Packing list for halls

[NigellaAwesome]

I'm not sure if this has been done already, but does anyone have any top tips for what a first year going into halls should be bringing with them?

So far I have been told that a mattress topper is a good idea, but I have absolutely no idea about anything else - e.g. what kitchen items to bring. DD is planning to study in September in the same city we live in, but wants to stay in halls for the first year then private accommodation after that (so we aren't really constrained by what can be brought on a single car trip).

I know it seems early to be thinking of this, but I am in the process of sorting my parent's estate, and there may well be household items that would be useful for DD to hold on to.

I'd be grateful for any tips.

I've written a draft list, so you aren't the only one thinking about it already! We have the issue that when we take ds to halls on the other side of the country, my DH and his outdoor wheelchair will come too, leaving us with very little room in the car. We're planning to rent a storage unit and take a trip over a week or two before the start of term to take stuff to the storage unit.

This is my list so far - we do have a tech section as well but that's more personalised. I'm sure more experienced uni parents will think my kitchen list is ludicrously optimistic but in my defence, we do make pizza from scratch every weekend - ds seems to react badly to shop-bought pizza (I think the sauce).

OP, I would save things from your parent's estate but take the bare minimum (bedding, toiletries, maybe one pan, plate, cup etc). If you're in the same city, they can collect anything else when they know what they want/need.

In general I'd also advise that if DC is within easy reach of a Wilko's or something similar. My DD went with very little and really enjoyed shopping for bargains to equip herself once she was there and saw what she needed! Obviously it's different if they will be stuck on a campus miles away from shops.

I would add laundry bin/basket and laundry airer to that list.

There are lots of threads about packing lists from previous years if you search the Higher Education board.

They don't need so much in halls and won't have a huge amount of storage space.

Living out in the second year (or when they graduate) is a different matter though! Private rentals might not have all the small electrical appliances /household equipment they need eg microwave, kettle, toaster, blender/mixer, hoover, iron and ironing board. There is nearly always something missing or broken! Also, they will want more glasses/crockery etc because they will probably be having house parties and friends over...

If you've got space, I would hang on to everything you would need to equip an entire flat except furniture. Anything you get rid of will be the one thing they need!

If they are in halls then there is not a lot of kitchen cabinet space. Usually 1 wall cabinet and 1 base cabinet for all kitchen items plus food, oil, spices, cutlery, utensils, cling film, foil, sandwich bags, chopping board, oven tray, oven gloves, microwaveable Sistema bowl for heating soup etc and a spongematic sponge with washing up liquid in the handle. Ds has a mug this lives in. Ds's halls were fairly new and the cupboards were not 60cm wide ones, more like 50cm same with the fridges where they get one shelf and one freezer drawer.

The best advice I can give is to go into each room and work out what they use in that room, ie their bedroom and look at what they use now, duvet, pillow, duvet cover, sheet, add a mattress topper if they don't already have one. What else do they have in that room? Toiletries? What are they, list them. A desk? Add things under different headings. Bathroom, same things, towel, hand towel, nail clippers, razor, toothbrush, shampoo etc. Same for the kitchen, don't forget medicine, plasters, paracetamol, throat stuff because Freshers' flu is them mixing with germs from all over.

@tribpot your list is great. Ds has 1 pan with a draining lid from Lakeland so good for pasta or veg as no sieve/colander needed, lots cook microwave rice, yes it isn't the best but needs must. Ds cooks from scratch as best he can. He has 1 frying pan, that 1 saucepan, 2 dinner plates, 1 pasta bowl, 1 cereal bowl, 1 cup, 2 glasses, 2 forks, 2 knives etc. He washes up immediately, dries it and puts it back into his lockable cupboard. When you see how other students live you will see why.

Also check YouTube, lots of students upload their room tour which might cover your child's uni accommodation too.

Also if they need to empty their rooms over Christmas etc they need to know they can't go shopping and just fill their room if what they buy won't fit back into the car they came up in.

DD took her clothes, a few personal items, quilt, a mattress topper, one set bedding, a couple plates, cups, bowls, cutlery and laptop. She was in catered halls. There was a shared kitchen with basics like kettle, microwave, things others students had left. Her and her roommate when off to Ikea on the bus the next day to get anything they needed - mainly items to make the room their own, not kitchen items, as did many others.

Take the bare minimum- there’s such limited storage. He can always go and buy whatever he needs additionally

"Over the door" coat hooks are good.

DSs were the only ones who had kitchen scales when they went - popular with cooking flatmates!

@NigellaAwesome
The one bit of kit no one turns up with is a loo brush. We just got stuff after DD moved in with the basics. You are in the same city so surely easy for you! Supermarkets have everything a student needs.

