31 Essentials Every Fresher Needs To Pack
Get ready for the best year of your life.
1. A duvet and pillows
2. Two sets of bed linen
Sainsbury's generally has dealson bed linen, with cotton-and-polyester mixes starting at £2.40 for a single duvet set.
Top tip: Keep an eye on Lidl's upcoming deals. It does great-quality cotton bedsheets for a pittance.
4. Two large towels
You will never need a mid-sized towel. IKEA is obviously your friend here, but try larger Tesco and Sainsbury's stores too.
7. A poster or two
Bring one from home, or look online. Free Vintage Posters is one of several resources online that allow you to download hi-res posters.
8. Washi tape
So useful! Washi tape won't leave marks on the walls, and you can use it to "frame" photos. You can buy it at several places, including Amazon.
9. A photo frame
You could also frame old postcards and letters from friends to give your room a homey touch. If you're not allowed to have things on the walls, then this one from Tiger props up easily on a shelf.
10. A rug
11. Clothes hangers
There's nothing worse than a wardrobe you can't use.
12. An extension lead
One plug socket good, four plug sockets better.
13. A doorstop
Keeps your door open while you're moving in. Later on, an open door is a friendly door. Amazon has several types.
14. A few mugs
Even if you're in catered halls, it's nice to be able to have a cup of tea in your room with friends. These are cute, and only £3.60.
16. A corkscrew/bottle opener
For obvious reasons.
18. Tupperware
Even if you're in catered halls, it's nice to be able to store some biscuits securely.
19. A cookbook
If your halls have a kitchen, you don't want to be trying to read your phone or laptop screen while cooking. Good Mood Food by Donal Skehan is healthy, dependable, and very tasty. Alternatively, Lorraine Pascale's cooking is healthy, easy, and accessible.
20. Two pans
A wok (to double up as a frying pan) and a general saucepan should see you right. Keep an eye on Sainsbury's for good cookware sales, as well as brand-name misspellings on eBay.
21. One good knife
Remember, quality over quantity when it comes to kitchenware. Better one good knife than five bad ones. Taylor's Eye Witness is pretty solid, and affordable. The one on the right is £11, and the set on the left is a similar price.
22. A shower caddy
A plastic basket like this one means you can carry your stuff to the shower and not worry about getting it wet.
24. A fleece blanket
For snuggling up on the common-room sofa, and for hangover help. There are plenty on eBay.
25. Shower flip-flops
Because gross shower-floors.
27. A speaker
You don't need a sub-woofer. For £15, the X-mini is perfect for hooking up to your phone, and and the sound's pretty decent too.
29. A memory stick
To share presentations and notes, and to print documents from. This one is 16GB and currently a tenner.
30. Toilet paper
Some halls won't supply it, and you don't want to be caught short.
31. A sleeping bag
For when your friends come to visit. This one is currently half price, at £12.49.