Carry medications, important documents, jewellery, cash, keys and anything irreplaceable yourself, in a bag that stays with a named family member all day. Those things are small, easily mislaid among a hundred cartons, and either impossible to replace or urgently needed. The truck is for the furniture and the boxes.
That is good advice for any move, and our general guide to what to move yourself covers the full list. In a senior move it matters more, because medications are often daily and critical, documents tend to include powers of attorney and the residence agreement, and the valuables are frequently heirlooms.
Medications
Pack every current medication in one clear bag or container, with the pharmacy labels intact. Include enough for several days beyond the move, plus anything taken only as needed. Keep it with the person or with the family member responsible for them, never in a carton.
If a residence manages medications for residents, ask how they want medications handed over and whether they need a current list from the pharmacy or doctor. Some residences have a specific process for move-in day. It is worth asking well before, since it is not something a mover can help with.
Old or discontinued medications should not simply be packed or thrown away. Many pharmacies accept them for safe disposal — ask yours.
Documents
Keep these in a single folder or document box that travels in the family car. If there is a filing cabinet full of older papers, pack that separately and label it clearly, or decide in advance what should be kept, shredded or passed to whoever handles the estate paperwork.
- Identification, health cards and any benefit cards
- The residence agreement and move-in paperwork
- Power-of-attorney and other legal documents
- Banking, pension and insurance information
- The house sale or lease documents, if any
- Medical information, a current medication list and doctors' contact details
- Your mover's quote and contact number
Jewellery, Cash and Small Valuables
Small, valuable items should be carried by family, not packed. Rings, watches, coins, cash and small collectibles are easy to lose between rooms and easy to throw out in a box of tissue paper.
It helps to gather them early, before packing starts, rather than on the morning of the move. Photograph anything of real value and make a short list. Then decide what goes to the suite, what goes to family and what goes to a safety deposit box.
Heirlooms and High-Value Items Too Big to Carry
Some valuables cannot go in a car: a grandfather clock, a piece of antique furniture, original artwork. These do go on the truck, and the important thing is to tell your mover about them before moving day so they can be wrapped and handled appropriately.
At Stallion, high-value, heirloom and specialty items must be disclosed before the move. Basic valuation coverage on a move is limited to $0.60 per pound per article, which is far below what an heirloom is worth, so if an item matters financially, ask about other coverage options in advance. Our moving coverage page explains how valuation works.
Keys, Remotes and Chargers
Keys to the old home, the new suite, the mailbox, the car and any storage locker get lost on moving day more often than anything else. Put them all on labelled rings in one envelope.
Do the same for the things that keep daily life working: phone and hearing-aid chargers, the television remote, glasses and their cases. A day without a working hearing aid or phone is a hard first day.
Things That Cannot Go on the Truck at All
Every mover has a list of items they cannot carry, usually including hazardous, flammable and pressurised materials, perishable food, and ammunition. Oxygen equipment has its own rules, and the supplier usually handles its relocation. Our guide on what movers cannot transport explains the common categories; ask your mover for their list.
Make One Person Responsible
The most reliable system is simple: one bag, one person. Pack a clearly marked bag or small suitcase with medications, documents, valuables and keys, and give it to one family member who keeps it with them all day and hands it over at the new suite.
Tell the crew it is not to be loaded. A good crew will ask which items are travelling separately; it still helps to set that bag aside in a room or car before the crew arrives.
Medications, documents, jewellery, cash, keys and chargers travel with the family. Heirlooms that must go on the truck are disclosed in advance. One bag, one responsible person.
If you would like help packing everything else carefully, our senior packing team can do the rest while you keep the essentials safe.