First child off to uni accommodation - what do we need?

The best, thickest mattress protector that you can afford.

Ikea stuff will generally match everyone else's so go Asda or dunelm or something so everything is different and more recognisably theirs.

https://www.ucas.com/money-and-student-life/student-life/starting-university-or-college/list-absolutely-everything-you-need-take-university-or-college
lots of checklists on line- one good tip, take charity shop crockery etc- lots will have the same ikea set.
places like dunelm etc have special student promotions late summer.

Patterned plates and cutlery so easy to identify (no more than 2 of anything)
Baking tray for pizzas and chips
Wooden spoon
Lots of tea towels
Towels/sheets that can all go in the same wash
Mattress topper
Power board/extension cable
Overdoor drying rack
Sliders or flipflops for shower

Homebaking and wine/beer for when you arrive to help break the ice

Other than the obvious, handy things were...
A student cookbook, everything contained about 4 ingredients.
Slim over the door hooks for both sides of the door (slim enough so the door can still close). Bathroom didn't have a hook on the inside for towels etc. The other side of the hook had a big pocket organiser for bin bags, keys, lanyards, sun cream etc.
A strong battery powered light in case of power cuts.

Magnetic whiteboard with magnetic clips for photos, tickets,

My children are all out of uni now ( just ) but I found a really helpful list on ‘ The student room ‘ website

I would also 100% recommend the Ikea tool kit although they probably won’t need anything other than a screwdriver if they are in halls for the first year. Mine is still going strong several decades later and I bought them for the DC when they moved into houseshares in the second year.

A Keyring is useful, DS was given two loose keys for his halls and it’s surprisingly hard to just go to a shop and buy a keyring 🤔 (also means they don’t get muddled up with anyone else’s)

Other things:

Sliders if it's a communal bathroom. The kitchen floor will probably be filthy so handy for that as well.

Where are the plug sockets? We ended up buying a massive extension lead as there wasn't a plug socket next to the bed.

We ended up shipping a water bottle and travel cup to take into lectures.

A door stop if it's allowed.

Also, a lot of people will go to Ikea to buy crockery etc but unless it's named it could get mixed up in a communal kitchen. We ended up buying coloured plates etc from a supermarket. Nobody else in the flat had the same ones.

My top tip....a door wedge. Helps with meeting friends.
Seriously though, Dc got by with just 2 of everything - cups, glasses, plates etc. The more stand out the better.
We also bought two massive plastic storage tubs on wheels. One contains all soft stuff, bedding, clothes etc, and one for the kitchen / tech. We load the tubs up every September, slide them into the back of the car and slide them out the other end. Unpack and bring them home until May when the room has to be emptied. It saves 20 odd trips to the car and gives us somewhere to store his belongings during the long summer hols.

You don’t really need to name things. They will have their own cupboard/draw/shelf in the fridge to keep their stuff. I told dd just to wash up and pack her things away after cooking so they are not left around for others to use/take.

Keep toothbrush and wash things in their room…luckily my dd has her own bathroom. 2 sets of bedding, I would recommend getting a mattress topper. My dd is just about to come home from her 2nd year and hasn’t used half the stuff I sent her with, just remember Amazon does next day delivery so they can get things as they need them.

If you don't have Facebook you can get the WIWIKAU packing list from their website.

If you do get Facebook I found joining the Facebook parents page for my dd's university very helpful for general info on dropping off day and then finding things like local driving instructors or near by hotels etc.

Old stuff from your kitchen. A couple of dinner plates, a couple of small plates, two bowls, a small saucepan, one mid size. A baking tray and a frying pan. Mugs x2 or 4. Same for glasses. Just use old stuff. Oh, cutlery and a veg knife and a couple of spatulas and wooden spoons. It may or may not come back. They can add to it as and when they need to. 2 x bedding sets - do get a mattress cover. Half the fun for them is setting up on their own. The wardrobe/drawers situation can be limited so hangers and even some sort of hanging or collapsible thing to put t shirts.
I think we get more excited than they do. My son just wanted me to go and stop being embarrassing!

Best advice, each person will take different things but if you have a look at each room and go off what they use now, so bedroom, definitely a mattress topper/protector, bedding, pillow etc any toiletries they keep in there, hairbrush, deodorant. Clothing, coats, shoes, hats, gloves, scarf.

Then bathroom, tweezers, nail clippers, razor, plus shampoo etc and wherever you keep your medicine kit, they need those things too.

Desk stuff or wherever they do their homework, laptop, pencil case, chargers etc and a bag to carry it all in.

Kitchen, chopping board, knife, cutlery, crockery, pans. The main thing to consider is the shared kitchen cupboard space. Ds had one 50cm base unit for kitchen utensils/pans/crockery and a 50m wall cupboard for all his food. Lots of food lived in his room. We bought a saucepan with a draining lid (Lakeland) so he didn't need a colander or sieve for pasta or veg. He had 1 frying pan, 2 plates in case he broke one, one pasta bowl, one cereal bowl. 2 each of knife, fork, spoon, teaspoon. Some tupperware to store opened things like packets of sandwich meat or leftovers.

He had a Dishmatic washing up brush which was stored in a mug in his cupboard. They do not have a lot of room and YouTube has lots of room tours of unis plus their kitchen space.

Good to watch people saying this is what I am taking, then the year later video of them saying never used this. Ds never took a grater or garlic press as he bought grated cheese and squeezy garlic tubes.

Check the uni policy on what they can have in the kitchen electrical appliance wise some unis are very strict on things see also their room, they can't have kettles or fridges in lots of places, check before you buy.

All of this stuff has to be able to fit into whatever car you have too, so it is all well and good saying pack all this if they only have a Fiesta with 2 adults and the child piling in to it as well. Again, YouTube has lots of moving in videos, well worth a watch. Best of luck.

TK Maxx was the go to place for my DS plates, mugs, cutlery, dishes and pans etc.

Big mistake was that for weeks before I had been buying tinned curry,etc from M&S and gave him an under bed box filled with at least 20 of these mixed tins with condiments etc to start him off. He was really pleased with this but disappointed to find I did not intend to repeat this gesture every term!!

A kettle in their room is always good

Not always allowed I'm afraid.

Oh and please teach them too cook this summer.
Peeling veg, how to see if cooked ECT.
They will thank you for it if you explain the prices.
My DD ended up making pancakes, too teach the boys .

Double duvet, not a single, if it gets cold they will need it.

Get cheap things off car boots like pans and stuff.
A kettle in their room is always good, and a fan is a must, the rooms get so hot.

I agree with MrsBennetsPoorNerves

What have they said they need/want ? Surely it’s up to them if they want to label any of it ?

I just remember taking some basics plates cups, bed clothes toiletries etc and buying anything else I needed afterwards.

My parents gave me a lift there, kindly did a food shop for me, left my some cash and that was it. I find it really strange that young adults aren’t expected to do this sort of thing themselves now. It’s good life experience.

The idea that some of them can’t even cook before they go amazes me as well. I certainly wasnt brilliant - still not great now but I could make a few meals to feed myself. Pasta mainly but a few others too.

My university years were relatively recent too !

Making sure they have done a first aid course is also very important before they leave home for the first time. Sorry to derail but I say this on every thread like this.