Much will depend on the type of accommodation - catered/self catered, en suite etc.
The main thing with nearly all is a lack of space and storage - both in the kitchen area and the room.
You need to try and take as little as possible, along with anything that might help storage issues.
Most rooms have beds with space underneath so shallow storage boxes are useful either for dried kitchen goods (tins, packets, spare pasta etc) or for spare bedding, towels etc.
Overdoor hanging solutions are good if they fit. Main room doors are usually fire doors so extra thick, and sometimes hangers are not allowed. They can go on wardrobe doors or ensuite.
Some bathroom storage can be helpful in en suite.
Some need some sort of bedside table arrangement.
If you know which type of accommodation you've got you can often find video tours in YouTube to help assess needs. Or ask on the FB group WIWIKAU. Someone will have had the same accommodation there!

Four different sets of student accommodation and I've got the most travelled loo brush ever! All have had one provided so the poor thing just travels back in the car with me each time 😆

Cheap bedding that you dump every time they move out again ... believe me you won't want it back. Towels too.. I sent my old ones and had new at home 😬

Laundry stuff (you can hope they use it
Stationary (if they still use it)
Beer/snacks for first night
Condoms

Depends on what is there and your kid.

For Dd there was never enough soft furnishings or wine glasses. Cooking things came back unused because she was in catered 1st year, rich generous friends & a nearby McDonalds in 2nd year, Ping meals in 3rd year.

Unexpected hits - salad spinner for when she washes knickers in the sink, airer, water filter, limescale tablets, large mugs (kitchen was 3 floors above & can also be used for noodles), hammer & screwdrivers.

Basics (things that mysteriously disappear each time she visits) sent down each term - washing tablets (a couple can be taken to the washers and then a pub can be visited while it goes around without taking the box / bottle with), washing up liquid, tea, wine, shampoo, soap, conditioner, toothpaste, Aldi shopping bags, razors.

Check the inventory for the halls she has been allocated to- they do differ as do rules.

As a rough guide in addition to personal clothing:

Crockery
Cutlery
Frying pan
2 lidded saucepans
Utensils eg wooden spoon
Colander
Waste paper bin if not provided
Lamp unless provided
Duvet, pillow(s)plus 2 sets bedding (check size needed, some have 4ft beds)
Hangers
A throw or blanket
Specialist course equipment (list should be provided if applicable)
If shared bathroom that toiletries can't be left in, a caddy for carrying toiletries to the bathroom is sometimes helpful, in smaller flats less needed.
Dd took a rice cooker and slow cooker but she was older and knew what she cooked.

Oh and tea towels, bath towels etc. pressed too soon

Mine both took sharp decent knives but kept in their room as people wrecked one - university provided basics though

@Seeline Your must have been in superior accommodation!

@Unescorted
Ha yes! Cushions. Hard sofas are yuk! Not that DD1 had a lounge area. She had cushions on the bed. Love the salad spinner!

A mattress protector as well as a topper.

Basic/non valuable items as those in kitchen tend to go missing. Just need basics for kitchen (unless they love cooking).
We just got basics and added to it as he needed stuff.
I did get some pictures printed for room which he claimed he didn't want but after a few weeks confessed they do make room more homely and nice to see our faces.

Oh other good think is clear plastic storage boxes (with lids) great for moving them in and storage when there plus easy for them to pack up with when going. DS lucky and he has space under his bed for about 9 large boxes.

@NigellaAwesome just check what's allowed and @tribpot - for instance the uni my DD is firming doesn't allow extension leads / multiple socket thing

Good point @Africa2go - I bet many don't allow extension leads, actually. When I went to uni I was in a hall (now demolished) which only had those 5amp (round pin) sockets, good times.

I wish I'd seen this tip before DD went.

Buy one of those saucepans with a 'spout' on it and a lid with holes at the side for draining. Then a collaander is not needed and they can use it for pasta and potatoes.

I didn't buy a mattress topper for Dads bed. It's not as essential as everyone makes out. Her mattress was perfectly fine to sleep on. She's got one in her second year house though where the mattress has clearly seen better days. But different size bed to first year so wouldn't have been able to reuse.

@sotired2 The big storage boxes are a hit with DD too. Highly recommend them.

@Africa2go good point. DD is not allowed kettles/ sandwich maker/ toaster / in her room. Someone in her block ignored the directive and shorted the electrics for about 20% of the rooms on site and the bar on their first day. Not popular. Obviously this is less of a problem in buildings with modern electrics.

I didn't buy a mattress topper for Dads bed. It's not as essential as everyone makes out. Her mattress was perfectly fine to sleep on.

DS2 spilt a can of beer on his bed within the first month. The mattress protector did its job!!