Moving Into a Care Home: What to Pack and How to Prepare

Deciding that a loved one needs residential care is one of the hardest steps a family can take, and once the decision is made, the practical side can arrive all at once. Suddenly you’re thinking about clothing, paperwork, and what will actually fit in the room — often while emotions are still raw and time feels short.

Please know this is completely normal, and you don’t have to get everything perfect. This guide is here to take the guesswork out of packing and preparing, so that the day itself feels calmer. We’ll cover exactly what to pack for a care home, what the home usually provides, the documents you’ll need, and — just as importantly — how to help your loved one settle in once they’ve arrived.

At South Devon Care Services, we support families through this move every week across our homes in Ogwell Grange, The Grange in Ipplepen, and Ridgecourt in Totnes. Getting the practical details right makes everything that follows a little easier.

What to Pack for a Care Home: The Essentials

Start with the basics that ensure comfort and dignity from the very first day.

Clothing should cover around 7–10 days, as laundry usually runs weekly. Choose comfortable, easy-to-wear items — elasticated waists, front fastenings, and slip-on shoes are far kinder than fiddly buttons and laces, especially if your loved one needs help dressing. Include everyday tops and trousers, cardigans or jumpers, and enough underwear and socks for the week.

Don’t forget nightwear and slippers with non-slip soles for safety, plus a dressing gown. A warm coat, hat, and scarf matter too, as many residents enjoy time in the gardens or local walks. It’s also lovely to pack one special-occasion outfit for birthdays, family visits, or social events — feeling dressed up for a moment that matters helps maintain dignity and joy.

Toiletries and personal care should be the brands and scents your loved one already knows. Familiar soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and deodorant provide real comfort during the settling-in period. Include a hairbrush, moisturiser, nail clippers, any regular skincare, and — crucially — glasses, hearing aids, and dentures, with spares, cleaning solutions, and cases where possible.

Comfort items are often the small things that matter most. A favourite blanket or cushion carries a familiar texture and scent that can be enormously reassuring. Framed photographs of family, pets, and happy memories help staff get to know your loved one and give comfort on harder days. Books, magazines, or a small radio with familiar music all help — and for anyone living with dementia, music from their past can be especially powerful. You can read more about our approach on our dementia care in South Devon page.

A note on electrical items: For everyone’s safety, many care homes need to safety-check (PAT test) electrical items before they can be used, and check them again periodically. It’s always worth asking the home about this before moving day.

Personal Touches That Turn a Room Into a Home

The difference between a room and a home usually comes down to a few meaningful objects rather than lots of belongings.

If there’s one truly treasured piece of small furniture — a favourite armchair, or a bedside table with sentimental value — speak with the home manager before moving day. Whether it can be accommodated depends on room size, safety, and fire regulations, so a quick conversation avoids disappointment. In most cases, one or two special pieces are plenty, keeping the room calm rather than cluttered.

Meaningful objects tell a life story: the ornament from a honeymoon, the clock that belonged to a mother, the vase a grandchild made. Hobby items such as knitting, puzzles, or playing cards help maintain a sense of purpose and continuity, which sits at the heart of the activities we run across our Devon homes. And if faith is important, religious or spiritual items like a prayer book or rosary can be a source of deep comfort throughout the transition.

What the Care Home Usually Provides

Understanding what’s already included prevents overpacking. Most residential care homes, including ours, provide:

* Furniture — bed, wardrobe, chest of drawers, bedside cabinet, and an armchair

* Bedding and towels, laundered by the home

* Basic toiletries, though most people prefer their own brands

* All meals and drinks, including special dietary requirements

* Activities and entertainment, with personal hobby items warmly welcomed

* Everyday medical supplies as part of daily care

Before you pack, it’s worth confirming a few things directly with the home: the room size and storage available, whether a treasured piece of furniture can be accommodated, what’s provided for television and entertainment, and how laundry and labelling work. We’re always happy to talk these details through before moving day — you can get in touch here.

What Not to Bring

Some things are safer and simpler kept with family, which also helps the room feel calm and secure:

* Valuable jewellery beyond a wedding ring or simple daily pieces — treasured items are safer at home, avoiding the heartache of loss

* Large amounts of cash — a small sum for personal purchases is fine, but keep the rest in the bank

* Future medications — bring current prescriptions only; more can be delivered as needed

* Sharp implements like scissors or craft knives, which are available for supervised activities when needed

* Electrical items needing repair — anything with a frayed cord should be fixed first, or left behind

 

Essential Documents and Paperwork

Getting paperwork organised in advance prevents delays and ensures the right care from day one. You won’t always have every item ready — bring what you can, and the home will help with the rest.

Medical essentials: NHS number, a current medication list with dosages and timings, GP surgery details, any specialist or consultant details, and a short summary of major conditions, allergies, and ongoing treatments.

Legal and financial: proof of identity (passport, driving licence, or birth certificate), registered Power of Attorney documents (Health & Welfare and/or Property & Financial Affairs), any Deputyship orders, and the signed care home agreement.

Care planning: the pre-admission care needs assessment, written dietary requirements and preferences, and up-to-date family and emergency contact details. If it’s helpful, our pre-assessment form is a good place to start capturing care needs.

How to Label Belongings

In a busy home with shared laundry, clear labelling is the single best way to keep belongings from going astray. Use permanent laundry markers or iron-on name labels on every item of clothing, writing clearly on care labels or collars. For socks and items without labels, fabric markers work well.

For hard items such as glasses cases, hairbrushes, or a radio, use stick-on labels showing both the name and room number. It’s also worth photographing special belongings, so there’s a visual record of what arrived. Some homes offer a labelling service at admission for a small one-off cost, so do ask the team whether that’s available.

Settling In: The First Few Days

Packing is only half the picture — how the first week feels often matters more to families than any checklist. The good news is that settling in is a gradual process, and small, familiar touches make a real difference.

Arrange photographs and comfort items early, ideally before or on arrival, so the room already feels personal when your loved one walks in. Keep the first day gentle: allow plenty of time, avoid rushing off, and let the staff take the lead on introductions and routines.

It’s completely normal for the first few days to feel unsettled, and for some low moments in the early weeks. Familiar clothing, favourite music, and regular visits all help enormously. Do share the little things with staff — preferred routines, how they take their tea, the name they like to be called — because these details are how a good, person-centred team gets to know the person behind the care needs. If your loved one is arriving for a shorter stay first, our respite and rehabilitation care in South Devon can be a gentle way to ease into the transition.

If the Move Is Happening Quickly

Many moves into care happen fast — sometimes with only days’ notice after a hospital stay. If that’s your situation, don’t worry about a perfect timeline. Focus on the essentials, and bring everything else over the following week or two.

For a quick move, prioritise: 3–4 days of clothing, current medications in their packets, the key documents you have to hand (NHS number, medication list, GP details, ID), and one or two comfort items such as a favourite blanket and photographs. That’s genuinely enough to start. Staff understand that some moves happen in a rush, and you’ll have plenty of support to bring the rest in gradually.

A New Chapter, Not a Closed Book

Packing for a move into care is really about carrying a little of home with you — the photographs, the familiar blanket, the small things that say this is who I am. Get the essentials right, label everything, and don’t put pressure on yourself to have it all perfect on day one.

Most of all, remember that this decision opens a new chapter rather than closing the book. With the right support and a few familiar comforts, a care home can become a place of warmth, company, and genuine wellbeing. If you’d like to talk through a move to Ogwell Grange, The Grange in Ipplepen, or Ridgecourt in Totnes, we’re always here to help — and happy to provide a packing checklist tailored to your loved one’s room.