Essentials list for DS starting university and moving into halls

[stripeypoodle]

Hello,

My DS is off to university in September and staying in the student halls of residence. I’m trying to make a list of items that I will need to buy for him if anyone can help with this please?

Duvet/mattress protector/ duvet cover/ fitted sheets/ laundry basket/desk light. Some decorative items for bedroom.

Bathroom bin/ toiletries holder/ toothbrush cup/towels/shower mat.

Cutlery/plates/bowls/utensils/ grater/meat thermometer/ storage tubs.

Laptop which will be his birthday present in August.

Am I missing anything?

Thanks

First aid kit - I got a white tin with a Red Cross from Amazon and stuffed it. It was used very early and often in freshers week - new mate cut her thumb, they all get freshers flu, hangovers etc.

and clothes airer.

and do a big shop when you drop them so you can stock up on loo roll and get in basics and some frozen fruit and veg (might just work?!)

check how much freezer space they have before doing a big shop of frozen food. If they are lucky they will get a whole drawer but it might be a lot less.

A fold up butlers tray table has been well used by my dd as no bedside table and can also use as tray.

Shower caddy (Primark do them) if they aren’t in en-suite room.
Crocs or sliders to wear in filthy communal kitchen areas.

Door stop - prop your door open when in to be more sociable and have ad hoc conversations.
Stack of blank generic birthday cards and some stamps.
Bag for dirty laundry (IKEA do a very cheap one on a lightweight frame).
Patterned crockery that's easy to identify.
Cheese grater.
Cork board.
White board.
Crocs for wearing round your flat/halls
Command hooks in various sizes to hang your keys by the door, and hang the aforementioned white board and...
Three million fake plants and dozens of strings of fairy lights (or maybe that's just my DD 😆)

Oh and one of those wash bags for the shower that folds out and has a hook to hang on the back of the door of a shared bathroom.

Clothes horse, laundry basket

My tip is: Don't buy towels that are too thick and fluffy, they take too long to dry!

Teach him how to cook without a meat thermometer, surely the biggest thing he will be cooking is a chicken breast or at a push a steak? Cutting into it to check will be fine.

Oh and plenty of student halls don't allow door stops, because room doors are fire doors, or multiway sockets, or candles.

Wiwikbu on FB has a list. The answer is usually ‘less than you think’.

DS pretty much took everything dark fabric wise, clothes, bedding and towels so didn’t have to worry about lights and darks when he got round to doing laundry!

Oh and shop from your kitchen. Likely that kitchen stuff will get stolen/lost/broken so don’t send them with anything precious.

Condoms, paracetamol, dioralyte

This student must be having a very big room! Laundry basket? That would have have half filled DDs rooms! They put washing in a laundry bag. Baskets take up too much room. There might not be room for a bedside table either. You can shop whilst dc is there and get stuff via Amazon. Make sure someone has a loo brush!

IKEA bag instead of laundry basket

Check the list from the university because they may be providing some of these things eg my dd was provided with a mattress protector, desk light and bin.

Swiss army penknife which has corkscrew, bottle-opener, tin-opener, scissors etc.

Coverless duvets x 2, single size for halls. They were a game changer for mine as you just chuck the whole thing in the wash

Coat hangers.

Check what the uni provide! We were at Lancaster Uni yesterday and their accommodation appears to be very well equipped.

Washing pods. Much lighter than a box of washing powder

Check which shops are nearby and sign up to their loyalty scheme. Some might do student discounts, etc

Some uni washing machines add the powder automatically so you might not need to buy any - another thing to check 🙂

Box of chocolates or busicuits to share with potential new friends

Some uni laundries are very expensive and couple that with them being students, in my experience laundry is not top of their agenda.

I’m amazed someone suggested coverless duvets for that reason

Depends on your timings and the university's proximity to shops, but consider sending the absolute bare minimum of kitchen stuff and seeing what other already have and what gaps need filling. When DC1 went last year there were more pots and pans than they could ever have needed, but no one bought a tin opener, and the teapot DC wanted was used and borrowed every single day.

Also big yes to sending your own old emergency things and buying new for yourself if needed - stuff gets borrowed and not returned, or trashed. And only two mugs/plates/sets of cutlery, replacing termly as needed - the more they have at once, the more disappears