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Hi! I'm Jess, and I count my university years as some of the best of my life so far. Moving into halls was eye-opening, but there were so many things that my parents and I bought that I didn't end up using (and some that came in far more useful than I could have imagined!).
Here's some things to consider when making uni purchases...
👩🎓 Chances are, people are going to borrow belongings. Don't buy anything too expensive or precious.
👩🎓 There's limited space in halls and house shares, so anything that isn't a necessity or that's bulky is probably best left behind.
👩🎓 Other people will probably bring some of the same items, so unless it's imperative they have their own, then some common items are best left until they get there.
👩🎓 As much as some students are tidy, they'll be living in a communal space so easy-to-use products that give immediate results work best.
👩🎓 Multi-purpose products are great for places with limited storage, and they're also ideal for doing a quick whip-round when no-one has the time (or the energy!) to do a big clean.
👩🎓 Halls aren't always the most homely of places and moving to a new shared home can be daunting, so some nice personal touches can be a worthwhile addition.
👩🎓 Think practically about the space they're going to be in. They might sit in front of a widescreen TV at home, but realistically they're probably going to be watching things sitting on a bed in halls.
1. No matter how clean they might look, the floors of halls are usually questionable. Slippers like these ones are a must-have for communal areas.
2. Most students have limited freezer space, so these self-standing freezer bags are ideal for decanting bulky packets of food into to keep things compact.
3. This over-door or window air dryer is ideal for drying clothes in small rooms.
4. With multiple people sharing a bathroom, I found some student properties to be prone to mould. This mould and mildew remover spray claims to remove stains with no need to scrub.
5. If they're fussy about sharing stuff, then getting a kitchen set in a recognisable colour is an easy (and less passive aggressive way) to set your items apart. This kitchen set has a reasonable price tag too.
6. This pop-up laundry basket is easy to stow away when it's not in use, but it's also handy for dragging to the washing machines when laundry day finally rolls around.
7. Investing in a bedroom bin means no slog to the communal areas every time they need to throw a wrapper away. This wicker one is rather cute and will go with most decor styles if they plan to do-up their room.
8. Since they'll probably end up spending a lot of time watching videos or movies from the comfort of their bed, this lazy arm holder is super handy. It can be clipped onto surfaces to hold a phone in the desired position.
9. This bed lap tray is ideal for working and eating from.
10. These reusable earplugs claim to be noise-cancelling, making them ideal for sleeping or studying in noisy halls.
11. And this eye mask claims to be breathable without putting pressure on the eyes.
12. Without my parents' stash of plasters to hand, I often had to do a last-minute dash to the shops when I cut a finger. This first aid kit contains 24 pieces for less than £3!
13. And it's always wise to have some painkillers in the cupboard. These handy Nurofen meltlets dissolve on the tongue with no need for water.
14. I'd also pack these migraine cooling strips too.
15. Chances are that on moving day they'll want to spritz surfaces with a disinfectant like this wild rhubarb-scented one.
16. I loved my picture collage for making me feel less homesick and adding a *little something* to an otherwise bland room. This ultra-cute and highly-rated one also has string lights on it.
17. And if they're allowed to decorate they'll need to be careful not to mark the walls. This wall-safe tape claims to preserve surfaces and remove without residue.
18. This simple desk tidy is ideal if they prefer working from in their room over the library.
19. And if they're in need of some stationery, then this pastel set costs less than a fiver.
20. If they don't have their own bathroom, then this dressing gown would be a handy cover-up to have.
21. And this wraparound towel with a fastener is another super useful buy. My housemate lived in hers!
22. This chopping board set comes with a handy stand to make it easy to store.
23. And this silicone cooking set is a steal at just over £7 for six pieces.
24. Some things never change, and I wouldn't be without my hot water bottle then, and I still refuse to be without it now. This long one comes in handy for aches and pains and when their housemates simply don't want the heating on!
25. This budget-friendly vanity mirror has lights, making it ideal for getting ready however dodgy the lighting in halls is.
26. I made the mistake of bringing multiple bulky kitchen gadgets that my housemates had also brought. These space-saving ones are super compact meaning if they do double up with their new roomies, it won't impact too much on storage space. The set includes a cheese grater, bottle opener, pizza cutter, and more!
27. This staple eight-piece towel set is reasonably priced and has a 4.2-star average Amazon rating.
And here's some things I never really used...
🙅♀️ Mixing bowls and complex kitchen gadgets – my cooking skills aren't extensive and TBH the communal kitchen wasn't the nicest place to spend my time.
🙅♀️ Multiple pots and pans – keep it to a minimum because there's little storage space.
🙅♀️ Different kinds of drinking glasses – I drank Prosecco from wine glasses, juice from a pint glass... you get the idea.
🙅♀️ An ironing board – if I were to go again now I'd bring a space-saving steamer, but we'd hang our clothes in the bathroom to steam out creases!
🙅♀️ Multiple tea towels – realistically, half of our dishes would be left on the draining board to air-dry.