The Move-In Day Checklist: What to Bring and What to Leave Behind

Move-in day will be more emotional than you're expecting. Even when it's the right decision — even when everyone is relieved to be past the planning stage and doing something — it's still a hard day.

Having a clear checklist of what to bring, what to leave, and what to set up takes some of the noise out. You can grieve the moment and still show up prepared.

What to Bring

Personal items that make the space feel like home:

• Favorite photos (bring frames, not just prints)
• A familiar blanket or throw
• The lamp or clock from their bedroom at home
• A few decorative items that carry meaning
• Their own towels and bedding if they prefer them

The goal is walking into a room that feels like them, not a hotel they just checked into.

Clothing:

• Enough for a week or two, to start — you can bring more later
• Comfortable, easy to put on (elastic waists, Velcro closures if helpful)
• Label everything with their name, seriously — items go missing in laundry
• Season-appropriate, plus a layer or two

Medical and hygiene:

• All current medications in original bottles, with a complete medication list
• Insurance cards (Medicare, Medicaid, supplemental if applicable)
• Their doctor's name and contact information
• Glasses, hearing aids, and any other assistive devices — plus backup batteries and any cases
• Preferred personal care products (shampoo, lotion, toothpaste)

Documents (copies — originals stay with family or in secure storage):

• Copy of the signed contract or residency agreement
• Health insurance cards
• Do Not Resuscitate order or advance directive, if applicable
• Emergency contact list

Comfort and activity items:

• Books, magazines, puzzles, whatever they actually enjoy
• A tablet or device for video calls if they use one (and a charger)
• Headphones
• A small amount of cash for personal expenses (many facilities have a small shop or vending)

What to Leave Behind

Large furniture pieces that won't fit — measure the room first, bring what actually fits.

Valuables like expensive jewelry. The practical reality is that small items go missing in care settings; bring meaningful jewelry only if you're comfortable with the risk, or make a photo record.

Anything that requires space or maintenance the new setting can't support.

Before You Leave That Day

Do these things before you go home:

• Meet with a staff member — ideally the charge nurse or lead caregiver — and confirm that the care plan is in place and accurate. Introduce yourself as the family contact.
• Walk the building with your parent. Help them find the dining room, the activities room, the nearest bathroom, the nursing station. Familiarity reduces anxiety.
• Put your parent's name on everything that goes into laundry — clothing labels, towels, everything. Bring a fabric marker or pre-printed labels. This is tedious and worth doing.
• Set up the communication devices. If your parent is using a tablet for video calls, get it connected to the wifi, test a call, and make sure they know how to use it.
• Find out what time meals are and where. Walk your parent to the dining room so they know where to go.
• Leave a list of family contacts — names and phone numbers — at the nursing station and in your parent's room.

The Day After

Call the next morning. Ask your parent how the first night was. Ask staff how they're settling in.

The transition period — the first two to four weeks — matters a lot. Some people adjust quickly. Others struggle with disorientation, sadness, or resistance. Frequent visits and calls in this period help.

This is not the end of your involvement. It's the beginning of a new kind of involvement.

One More Thing

Let yourself have a hard day. You're allowed to cry on the way home. You're allowed to feel grief and relief at the same time, which is a strange and exhausting combination.

This is hard. You're doing it right.