Tips please re what is needed for uni

[ginorwine]

Ds goes in October
What things are good - basics as well as things to add to the quality of life ?
Cushions , etc
I have been thinking of all the things we have at home and think w d like to do a hamper with body wash , plasters , wash powder ?
Tips much appriciated !

Have 2 dd at uni so know what your going through!- will they be in halls?
Dunelm Mill and The Range are great places for this purpose!
Laundry bag(s)!( useful for carrying lots of stuff to uni , then can be used to store dirty washing/ easy to carry to launderette)
Plastic boxes- good for transporting stuff to halls and then useful for storing stuff in at uni and then when they come home at end of year!
Fleece throw and maybe a cushion , extension cable , desk lamp?
Duvet/pillow/mattress /pillow protector
Towels, bath mat...plastic storage containers for toiletries in en suite
First aid kit...plasters ,cotton Wool, paracetamol, brufen,
Really only need couple of plates/ bowls/ mugs /glasses and large pan/ small pan and minimal cutlery....they will only get lost/ trashed/ broken anyway!
Dish towels, washing up liquid , detergent, bleach ( but you can get these when you drop him off and do a mega shop!( pasta, beans, easy cook rice,cheese, eggs!)
I also made some traybake cake/ chocolate brownies to share with flat mates as an ice breaker when moving in!!
I think I was more excited than them buying all this stuff although dd 2 did like looking for new bed linen!

A few threads in Higher Ed for this already, but a few ideas here.

Depends if they're likely to be self catering or not as well.

Kitchen bits that DD1 (1st yr in halls) has and wouldn't want to have done without:
Baking tray (great for oven chips etc, grilling cheese on toast without dirtying communal grill pan)
Medium frying pan
Wok, spatula, can opener, sharp knives, chopping board, colander.

Hold off buying bedding until certain of bed size.
A mattress topper as well as protector good for extra comfort.

Bed side rug

Blue IKEA bags great for laundry.
Collapsible laundry bin, colour catcher sheets, clothes airer, coins for machines (unless they have card system)

Stationery
Drawing/pushpins

I would hold off on the wash powder. Some of the washing machines are industrial and only take liquid or capsules. I recently read a blog, where one student accidentally put her clothes and capsule in a drier, instead of the washing machine and ruined the entire load, The capsule melted and got stuck to her clothes.

You can generally find out what is recommended by other students on The Student Room website.

Speaking as a current student:

Cushions, throws, fairy lights, rugs etc are not needed. Yes they make things look more "homely" but when you essentially move house every year you want minimal crap. If your child currently has a lot of cushions etc in their room because they clearly like them, then that's a bit different, but don't buy these things just for uni.

Plastic boxes, especially the ones on wheels that can go under the bed are really useful as there's not that much storage space
Likewise desk-organisers are handy.

Laundry bag isn't really needed, I just use my weekend duffle bag as storage for dirty laundry, and it's easier to carry to the laundrette.

You might need a kettle, iron and toaster, but wait until you get there as flatmates may have already got them.

I live in a uni town and I love seeing all the newbies on freshers week walking around with Wilkinsons bags
It's a great bonding experience so don't send them with too much stuff
It gives them something to do outside of worrying if they'll make friends

We're just coming to the end of 8 years of to-ing and fro-ing between home and Uni for the two DSs. :)

these collapsible storage boxes are great as they can be tucked away when not needed but used for carrying stuff backwards and forwards to the kitchen etc. DS2 even made a little side table out of a couple of them!

Extension leads - they will definitely need these as there are never enough sockets and they are always in the wrong place.

I would hold off until you find out whether he is in self catering.

The new halls often don't allow clothes airers. They charge £5 per load in the washer driers. They do check the rooms too (with 24 hours notice) and there is nowhere to hide the airer.

Check on the bed size too. They are often 4ft (small double) in the new halls.

You never know what's in the kitchen until you arrive. We turned up with a kettle and a toaster to a kitchen that already had 5 of each.

Toilet rolls and basic cleaning stuff. Rooms are not cleaned unless the student does it and they get into trouble if it's filthy when inspected.

Some cleaning is done on the stairs and in the kitchen. Students do have to recycle properly and empty bins so bin liners are useful. Also some of that oven liner (from Lakeland) is useful because they have to clean the oven and keep the fridges clean.

No pins/blu tack on the walls. Nothing on the wall unless it is on the notice board.

