What Paxem does

Paxem, Inc. is a privately-held professional services company headquartered at 100 Oakwood Drive, Suite A, Lake Zurich, Illinois, that provides move management, estate sale, and organizing services to seniors and families across the greater Chicagoland area. Founded in 2003 by Jennifer Prell, SMM-C, the company operates with 11–50 employees and delivers six interconnected service lines — Senior Move Management, Estate Sales, Packing & Unpacking, Professional Organizers, Moving Help, and Downsizing — designed to support clients through life transitions such as relocating from family homes, liquidating estates, or decluttering residences. There is no proprietary technology platform, mobile app, or AI component; the offering is delivered entirely through trained staff performing onsite work at client locations.

The company is differentiated by industry credentials rather than technology: it holds A+ accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, A+ accreditation from the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM), and accredited membership in the American Society of Estate Liquidators (ASEL). Founder Jennifer Prell also sits on the NASMM board and received the 2022 Margit Novack Award for Excellence in Senior Move Management. Paxem's competitive positioning rests on the founder's personal certifications (SMM-C, Dementia Reality Specialist), media presence (WGN News, NBC News), and an embedded referral network with realtors, senior living communities, and aging-services organizations including Elderwerks Educational Services, a 501(c)(3) founded by Prell.

Revenue is generated through two mechanisms: professional service fees (typically one-time engagements) for move management, packing/unpacking, organizing, and downsizing; and transaction-fee commissions on estate sale liquidations. Pricing is quote-based following a complimentary one-hour onsite consultation and is not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market motion is consultative and relationship-driven: inbound phone and website inquiries, community and professional referrals (realtors, healthcare providers, senior-living communities), paid search/organic SEO, social media presence (Facebook, Twitter), and earned media. All services are delivered on-site across Chicagoland suburbs including Chicago, Highland Park, Arlington Heights, Barrington, Lake Forest, Glen Ellyn, Glenview, Oak Brook, Northbrook, and Wilmette.

Name

Paxem

Legal name

Paxem, Inc.

Website

https://paxem.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Paxem is a privately-held Lake Zurich, Illinois professional services firm that provides senior move management, estate sales, packing, organizing, and downsizing services to seniors and families across the Chicagoland metro area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Senior Move Management & Estate Sale Services

NAICS

Used Household and Office Goods Moving (48421), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340), Services-Help Supply Services (7363)

akta.pro primary industry

Interstate Senior Moving & Downsizing (Long-Distance) (HSAKABAC)

Keywords

• Senior move management
• Estate sale services
• Professional organizing
• Downsizing assistance
• Moving coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Lake Zurich

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Move Management Services: Comprehensive move management services for seniors including packing, unpacking, moving coordination, and settling into new homes. These are typically one-time professional service engagements priced based on scope and duration of service requirements.
2. Estate Sale Services: Estate liquidation and sale management services including initial consultation, preparation, pricing, marketing, conducting sales, and post-sale cleanout. Revenue generated through commission or service fees on estate sales transactions.
3. Professional Organizing Services: Home organization and decluttering services for individuals dealing with hoarding situations or large volumes of belongings. Billed as professional service engagements.
4. Downsizing Services: Assistance with sorting, decision-making, donation management, and transition planning for individuals downsizing their living situation. Provided as part of senior move management engagements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Paxem is a move management and estate sale company serving seniors and families across the Chicago/Chicagoland area. It provides end-to-end transition services including estate liquidation and sale management, senior move coordination, packing and unpacking, professional home organizing, downsizing support, and full moving help. Engagements begin with a complimentary one-hour onsite consultation and are priced on a custom quote basis per scope of work.

