than people expect, she says.

Harriet Thompson, a widow in her 70s, wonders if the "horrible" moving into a three-room condo, she continues cleanign out the 10-room house where she lived for 50 years and raised her two children.

"I've got a whole lot of this and a whole lot of that," says Thompson. "I found out I have three irons and two ironing boards."

Once the decions is made to move, it's important to determine how much space will be available for furniture and storage. Obtain a floor plan and measurements of wall space, closets and cabinets, Yates suggests.

She recommends considering the new lifestyle: What's the climate like and will winder clothes be needed? What services and maintencance wil be available at the new residence?

Then, she says, start sorting items by their destination:

• New Home
• Children, relatives and friends
• Charities or sales

If time is available, it's best to do the packing and pitching gradually, Yates says. Pace yourself: Instead of trying to clean the garage in one day, work on it two hours a day until it's done.