The crucial items you don't want to forget when setting off for university!

Once you have your student accommodation sorted you will probably start to consider what to take. There are plenty of obvious items such as clothes, books, laptop and pans, but we have a here a few of the essentials that are easily forgotten! Now is the time to add them to your check list.

Here are a few things that you may have forgotten about but are very handy to grab from your local pound shop when
you pop into town.  You might never need them, but there will be some that you will want when something happens and all the shops are shut.

Basic Toolbox

At least one person in the student accommodation will need to have one of these.  We aren’t talking power drills, sanders, but stuff that may come in handy.

A screwdriver - Ideally a magnetic one with a changeable head.  Some screws are slotted, some are like a cross, and you can guarantee that you will have both somewhere in the house or flat.

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Double sided tape – This can be used for a variety of things. There could be a floor rug that you could trip over, so a bit of double sided tape in each corner helps it stay
where it should be.

Plunger – From experience, this is something that every student house should have.  You’re getting ready for a hot date and you’re about to jump into a hot shower where you’ve had the water running for a couple of minutes, but the water isn’t going down the plughole.  A plunger will work for that, a bath or sink.  You can also
get liquid that you put down the hole, but this is an expensive way to do it.

Lightbulbs

There are few different types of bulbs, so work out which ones you have in your lights and have a few spares.

When you go and buy them, there are lots of different descriptions on the packets that will make your head spin.

There are different types, shapes and the amount of light that each give off.  Replace like with like and you won’t go far wrong.  One thing to remember is if you’re paying the electric bill, the more powerful a bulb, the more electricity it will use, not great for the planet– An obvious thing to say, but all that electricity will need paying for.

Extra kitchen utensils

Having a good quality can opener will make life a lot easier.  Or just buy cans with
ringpulls!   You may pay a bit extra for a good one, but it’ll be better in the long run.  While looking at the kitchen stuff in the shop, wooden spoons and spatulas or even the cheap silicone ones can make things easier to cook.  If you’ve got non-stick pans, don’t use anything metal on them, either to cook or to wash up. Metal on
non-stick means scratching and then rust….and you don’t want rust in your food!

Cleaning cloths

You can buy reusable fabric cleaning cloths, and washing them makes this the most sustainable way to go, but are you going to wash them regularly? If not, grab a pack of disposable ones, then you use them for a few days, rinsing as you go, and then throw them away.  More expensive in the long run, but you don’t want to spread the bugs and hygiene is especially important at the moment with Covid 19 still around.

Cleaning products

You don’t need every product under the sun, a general antibacterial cleaner will do the job. 
Just make sure you read the instructions even if only once to make sure you can use it on all the surfaces.  Enamel baths, for example, don’t like certain products

Torch and batteries

Definitely worth having just in case the lights go out in the middle of the night, or you need to go under the stairs to reset the fuses.  You can grab a torch fairly cheaply, but make sure you have a good set of batteries in it and also a spare set as well.

Coathangers

Hopefully you’ve got lots of these, but if not, they are worth a punt.  Keeps clothes crease free and tidy, and if you hang slightly damp washing on them and let them dry
naturally, the creases should drop out and reduce the need to iron anything
(Good time saving tip)

First Aid Kit

You can get one of these from a pound shop or such like, with a few bits in such as plasters, bandages etc.  Keep an eye on the expiry date on these as
they don’t last forever.

Fire Safety

Your accommodation should already have this covered with an extinguisher and blanket, but check to make sure they are in date and where
they are.  We hope you never need to use them!

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If you are still looking for student accommodation for the next academic year, find your perfect new home with Studentpad. Want some more ideas on what to take to uni? view our new video.

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Main image photo by William Iven on Unsplash