10 Items You Just Have To Add to Your University Checklist
Have you received an unconditional offer for university or are you waiting on your conditional offer on A-level results day? Well, you need to read our guide to plan what you need to bring with you ahead of moving to university. We’re super clued up on things you need to add to your checklist for when you begin your stay in student accommodation.
We’ve narrowed it down to the top 10 things people tend to forget or don’t think to bring with them, to help you out – aren’t we kind! Get sorted for freshers and student living with this guide.
Let’s get going!
Our Tips For Packing
If we can give you any advice about packing for university, it’s to not stress too much. There will be shops for you to grab anything you’ve forgotten and for some things like food, drinks and cleaning bits and bobs, it’s easier to just buy when you’re all moved in. You also don’t need to splash the cash, head to B&M or Home Bargains to get your stuff.
Our student accommodation properties are ideally located to tons of shops so you can get any essentials you need without worrying.
Another helpful tip for your university checklist is to create a notes file with everything you need and tick them off when they’re sorted. After all, who uses paper and a pen anymore?!
You can also share notes files with others so if you’re splitting kitchen items with your flatmates you can share your list with them and all plan what to get! Trust us, you all don’t need to buy oven gloves, tea towels and cloths, you’re best of splitting these kinds of stuff with other people.
It can be helpful too if you see someone else’s list as they may have thought of something you didn’t and vice versa.
Talking about lists, here is our top 10 items you just have to add to your checklist…
University Checklist
1. Bedding
This might seem like an obvious one, but some people do genuinely forget to bring bedding or enough of it! We suggest taking a few of each item duvet, cover, sheets, mattress protector and pillows. You will be able to find out which size bed your student room will have prior to moving in.
You don’t want to just bring one bedding set with you because you’ll have to wash and dry the one set all the time, and with the laundry rooms in accommodations being quite busy we’re sure this will become a pain. It’s also great to bring a spare sheet and mattress protector just in case – extra comfort too!
2. Scissors & Sellotape
Trust us when we say, these two will be a godsend whilst at university. You don’t want to go to cut the label off your new top before a night out and find that NO one in the flat has a pair of scissors. It’s also super helpful to have scissors when in the kitchen for opening sachets and stuff like that.
Whether it’s putting up decorations in the communal area or needing sellotape for your ripped poster, it will come in handy! You can go out and buy a roll whenever but it’s ideal to bring some with you, you’ll most likely need some during fresher’s week.
Although, we do recommend getting command strips instead of using sellotape or blue tac on your walls as you don’t want to leave any marks.
3. Extension Leads
Despite our student properties having ideally located plug sockets next to your desk and bed, not all do. Bringing an extension lead with you means you can plug in all your devices without running out of room. We’re sure after you’ll want to be able to plug in the likes of your phone charger, laptop charger, games console and hair dryer without faffing.
Provide power to every corner of your student room when you have an extension lead. We suggest purchasing an extension lead tower, they’re super helpful and a must-have.
4. Earplugs & Headphones
Let’s be honest here, student accommodations can be loud sometimes. You don’t want to start cracking on with uni work and then next door hear someone having a game of guitar hero or blasting music. Its best to get some earplugs for the night-time or when it’s time for quiet studying – they’re a gamer changer for blocking out noise! Headphones work just fine as well.
Don’t worry though, in our properties we have helpful property teams who you can go to if you’re experiencing any noise issues. Fingers crossed you won’t need encounter any problems! A variety of our accommodations also have quiet study areas so you can work hard and concentrate on the task at hand.
5. Bedroom Fan
Having a fan in the warmer months will be a godsend for you, is there anything worse than being too hot whilst you’re trying to sleep?! If you’re stressing about storage space then don’t, within our properties and a lot of others, there is under-bed storage space. You can store your fan away in the colder months and bring it out when it’s time to.
A lot of places will have student discounts available if you need to purchase a fan or any other household items, check uni-days to see if you can make the most of any deals. Like we said, you don’t need to spend tons of money getting bits for uni.
6. Dressing Gown
Your fave snug dressing gown is an essential item in our eyes. You’ll wake up and feel all cosy when getting ready for your morning lectures or seminars with your dressing gown on. It’s your space after all, so you deserve to feel comfortable.
It will also be an ideal piece of clothing to put on when the fire alarm goes off and you have to go outside (argh we know it’s a pain). Or for those late-night chats with your flatmates in the kitchen, it’s easy to just shove on!
7. Laundry Bag
A laundry bag or basket is useful for taking your washing to the laundry room whilst staying in student accommodation. It also stops your floor from being a floordrobe with piles of washing everywhere.
The great part about bringing along a laundry bag is you can use it to store your clothes whilst moving in. You can even use a reusable shopping bag as your washing bag if you don’t want to spend any money on a laundry bag. You can buy one in your uni city or town though if you want to save space whilst travelling.
8. Speaker
Bring along a Bluetooth speaker for when you’re having pre’s before a nightout at your student flat or for when you want to listen to music whilst working. Ask your flatmates if they’re planning to bring one so you don’t all bring along a massive speaker to put in the kitchen!
Although, just remember to be mindful and respectful of noise levels when you’re all moved into your accommodation, it is a shared space after all!
9. Clothes Hangers
Clothes hangers are something you may not have given a second thought. We don’t want you to get to your student home and have you realising you can’t hang your clothes up! Some may provide a couple of hangers already but its best to get some or bring some from home.
You’re going to be bringing a lot of clothes with you no doubt, so it’s best to have somewhere to hang them up and out the way. You can also get over the door racks for hanging coats, towels and bags which might be useful for you to get prior to moving in.
10 First Aid Kit
Last but not least, bring along a first aid kit of some sort before moving into student accommodation. You’ll never know when you’ll need it, especially during freshers’ week. You can pack basic supplies such as plasters, pain killers. vitamins, tweezers and dressings to name a few.
Don’t worry though, your student accommodation should have a handy first aid kit in the reception area if you ever need help with any minor injuries. Remember, if you take any medications bring them with you and store them in a safe place.
There you have it, the 10 items you just have to add to your university checklist. Obviously, there are tons of things to add to your full checklist, but we hope we’ve helped you with the ones people tend to forget.
We hope you sort out your itinerary and feel super prepared to move into your student accommodation come September. It’s come around fast, hasn’t it? You will have the BEST time!
You need to read our post on the Top 10 Things To Do On The August Bank Holiday.
Still need to sort a room for the next academic year? Here at Homes for Students we have tons of properties available in locations across the country. Explore our options today to get your ideal student home sorted!