Module 2 · Topic

🏠Preparing Your Home

A little preparation at home before surgery can make the first few weeks of recovery much safer and more comfortable. Focus on removing hazards and keeping essentials within easy reach.

Safety first

Remove loose rugs, trailing cables and clutter from walkways.

Ensure good lighting on staircases and in bathrooms, and consider a nightlight for the route between bedroom and bathroom.

Everyday equipment

A raised toilet seat, a shower stool and grab rails can make bathing and toileting easier while your knee is healing.

Prepare a comfortable chair with good back support and a footstool for elevating your leg.

Interactive guide

Prepare your home

Preparing your home for knee replacement surgery

A little preparation before surgery can make your recovery safer, easier and much less stressful. Most people return home within one or two days after surgery — a well-prepared home lets you focus on getting moving again.

Safe

Free of trip hazards and easy to move around

Easy to live in

Everyday items within easy reach

Reassuring

Help arranged for the first few days

Clear living room walkway with rug edges secured

Step 1 · Living space

Remove trip hazards

Falls are one of the commonest reasons recovery is delayed. Spending just ten minutes making your home safer can significantly reduce your risk.

Remove or tape down loose rugs
Move electrical cables against walls
Keep walkways clear of clutter
Ensure enough room for a walking frame
Move furniture that blocks main routes

Walk through your usual routes from bed to bathroom, kitchen and living room as if you were using a walking frame — anything in the way needs to move.

Secure wooden handrail on carpeted stairs

Step 2 · Stairs

Make stairs safer

You will be able to use stairs after surgery, but they take a little more time and care in the first few weeks. A secure handrail makes all the difference.

Check the handrail is firmly fixed
Consider a second handrail if only one side has one
Keep the stairs clear and well-lit
Plan a downstairs sleeping option if needed
Practise going up and down before your operation

A simple rule for after surgery — good leg leads going up, operated leg leads going down.

Bathroom with raised toilet seat and grab rails

Step 3 · Bathroom

Prepare your bathroom

Most falls after knee replacement happen in the bathroom. A few simple adjustments — a raised toilet seat, grab rails and a shower chair — make washing much safer and more comfortable.

Avoid twisting or bending deeply in the first few weeks. Sitting to wash and to dress is safer and less tiring.

Fit a non-slip mat in the shower or bath
Add grab rails where you sit and stand
Use a raised toilet seat if bending is difficult
Set up a shower chair for seated washing
Keep toiletries within easy reach
Add a night light for safe night visits

Shower chair with non-slip mat inside a walk-in shower

A shower chair lets you wash safely without standing for long periods.

Kitchen worktop with kettle and everyday items within easy reach

Step 4 · Kitchen

Prepare your kitchen

Having meals prepared and everyday items within easy reach means less standing, less bending and more time to rest and recover.

Batch cook and freeze meals in advance
Buy easy-to-prepare food for the first week
Keep kettle, mugs and plates on the worktop
Store frequently used items between waist and shoulder height
Have a chair or perching stool for longer tasks

Prepare and freeze meals

Cook double portions in the weeks before surgery, label them clearly and freeze — a stocked freezer is one of the simplest ways to make life easier at home.

Firm supportive armchair with side table

Step 5 · Living room

Arrange your living room

Create one comfortable recovery space where everything you need is within easy reach. A firm chair with arms is much easier to get out of than a low sofa.

Choose a firm chair with arms
Avoid very low sofas
Keep a small table beside the chair
Have a phone and charger within reach
Keep the TV remote nearby
Have water and medications close by

Try the chair before surgery — you should be able to stand up from it without pulling on your knees.

Recovery station

Build your recovery station

Everything within easy reach means fewer unnecessary trips around the house and a lower risk of falls. Keep it on a bedside table or beside your recovery chair.

Bedside recovery station with lamp, phone, water and essentials

Keep these within arm's reach

Nine essentials for your bedside table

💧

Water bottle

💊

Pain medication

📱

Phone

🔌

Charger

📖

Exercise booklet

📺

TV remote

👓

Glasses

📝

Notebook

🧻

Tissues

Neatly made bed at a comfortable height with bedside table

Step 6 · Bedroom

Prepare your bedroom

A well-prepared bedroom makes getting in and out of bed safer and helps you sleep more comfortably. A bed at a comfortable height — around knee level — is much easier.

Bed at a comfortable height
Clear route from bed to bathroom
Bedside lamp easy to reach
Phone and charger by the bed
Water bottle and medications ready
Extra pillows for support

Good lighting matters

Add plug-in night lights along the route from your bedroom to the bathroom so you can see clearly during night visits.

Supportive slip-on shoes with non-slip soles

Footwear

Wear supportive, non-slip shoes

Slippers with no back and worn soles are a leading cause of falls at home. Choose enclosed shoes with a firm sole, a supportive back and easy fastenings.

Slip-on style that doesn't need bending to fasten
Firm, non-slip sole
Supportive back — avoid backless slippers
Roomy enough for any swelling

Helpful equipment

Equipment that can help

Your healthcare team will advise which equipment is appropriate for you. Most patients do not need every item.

Rolling walker

Walking stick

Raised toilet seat

Shower chair

Grab rails

Long-handled shoe horn

Reaching aid

Sock aid

Your healthcare team will advise which equipment is appropriate for you. Most patients do not need every item.

Neatly arranged pet bed and food bowls at floor level

Arrange help

Plan pet care and daily help

Most patients become independent quickly, but planning some help for the first week reduces stress and lets you focus on recovery. Pets in particular need some thought — bending to feed or walk them can be difficult early on.

Someone to walk the dog
Raised food and water bowls
Pet bed away from walkways
Help with shopping
Help with laundry and bins
Someone staying the first night

Planning ahead

Your before-surgery checklist

Write down the important things, tick each item as you get ready, and let this list save automatically as you go.

Small whiteboard with a written recovery plan and reminders

Write it down — it makes it real

A visible list of medicines, exercises and daily reminders keeps you on track and helps whoever is supporting you know exactly what needs doing.

Meals prepared and freezer stocked
Trip hazards removed from walkways
Bathroom prepared with grab rails and mat
Firm chair with arms chosen
Recovery station set up beside the bed
Walking aid collected or ordered

Someone arranged to drive me home
Someone staying with me the first night
Regular medications ready to hand
Comfortable clothing and shoes prepared
Everyday items moved within easy reach
Phone, charger and important numbers ready

Watch out for

Common mistakes to avoid

Leaving rugs on the floor

Using low sofas or armless chairs

Keeping everyday items on high shelves

Trying to do housework too early

Rushing to answer the phone or door

Forgetting to arrange help in advance

Myths vs facts

Common myths, cleared up

Most patients go home within one or two days, and some go home the same day if they are medically fit and mobilising safely.

You're ready

A little preparation makes a big difference

Preparing your home before surgery is one of the simplest ways to make your recovery safer, easier and less stressful. By spending a little time getting organised now, you'll be able to focus on what matters most after your operation — getting moving, regaining confidence and enjoying your new knee.

Practical tips

Move frequently-used items to waist height to avoid bending or reaching.
Stock the freezer with easy meals for the first two weeks.
Set up a recovery zone with a charger, water, medication and a phone within arm's reach.

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