Have a read
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/1829398-Ideas-thread-for-what-to-take-not-take-to-Uni

My DS off in September and have started buying bit by bit. When he applied for accommodation he was sent a list (not an exhaustive list). There isn't any real difference between catered or self catering.

We won;t know until end of August/September which halls he will be in and we know the size of beds differ. Have bought a double duvet but will have to leave the sheets.

At home we wash duvet cover etc, tumble dry and put back on bed. Is this practical at uni or do they need two sets?

Not allowing clothes airers has worried me! Have visions of shrunken clothes.

I have been buying things bit by bit when sales are on. Last time I went to Dunelm I was queuing behind someone dong the same

Don;t forget the paracetamol and ibuprofen (she says as worrying already about over indulgence). Things like Deep Heat if he uses it at home

White tack, vitamins, plasters, dioralyte and paracetamol. Extension lead with surge protector. 2 changes of bedding. Fruit snacks. Bath mat.
My son went on a FB page for his hall and they sorted out between them who was bringing what.
Just to warn you, our large car was packed to the roof!

Thanks all !

YY to what Lifecanonlygetbetter says:
"vitamins, plasters, dioralyte and paracetamol. Extension lead with surge protector. 2 changes of bedding. Fruit snacks. Bath mat."

I would add small plastic boxes with lids to keep items like jewellery and charger cords in.
Also windolene and a few rolls of paper towels.
Bottle of bleach and toilet brush if single room and bathroom is ensuite and expected to be cleaned by student. Probably a shower curtain too.
Four bath towels and two hand towels.
Caddy for shampoo/conditioner/razor/shaving gel.
Water bottle.
Thermal/travel coffee mug.
Something to keep dirty laundry in. Mine have all used large net bags, like huge onion bags.

Wait for details of laundry situation before buying supplies.

You can check on FB with roommates if accommodation is shared as to who should bring items like shower curtain, kettle, pots, wooden spoons, kitchen cloths, sponges, detergent, etc..

Re checking on Fb re room mates - so names get released before you go these days ? Did nt know that .

There are often FB groups of incoming freshmen for X university, and people can find each other. You just join and chat.

We looked around the house and loft for second hand stuff and bought a new duvet, two covers, a mattress topper, underbed boxes and a clothes horse. We took her shopping and then we gave our daughter some money to spend on stuff she found she needed. Her halls were close to town which made buying easy.

They popped into town a lot during freshers as her course only had two sessions so they were almost free most of the time unless they wanted to do fresher activities.

A kettle that can be kept in the bedroom plus a nice selection of teas, coffees, hot choc etc, a few teaspoons, couple of mugs and a tray to keep it tidy. First aid kit and tablets, lozenges etc for coughs, colds and upset stomachs. Tissues and loo roll.

I think a lot of this stuff is really not necessary to get before you go because it's stuff a student will have to buy for themselves every so often. I mean things like sponges and paper towels and cleaning supplies. It seems like a needless addition to luggage really. I know you might want to encourage them to clean but as someone who lived in halls not all that long ago that might be a hope in vain.
Legitimately? A nice bottle of something to share with new flatmates. Some condoms (just being realistic here). A really easy recipe book. And I second vitamins.

Also remember that in halls a lot of electronic equipment eg kettles heaters etc aren't allowed in bedrooms

Definitely second the advice not to buy nice expensive crockery etc, I came to uni with 4 plates, 4 bowls, 3 pans, 4 spoons, knives etc, 2 baking trays, a set of kitchne knives, general spoony mash peelery type things, 3 cups, 4 mugs and now have one pan, two spoons, a broken plate and a mug. Fridges, kettles etc generally aren't allowed and I do recommend a double duvet if the beds are single because halls heating is more of a treat than a guarantee. I thought a first aid kit would be silly but I needed it on the second night. Blue tack etc is usually not allowed because it damages the plaster and I have a bill for a full replastering thanks to one tiny bit of unnoticeable damage on the wall and plastic boxes for storage are invaluable when your flatmates tear through your food cupboard like ketamine fuelled locusts

A doorstop, as crazy as it sounds! Especially in early days and weeks having the door to their room open encourages interaction and allows them to get to know the people they'll be living with for the next 10 months.

Madison we can get fined for door stops as they're a fire hazard

Would definitely hold off buying underbed storage boxes as some of the beds in halls have built in storage.

Kettles and toasters etc not allowed in rooms at DDs halls, though I'm sure they are sneaked in and hidden for inspections.
I think DD plans to have a mini-fridge and coffeemaker when she moves into houseshare for yr2.