How to print our sheets so they stay large and easy to read

Every printable PDF we make is designed to be read comfortably by eyes aged 70 and up, and filled in by hand without cramping your fingers. Follow these simple printer settings so your home printer does not accidentally shrink the page.

Flat illustration of a home printer and hands holding up a large-print checklist sheet.

1. US Letter vs. A4 paper

All of our PDF files are laid out for standard US Letter paper (8.5 by 11 inches), which is the everyday copy paper sold across the United States and Canada.

If you live in a country that uses A4 paper (210 by 297 mm), A4 is slightly narrower and slightly taller than US Letter. You can still print every sheet cleanly: on US Letter paper choose 100% / Actual Size, and on A4 paper choose Fit to Printable Area so the left and right borders stay intact.

2. Set scale to 100% (Actual Size)

Many laptops and phone print menus automatically select "Shrink to Fit" or "Fit to Page." Even when you already have US Letter paper loaded, that setting shrinks the text and writing boxes by 8% to 12%.

In your print dialog box, look for Scale or Page Sizing and choose Actual Size or type 100%. Our sheets already have wide, safe outer margins built in, including extra space on the left edge if you want to three-hole punch them for a binder.

3. Choose Black & White (Grayscale) mode

Our sheets are built specifically for black-and-white printing. Selecting Black & White or Grayscale in your printer window forces the printer to use crisp black ink rather than mixing color cartridges. Turn off "Draft" or "Toner Save" mode so lines and headings come out solid and dark.

4. Pick the right paper weight

Standard 20 lb copy paper: Good for single-sided weekly handover sheets kept on a clipboard or slipped inside clear matte binder sleeves.
Heavier 24 lb or 28 lb matte paper: Best for the Who-to-Call Sheet on the refrigerator door or pages you handle every day. Thicker paper stays flat, resists tearing, and prevents felt-tip pen ink from showing through.
Avoid glossy paper: Always use plain matte paper so kitchen lamps and ceiling lights do not reflect glare into your parent's eyes.

5. The 30-second test

Before you print a full pack, print one page and do this quick check:

Print it, hold it at arm's length under the normal light in the room where it will live, and ask: can you read it comfortably?

Then pick up a dark rollerball or felt-tip pen and write one name and phone number in a box. If you can read the headings easily at arm's length and your handwriting fits without crowding, your printer setup is ready.

Quick printing checklist

Paper loaded: plain white matte US Letter paper (20 lb to 28 lb)
Orientation: Portrait (vertical)
Scale: 100% or Actual Size (or Fit to Printable Area if using A4)
Color mode: Black & White / Grayscale, Normal quality (not Draft)
Single-sided printing selected so each sheet can lie flat on a clipboard
Passed the 30-second arm's-length readability test in kitchen light