Free printable

Hospital Packing List: Free Printable

By Jason Su · Updated September 18, 2026

Pack four things: documents, medications, comfort items, and a long charging cable. Everything else is optional, and most of what people haul to a hospital goes home unused. The items on this list are the ones that actually get used — with particular attention to the few that people reliably forget, because you cannot go back for them easily once you are admitted.

The things people forget most

These five come up again and again:

• Your glasses. Not contacts — you may not be able to insert or remove them, and you will need to read forms.
• A long charging cable. Wall outlets are usually behind the bed, and a short cable means your phone lives on the floor.
• A printed copy of your medication list. Staff will ask. Reading from a page is faster and far more accurate than recalling it, and hospital systems do not always share records.
• Your advance directive. If you have one, bring a copy. It is the document that names who may speak for you — see what your state calls the form.
• Hearing aids, with spare batteries. A hospital is a hard place to communicate in, and being unable to hear makes it much harder.

What to leave at home

• Jewellery, watches, and heirlooms. They get lost in a hospital. Leave them somewhere safer than a bedside drawer.
• Large amounts of cash. A small amount for a vending machine or parking is plenty.
• Credit cards you will not use. One card, not the whole wallet.
• Valuables of any kind. Including the expensive jacket. Hospitals are busy, and things go missing.
• Your entire medicine cabinet. Bring the list and the doses you will need — not the bottles.

The sheet

How to use it

1. Pack into a bag that is ready to go, not assembled in a hurry. A pre-packed bag is one of the small kindnesses you can do for yourself.
2. Put the documents in one labelled envelope at the top of the bag. That is the part staff will ask for first.
3. Keep the list in the bag and tick it as you pack — and again as you leave, so nothing walks off.
4. Tell one person what is in it and where it lives. If someone else has to pack for you in a hurry, they can work from this page.
5. Refresh it once a year. Dated medication lists and expired insurance cards are the two entries that quietly go stale.

Frequently asked

Should I bring my medications?

Bring them in the original labelled containers and be ready to hand them over — most hospitals will keep and administer them rather than letting you self-dose. Bring the list as well.

What if I am admitted in an emergency and have nothing?

Then this sheet is what someone else uses to pack for you. Say where the bag is, and where the documents are — that single sentence is the most useful thing you can prepare in advance.

How much should I bring?

Less than you think. One small bag is right for a short stay. For a longer one, ask a family member to bring things in stages rather than packing for a month.

Do I need my original advance directive?

Bring a copy. The original should stay where it is safely stored — see where to keep your will for why originals should not travel casually. A copy is what hospitals need to see.

What about a laptop or tablet?

Only if you will actually use it. They are the item most often left behind and most often lost. A phone and a book usually cover it.

Should I bring food?

Check with the hospital first. Many restrict outside food for clinical reasons, and it is worth knowing before someone brings a favourite meal in.

Next step

Two actions worth doing today, neither of which requires a hospital visit: print the Medication Log so your medication list is current, and pack the documents envelope so it is ready when it is needed.

Then record where the bag and the documents live using the free Checklist Builder, and add your medication list to your emergency binder.

This is a blank checklist, not medical advice. What you may bring, and what the hospital will keep, varies by facility and by situation — please check with your care team.