Your ultimate uni essentials list
Whether you’re off to uni for the first time to live in halls, or you’re a second or third year moving into a student house, there are lots of things you’re going to need! You might be about to embark on the biggest adventure of your life, but first there are bin bags to buy!
You might want to build up a student essentials stockpile in advance or do a big shop with your parents or new housemates when you’re all moved in. If it’s the first time you’ve lived away from home it can be tricky thinking about all the things you might possibly need. Take a look at our useful uni essentials below to make sure you don’t forget anything important…
Heading into store? Download our checklist.
What to pack for your uni kitchen
There’s lots to buy in the kitchen, so we’ve split it down for you.
Appliances
(Some shared kitchens will already have appliances in them for you to use so you don’t have to buy your own, but you might find you’d rather have your own anyway to save any waiting around when you’re hungry or in need of a cuppa!)
Cooking and preparation
- Pots and pans
- Utensils – don't forget the essentials like a wooden spoon and spatula
- Chopping board – preferably two, one for meat, one for veg
- Knives
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring jug
- Oven trays
- Colander
- Can opener
Eating and drinking
(It’s difficult to know how many of each to buy. Space in your student kitchen will probably be limited, so we’d recommend just one or two of each.)
- Plates
- Bowls
- Mugs
- Glasses
- Cutlery
- Travel mug and reusable water bottle – perfect for those 9am lectures!
Other bits and bobs
- Food storage – perfect for batch cooking
- Tea towels for mopping up spills
- Cling foil, tin foil and kitchen roll
- Washing-up liquid, sponges and scourers
- Kitchen cleaner and cloths
What to pack for your uni bedroom
Here are our top tips for making this space yours…
- Mattress protector
- Duvet
- Pillows
- Duvet cover and pillowcase set (get two of these for when one sets in the wash!)
- Fitted sheets (be sure to check with your accommodation what size bed you’re getting. Get a couple of spare sheets while you’re at it!)
- A small lamp for your bedside table
- Plenty of coat hangers
- Storage bags or boxes – great for tucking away under the bed to give you more space
- A small bin
- Extension lead
- A hot water bottle
- A small bag or case for trips home
Making it personal
It can be tricky to make your student space feel like yours, but with our little wins we’ll spruce it up in no time…
- A small rug – ideal for sprucing up any floor and making it cosy
- Cushions – a few on the bed will add a dash of colour
- Photo frames or a corkboard you can attach to the wall with Command hooks – perfect for reminding you of special memories from home
Uni laundry essentials
Avoid having to wait till you go home to do all your washing by making sure you have all the washing essentials with you!
- Washing detergents – liquid or gels, pods or tablets, capsules or powder – all of these are designed to do the same thing – you guessed it, wash your clothes! Washing tablets or pods are probably easiest though as all you have to do is throw one in with your clothes
- Fabric softener – help keep your clothes feeling soft and snuggly by popping some softener in the washing machine drawer
- Scent boosters – these help your clothes smell freshly washed for longer (so less washing!)
- Crease sprays – these are a great way to avoid ironing! If you're clothes are lightly creased, a crease releaser spray will remove the creases and leave behind a lovely smell while it’s at it too – that's a little win!
- Stain removers – perfect for getting rid of anything from wine and coffee stains to curry and tomato sauce! Chuck some a stain remover in your box to go and you can thank us later!
- Washing basket – essential for any long trips to the washing machine from your room
Top tip: Fill your washing basket with all your laundry essentials so you have them in one place when you’re unpacking
Studying essentials for uni
- Pens, highlighters
- Pads and notebooks
- Sticky notes
- Ring binders, lever-arch files or box files
- Hole puncher and/or plastic pocket files
- Study case for your laptop or tablet
- A printer – it’s much easier than trekking to the library (where you’ll have to pay to print anyway)
- You might need specific books for your course, but all the details will be provided when you need to buy them and where from
Other bits and bobs we recommend
- First-aid kit
- Any other essential medicines, like paracetamol, ibuprofen, allergy tablets
- Ear plugs
- Doorstop – keep your door open when everyone’s moving in – it’s a great opportunity to make friends
- Important documents like driver’s license and passport, any acceptance letters from the uni
What should you not bring to uni?
- Some uni accommodation won’t let you bring things like plugged-in fairy lights and candles as they can be a fire hazard, so you might want to think about this when you’re shopping
- Some also ban certain kitchen items like sandwich toasters, rice cookers and deep fat fryers, so it’s worth checking before
- Any sentimental items are best left at home if you can live without them
- Iron – let’s be honest, you probably won’t end up using it!
- Anything that would need to be hung on the wall, like large photo frames or mirrors
Get kitted out with our student must-haves. Shop the Uni Essentials range.
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