The beginning of university is an incredibly exciting time. Before moving in, many prospective students fondly imagine what their halls of residence room will look like when it’s all kitted out and decorated. To make sure you nail this look (and aren’t constantly asking your parents to send items that you’ve forgotten), you’ll need to plan and then pack. To help with this, check out our uni checklist to find out exactly what you need to take to university.
Bedroom
The majority of students will spend their first year of university in halls of residence. Because you’ll likely spend a fair amount of time in your room, it should be somewhere to relax, unwind and study. Here are your university bedroom essentials.
Clothes
- Pyjamas (bear in mind that middle-of-the-night fire alarms are fairly common in halls, so pick something you’re happy being seen in by strangers)
- Dressing gown
- Indoor shoes like slippers or sliders
- Everyday clothes
- Formal/smart clothes
- Sports clothes
- Fancy dress (though you’ll probably end up buying most of this as and when it’s needed)
If you know which societies you’ll be joining, then you can also base your wardrobe around these groups if relevant. If you love swimming, then bring your trunks or swimsuit.
Bedding
- Duvet
- Pillows
- Sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases (bring a spare for each)
- Mattress protector
- Blanket or throw
Though they’re quite expensive, a mattress topper can massively improve the comfort of an otherwise hard student mattress. Extra blankets and cushions can also provide you with some much-needed cosiness while at university.
Electrical items
- Your phone, tablet, laptop and any other electronic devices (including a TV if you have one)
- Chargers
- Earphones and/or headphones
- A desk lamp
- Ethernet cable
- Extension leads
- Hairdryer, straighteners etc.
Some non-essential electrical items include speakers (if you’re hosting pre-drinks then these become much more important), a games console, a printer and fairy lights. Printing in your room is useful for last-minute panic prints but you’ll usually be able to print on campus. Fairy lights are a popular decoration but halls will often request that you bring battery-powered ones.
Miscellaneous items for your room
Here are a bunch of other items that we’d recommend bringing with you to university.
- Bags (for nights out, carrying your laptops/books when on campus and for when making journeys home)
- Decorations to make you feel more at home (this could include photo frames, rugs or anything else that comes to mind)
- Posters
- Blu tac and/or drawing pins (just be aware that you might lose some of your deposit if marks are left on the walls)
- Clothes horse (also called a clothes airer or drying rack)
- Earplugs
- Pack of cards (you’ll need these for a heap of different drinking games)
- Additional storage like boxes and shelving units
- Anti-bacterial wipes
- Keyring
Kitchen
The amount of kitchen stuff you’ll need to bring will depend on if you’ll be living in catered or self-catered university halls (or a house share). You’ll need much less in catered as the majority of cooking will be done for you. We’d also recommend checking what’s supplied in your kitchen, as many will include a kettle, microwave and toaster.
Catered university halls
- Mugs (and teabags!)
- Glasses
- A set of cutlery
- A sharp knife
- Bowls and plates
- A bottle opener and tin opener
- Tea towels
- Storage containers
Even though food is provided for you, you might still miss mealtime and have to get a takeaway or ready meal, which is where the cutlery, bowls and plates will come in handy.
Self-catered university halls (and house shares)
Along with everything mentioned in the catered halls list, here’s what you should bring to a self-catered hall of residence.
- Pots and pans (including a saucepan and frying pan)
- Baking trays
- Chopping boards
- Measuring jug
- Grater
- Extra utensils like wooden spoons, a pizza cutter, fish slice and any other knives you might need for food preparation
Most halls are kitted out with plenty of the kitchen equipment you’ll need so check this in advance. We’d also recommend getting in touch with your flatmates ahead of move-in day. This way, you can share the cost of communal items and avoid ending up with six different toasters.
Bathroom
If you have an en-suite bathroom (which is fairly common in university halls) then you’ll need one of everything. In a shared bathroom, a good money-saving tip is to chat with the people you’re sharing with first so you don’t end up with several of the same product.
Bathroom essentials
- Bathroom mat
- Towel, hand towels and flannels
- Toilet rolls
- Toothbrush holder
- Toilet cleaner, bleach and brush
- Air freshener
Check if a bathroom mat is provided before buying one. We’d especially recommend an air freshener or two if the bathroom is shared.
Toiletries
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Painkillers
- Razor
- Hand soap
- Beauty products like shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, moisturiser, make up remover, deodorant/antiperspirant and any personal medication
- Sanitary items
- Nail clippers
Painkillers are a must, as freshers’ flu is pretty unavoidable if you’re regularly going out for the first few weeks of university.
Studying and Other Documents
Aside from a desk, your uni accommodation probably won’t provide much in the way of studying items (you’ll get a desk lamp if you’re lucky). Here are some learning materials you might want to bring with you.
Stationery and learning materials
- Folders and plastic wallets
- Notebooks with lined paper
- Academic diary
- Black, blue and other coloured pens
- Highlighters
- Textbooks
- Course essentials like a calculator and whiteboard
- Scissors and sellotape
- Some form of backup system for your work. The cheapest and most reliable method tends to be a USB stick
With textbooks, you should check your reading list and buy any books you think are essential. These same books might be available in your library so check there first to try and save some money.
Important documents
- Passport or a different form of identification
- Passport photos
- Insurance documents
- Bank details
- Student finance documents
- Uni acceptance letter
- Any relevant accommodation documents
- NHS medical number
- National insurance number
These days, you can probably just make sure that you have the relevant details/emails saved on your phone in most cases. Though, you will always need a physical form of ID to prove your age.
When You Arrive at University
There are a bunch of items that aren’t necessarily worth pre-packing (as you’ll only have so much space for transportation), but you will need to buy fairly soon after arriving at university.
- Cleaning products
- Bin bags
- Washing up liquid
- Washing powder
- Foil and cling film
- Food essentials
When it comes to cleaning products, check whether your uni accommodation provides a cleaning service before getting any of these. Some of the best food essentials to get include bread, milk, tins of beans, butter, pasta and so on.
What You Won’t Need
There are certain items that you won’t need to bring with you. It’s best to cut back where possible, as you’ll only have so much space in your uni accommodation to cram everything in.
- A mattress (don’t be tricked by older students – you don’t need one)
- Large suitcases
- Printer
- Large kitchen appliances
While you can bring a printer, you’ll probably be able to use those in your uni library or department. Pets, candles, incense and plug-in fairy lights are all usually banned from student halls of residence (check this in advance to be sure).
Some students bring their car with them as well. While there’s no issue with doing this, just be sure to look into whether you’ll be able to get a parking space and if this will cost.
Use UniKitOut to Save Heaps of Time and Effort
You could save yourself the time and effort of individually sourcing all these different items by taking advantage of UniKitOut and the amazing service they offer.
UniKitOut can provide everything you’ll need to turn your house into a home. They offer an expansive range of student essentials, including items for the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. You can choose from individual kits tailored to just one of these rooms or get a larger kit that covers all three, along with some extra bits and pieces thrown in.
Once you’ve picked your items, you’ll then need to select the name of the host building you’re moving to so UniKitOut can deliver the chosen items directly to your accommodation. What’s great is that your items will be ready and waiting at your accommodation when you move in.
Put simply, you select and customise your kit, before UniKitOut pack it up and deliver it to your accommodation on a date of your choice.
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Already sorted your university house but need to set up bills? We can help with this too – we set up and split utilities for you. Get a free quote for your utilities here.