Move-in checklist: what to bring

Every community has its own move-in steps, so ask for its list too. This one covers what most families need.

Six to eight weeks before

• Get a floor plan of the new residence and measure the furniture you want to bring
• Ask the community for its move-in paperwork and any health forms it needs from a doctor
• Decide what to keep, give to family, donate or sell
• Book movers, and ask the community about move-in times and elevator or parking reservations

Paperwork to have ready

• Photo ID, Medicare card and insurance cards
• A current list of medications, doses and pharmacies
• Names and numbers for doctors and emergency contacts
• Copies of a health care power of attorney, financial power of attorney and any advance directives
• Long-term care insurance or VA benefit details, if any

What to bring

• A favorite chair, a bed and a nightstand, sized to the room
• Photographs, artwork and a few well-loved things to put out on day one
• Bedding, towels and a familiar blanket or quilt
• About a week to ten days of comfortable clothes, labeled with a name
• Toiletries, glasses, hearing aids and chargers
• A small lamp, a clock and a calendar
• For independent living, kitchen basics for the meals you like to make

What to leave behind

• Large furniture that won't fit the floor plan
• Valuables and important papers you won't need day to day
• Extra clothes, so closets stay easy to use
• Throw rugs, which can be a trip hazard
• Anything the community lists as not allowed, such as candles or space heaters

For a move to memory care

• Set up the room before your loved one arrives, so it looks familiar from the start
• Bring a few photographs with names written on the back
• Choose easy-on clothes and comfortable, non-slip shoes
• Write a one-page "about me": routines, favorite foods and music, and what helps on a hard afternoon

The memory care page explains how visiting and the first 30 days usually go.

Move-in day and the first weeks

• Keep move-in day calm, with familiar faces and a meal together
• Try a meal in the dining room and an activity in the first few days
• Ask who to call with questions, and how the team will keep you posted
• Give it time. Most people need a few weeks to settle into new routines

Before you choose a community, our tour checklist can help you compare.