Product overview

Paxem is a service-based move management company offering a unified suite of six interconnected services for seniors and families undergoing life transitions. The core offerings include Senior Move Management (coordinating entire moves), Estate Sales (liquidating belongings), Packing & Unpacking, Professional Organizing, Moving Help, and Downsizing assistance. These services are designed to work together—downsizing support feeds into estate sale preparation, move management incorporates packing and organizing—providing end-to-end transition support. The company also provides educational resources through its FAQ section.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Senior Move Management Comprehensive senior move management service for older adults and their families, encompassing a free consultation, personalized move planning, sorting and organizing, professional packing, moving-day coordination, and unpacking and setup in the new home. Delivered on-site across the Chicagoland area by Paxem staff.
• Estate Sales Full-service estate sale and liquidation management including initial consultation, item preparation, professional pricing research (with collector-network access), on-site merchandising and sale management, detailed receipts for transactions, and post-sale cleanout coordination. Performed on-site at client homes across Chicagoland and supported by signage at the property.
• Packing & Unpacking Professional packing and unpacking services including consultation, customized action planning, sorting, design of new-space layouts, precision packing, home-sale preparation, move-out management, and full settling into the new home. Provided for seniors, families, and individuals across Chicagoland.
• Professional Organizers Home organization and decluttering services for any project size, from single rooms to entire homes or office spaces, including challenging situations such as hoarding. Includes sorting, disposal/salvage, donation coordination, and creation of streamlined, clutter-free living spaces.
• Moving Help End-to-end moving support from initial consultation through execution, including customized planning, sorting, floor planning, packing, oversight of movers, home staging, and complete new-home setup. Available to seniors, families, and individuals in the Chicagoland region.
• Downsizing Compassionate downsizing assistance including free consultation, personalized downsizing plans, sorting and decluttering support, donation and liquidation coordination, and preparation of the client for their new living space. Targeted at seniors and families transitioning to smaller homes or senior living.

Quantifiable outcome

• Professional estate sale management with transparent process and detailed receipts

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Society of Estate Liquidators (ASEL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPaxem is an accredited member of ASEL. ASEL is a professional organization for estate liquidators that sets industry standards and provides accreditation for member companies. This accreditation demonstrates Paxem's commitment to professional estate sale practices.
• National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPaxem is A+ Accredited by NASMM, a professional association for senior move managers. Jennifer Prell serves as a NASMM Board Member. The company holds NASMM A accreditation indicating adherence to high standards of senior move management practice.
• Leading Age IllinoisminorOthersProfessional membership organization for aging services providers. Jennifer Prell is a member, connecting Paxem with the broader senior living and care ecosystem.
• Mainstreet Organization of Realtors - Senior Service CommitteeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJennifer Prell is a founding member of the Senior Service Committee, creating referral relationships with real estate professionals who serve senior clients.
• Elderwerks Educational ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Jennifer Prell, Paxem's President. Elderwerks is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation offering complimentary assistance to seniors and families including senior living coordination, advocacy, and education on aging topics. Creates integrated service offerings for senior clients.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Everything But The House (EBTH): Online auction platform for estate and household liquidation, digitizing the estate sale process Paxem performs in-person. Comparable on the estate sale revenue stream but uses an online auction model rather than Paxem's on-site sale methodology.
• TaskRabbit: Tech-enabled platform connecting consumers to labor for moving, packing, organizing, and home tasks. Comparable as an alternative for basic moving and organizing help but lacks the senior-specialized, consultative move management Paxem provides.

Direct peers

• Gentle Transitions: Long-established senior move management company providing packing, organizing, downsizing, and estate dispersal services. Comparable in mission, customer profile, and service mix; typically operates regionally but with multi-market presence Paxem lacks.
• Caring Transitions: Largest U.S. franchise network specializing in senior relocation, downsizing, and estate sales. Directly comparable to Paxem across the same six core service categories but operates nationally via a franchise model, creating both competitive overlap and a potential partnership/exit vehicle.
• Smooth Transitions: Senior move management and downsizing specialist serving older adults and families. Closely comparable in service offering (sorting, packing, move coordination, estate dispersal) and in targeting the senior transition customer segment.

Broad incumbents

• College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving: National franchise offering moving and junk removal services, often engaged for residential moves and cleanouts. Comparable to Paxem on the moving/cleanout side of the value chain but without senior-specific consulting or estate sale expertise.
• Two Men and a Truck: Large national moving franchise serving residential and commercial customers with broader scope than Paxem. Comparable as a moving labor provider and adjacent competitor for moving-day services, though lacking Paxem's senior-specific move management and estate sale specialization.
• 1-800-GOT-JUNK?: National junk removal franchise often contracted for estate cleanouts and post-move debris hauling. Comparable in providing end-of-transition cleanout services but broader in scope and not specialized in senior move management.

Regional players

• Right-Size: UK-based downsizing and move management service for seniors, closely comparable in service offering and senior-focused positioning but operating in the United Kingdom rather than Paxem's U.S. Chicagoland market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/paxeminc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/paxem-inc.

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Paxem