Posted by Miia on 19th Aug 2019

Checklist: Essential Items for Student Housing & Accommodation

You are about to venture into the unknown once more, leaving your Halls of Residence behind! There will be a few surprises along the way. Our ambition here is to make sure you have everything you need for your new digs.  This checklist builds on our previous post  that listed a checklist for new starters - you can grab that here. What you needed for Halls still applies - you will just need a few extra bits for student accommodation/housing.  We have put together a great landing page of items you might need as you start cooking up a storm for you and your housemates!  You can find that here: https://muldale.com/blog/what-you-need-to-take-to-university-our-master-checklist-for-freshers/

CHECKLIST

It is quite possible that some student housing/accommodation will come with a few necessities like a sweeping brush, ironing board, mop bucket. The best way to prepare is to phone up and ask so you know exactly what you will need.   Here is a list of items you will need over and above what you took to Halls with you. We will start off with the ones that are often missed (well I forgot a few and had to buy them and cart them home!): 
  • Colander 
  • Freezer bags 
  • Bin Bags
  • Tea Towel 
  • Oven Gloves
  • Jugs 
  • Oven dishes and trays 
  • Knives set 
  • Utensils - ladle, drainer, spatula
  • Scissors 
  • Sieve 
  • Small bin for your room
  • Pan set 
  • Frying pan (if not included in pan set)
  • Wok (The most versatile piece of kit for your hob)
  • Tin Opener 
  • Plates, bowls
  • Cutlery 
  • Tea spoons 
  • Clock (not essential but nice for your room wall)
  • Reusable shopping bag (take a few and try to remember them on your weekly shop)
  • Lunch bag/box (cheaper than eating lunches out at uni all of the time)
  • Mugs (you might have guests)
  • Cleaning products - bleach, polish, cloths, dusters, washing up liquid, scourers, rubber gloves
  • Kitchen Towels (stock up with a nice big pack of these - they are just invaluable for spillages and all sorts) 
  • Brushes - sweeping brush, dustpan and brush 
  • Mop and bucket 
  • Hoover
  • Ironing board and ironing board cover 
  • Laundry basket 
  • Pegs (possibly even a washing line) 
  • Dishwasher tablets (if you’re lucky and have a dishwasher)
  • Fabric Softener and Detergent 
  • Desk Light 
  • Extension Lead(s) to make sure you have enough connections
  • Heater (these are not always allowed but if you heating is fixed by the Landlord and comes on in the morning and at night you might be pretty chilly during the day) 
  • Ornaments, posters, plants - anything to make the place feel homely and like your space. Uni can be a little lonely at times so creature comforts and reminders of home can be crucial for some 
  • TV
  • DVD player 
  • Games Console 
  • Food (it goes without saying that you will want some tinned items and non-perishable foods and snacks in)
  • Sauces - Make sure you have your condiments and sauces stocked up - tomato ketchup, salt, vinegar, mayonnaise, salad cream, bbq sauce etc
  • Torch for your keychain - useful in many ways
  • Personal attack alarm - a lot of students have these so they feel safer when they are out and about 
Here are a few things you might miss from your first year in different digs and may want to consider as you get prepared for new accommodation:  
  1. No Cleaner - so your communal spaces (kitchen, living rooms, bathroom) will likely need your efforts to maintain and you are likely to encounter a few lazy housemates over the year 
  2. You wont get those nice Hall meals but that is good and bad. You will have to cook for yourself and have all of the necessary cookware, but you don't have to resent Spag Bol night because you would have preferred pizza or maybe you like a few more vegetables with your main meals 
  3. You might have to trek a little further from campus to find accommodation so you need to factor in taking a bike or allowing a little extra time to get to lectures on time 
  4. It is up to you to stay security conscious because unlike Halls of Residence student accommodation doesn’t have the same CCTV and security guard presence. Keep your wits about you and stay aware of your surroundings - when you go out partying make sure you travel in numbers and always have emergency money on you for a taxi home
  5. There is no warden to keep the peace so, if you have a housemate that parties all hours or plays their music too loud and you find it distracting, approach them early to avoid escalation 
  That’s it! Hopefully, you are all set to have a cracking second year at University. All the best with your studies and if you think we missed anything from our list then do get in touch so we can add it in!