What to Bring to a Nursing Home: Essential Checklist for Residents

Moving into a nursing home is a major transition, and figuring out what to bring can make an already emotional process feel even more overwhelming.

The goal is not to recreate an entire house inside one room. It is to bring the things that make daily life comfortable, familiar and personal while making sure the resident has what they need for dressing, grooming and favorite activities.

Before packing, start by asking the nursing home what it already provides and what residents are allowed to bring. Room size, storage, laundry services, bedding, electrical-item policies and other rules vary by facility.

Once you know what is provided, use this checklist to fill in the gaps.

Quick Nursing Home Packing Checklist

Consider bringing:

• Comfortable everyday clothing
• Sleepwear and undergarments
• Shoes and slippers
• Personal toiletries
• Eyeglasses, hearing-aid supplies and other everyday personal items
• Family photos and meaningful keepsakes
• A favorite blanket or pillow, if permitted
• Phone, tablet, headphones or other approved electronics
• Books, puzzles and hobby supplies
• Mobility or daily-living aids recommended for the resident
• A few favorite decorative items

Avoid overpacking. Nursing home rooms usually have considerably less storage than a house or apartment.

1. Comfortable, Easy-to-Manage Clothing

Clothing is one of the most important things to plan because residents will use it every day.

Start with enough clothes to get comfortably through the facility's laundry cycle.

A basic wardrobe might include:

• Everyday shirts and tops
• Comfortable pants
• Sweaters or cardigans
• Pajamas or nightgowns
• Underwear
• Socks
• Comfortable shoes
• Seasonal outerwear
• A few nicer outfits for visits, activities or special occasions

Ask how the nursing home handles laundry and whether clothing should be labeled with the resident's name before move-in.

Consider How Easy the Clothes Are to Put On

A move to a nursing home may coincide with changes in mobility, strength, coordination or dexterity.

If getting dressed has become difficult, this is a good time to look at the clothes themselves.

Common challenges include:

• Fastening small buttons
• Managing traditional zippers
• Pulling pants over the feet
• Bending while dressing
• Raising the arms into shirts
• Dressing while seated
• Needing assistance from another person

Adaptive clothing for nursing home residents is designed to address those specific challenges while still looking like everyday clothing.

Useful features can include:

• Magnetic shirt closures
• Side-opening pants
• Flexible waistbands
• Wider pant openings
• Easy-grip zipper pulls
• Stretch fabrics
• Designs that are easier to put on while seated

Not every nursing home resident needs adaptive clothing.

If someone can comfortably wear and manage the wardrobe they already own, there might not be a reason to replace it simply because they are moving into a nursing home.

But if dressing has become frustrating, even a little bit, choosing clothing around the specific difficulty can make the daily routine simpler.

Joe & Bella's nursing home adaptive clothing includes familiar styles such as button-down shirts and everyday pants with easy-dressing features built into the design.

Important: Magnetic clothing should not be worn by people with pacemakers, ICDs or other implanted devices that may be affected by magnets. Follow the guidance for the resident's medical device.

2. Toiletries and Personal-Care Items

Familiar toiletries can make a new environment feel more normal.

Depending on what the facility provides, consider packing:

• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Denture-care supplies
• Hairbrush or comb
• Shampoo and conditioner
• Body wash or soap
• Deodorant
• Moisturizer
• Lip balm
• Razor or shaving supplies
• Hair-care products

Favorite products can be worth bringing even if the facility supplies basic toiletries.

Using the same lotion, shampoo or aftershave someone has used for years can preserve a small but meaningful part of their normal routine.

Ask the facility whether toiletries need to be labeled and whether any particular personal-care products are restricted.

3. Eyeglasses, Hearing-Aid Supplies and Everyday Essentials

Small items are easy to overlook during a move.

Make a separate list for anything the resident depends on throughout the day, such as:

• Eyeglasses and an extra case
• Hearing aids
• Hearing-aid batteries or chargers
• Dentures and denture case
• Phone charger
• Watch
• Preferred cup or water bottle, if allowed

Label important belongings when practical.

For expensive or difficult-to-replace items, ask the facility how residents' possessions are stored and protected.

4. Family Photos and Meaningful Personal Items

A nursing home room should still feel like the resident's space.

Family photos are an easy place to start.

Consider:

• Framed family pictures
• Photo albums
• Digital photo frame
• Favorite artwork
• Small keepsakes
• Religious or spiritual items
• A familiar clock
• A favorite decorative object

Choose things that mean something to the person moving in rather than decorating the room according to what other people think a senior's room should look like.

CMS guidance recognizes nursing home residents' right to keep and use personal belongings and furnishings as space and safety permit.

Before bringing larger objects, ask the facility how much room is available.

5. Familiar Bedding and Comfort Items

A familiar blanket or pillow can make an unfamiliar bedroom feel more like home.

Depending on facility policies, you might bring:

• Favorite blanket
• Throw blanket
• Decorative pillow
• Personal pillow
• Bedspread or comforter

Ask before purchasing sheets or other fitted bedding.

The nursing home may provide linens, and the mattress may be a different size or type than the bed the resident used at home.

Facilities may also have requirements related to bedding materials, laundering or resident needs.

6. Approved Electronics

Electronics can help residents stay connected, entertained and informed.

Useful items might include:

• Cell phone
• Tablet
• E-reader
• Headphones
• Digital photo frame
• Radio
• Small television, if space permits
• Large-display clock

Before bringing lamps, fans, extension cords, heated blankets, coffee makers or other electrical appliances, ask the nursing home what is permitted.

Fire-safety and electrical policies vary by facility.

Also ask:

• Is Wi-Fi available?
• Is television service included?
• Are there enough electrical outlets?
• Is there a secure place to store electronics?
• Does the resident need help charging or operating devices?

7. Books, Hobbies and Favorite Activities

Don't pack only necessities.

Daily life includes a lot of time that needs to be filled with things the resident actually enjoys.

Depending on their interests, consider:

• Books or magazines
• E-reader
• Crossword or word-search books
• Playing cards
• Puzzles
• Knitting or crochet supplies
• Sketchbook
• Art supplies
• Journal
• Favorite music
• Photo albums

Avoid deciding that someone needs entirely new “senior activities” simply because they are moving into a nursing home.

If your dad has spent 40 years reading mystery novels, bring mystery novels.

If your mom loves knitting, find out whether she can continue knitting.

Maintaining familiar interests can make the new environment feel considerably more like their own.

8. Mobility and Daily-Living Aids

The resident may already use equipment such as:

• Cane
• Walker
• Wheelchair
• Reacher or grabber
• Dressing aid
• Sock aid
• Other assistive equipment

Do not automatically purchase new mobility equipment for the move.

Ask the nursing home what equipment the resident should bring and what the facility provides.

A nursing home's care plan can address the equipment and supplies a resident needs, so mobility devices should be coordinated with the resident's care team rather than selected solely from a packing checklist.

What Should You Ask the Nursing Home Before Packing?

Before move-in day, ask:

What does the room already include?

Find out about:

• Bed
• Bedding
• Nightstand
• Dresser
• Closet
• Chair
• Television
• Telephone
• Storage

What toiletries are provided?

This helps avoid bringing duplicates unless the resident prefers their own products.

How does laundry work?

Ask:

• How often is laundry done?
• How much clothing is recommended?
• Does every garment need a name label?
• Are there fabrics or clothing types the laundry service cannot handle?

What electrical items are allowed?

Do not assume a lamp, fan, heated blanket or small appliance can simply be plugged in.

Can residents bring furniture?

Residents may be able to bring personal furnishings if space and facility requirements allow, but check measurements before moving anything.

How should valuables be handled?

Ask about lockable storage and the facility's policies for jewelry, cash and electronics.

What medical equipment should come with the resident?

Coordinate walkers, wheelchairs and other equipment with the nursing home and healthcare team.

What Not to Bring to a Nursing Home Without Asking First

Some belongings require additional planning.

Check with the nursing home before bringing:

• Large furniture
• Area rugs
• Space heaters
• Heated blankets
• Extension cords
• Candles
• Small appliances
• Large amounts of cash
• Expensive jewelry
• Medications
• Medical equipment not discussed with the care team

Policies differ from facility to facility.

When in doubt, call before packing it.

How Many Clothes Should Someone Bring to a Nursing Home?

There is no universal number because laundry schedules and storage space differ.

Ask the facility how often residents' clothing is washed and how much closet and drawer space is available.

In general, pack enough clothing to comfortably cover the laundry cycle plus a few extra pieces.

Prioritize clothes the resident already enjoys wearing rather than filling the closet with an entirely new wardrobe.

Make sure everything fits comfortably now.

Should Nursing Home Clothing Be Labeled?

Many nursing homes recommend or require residents' clothing and personal items to be labeled, particularly when the facility handles laundry.

Ask the facility before move-in how they prefer clothing to be labeled.

You may need to label:

• Shirts
• Pants
• Underwear
• Socks
• Pajamas
• Sweaters
• Jackets

Do not forget items that may be removed during the day, such as cardigans.

What Personal Items Make a Nursing Home Feel More Like Home?

Think about what someone sees and uses every day in their current home.

It might be:

• Their favorite family photo
• A blanket that is always on their chair
• A radio they listen to every morning
• A familiar clock
• A favorite book
• A small collection
• Artwork
• A comfortable sweater

A nursing home room does not need to look like a hotel room.

A few carefully chosen possessions can make it feel much more personal.

Make the New Room Feel Like Their Room

The best nursing home packing list is not the longest one.

It is the one built around the person who is moving.

Start with what the nursing home already provides. Then add the clothes, toiletries, familiar possessions and activities that make daily life feel comfortable and recognizable.

If dressing has become one of the difficult parts of the resident's routine, that is also a good time to reconsider whether their clothing still works for them.

Adaptive clothing can simplify specific dressing challenges without requiring someone to give up the styles they have always enjoyed wearing.

Most importantly, involve the person moving in as much as possible.

It is their room, their clothing and their belongings.

The goal is not simply to pack everything they need.

It is to help their new space still feel like theirs.