10 university essentials that should be on your packing list

As I have recently finished university, I have decided to share some tips on going to uni! Today’s post will be a list of university essentials that should be on your packing list. These will be things that you might forget and then have to rush to a supermarket once you have moved in.

Tea towels

Starting off the list with what seems like a fairly obvious item. Living at home, you tend to have just one or maybe two tea towels for the family. Living at uni, you need one per person and some spares for when they are in the wash. During my first year, I had to keep my tea towel in my room because otherwise one of my flatmates would use it. You do not want this! Other people have different cleaning methods, and you definitely want your dishes to be clean and dry.

Flip-flops

Next on your university essentials list is flip flops! I bought slippers with me for wearing in common areas, but I would recommend flip-flops over them. As much as it is nice to have comfy slippers, the floors in common areas are so gross. Our kitchen was relatively clean for a student kitchen, but even with cleaning the floor once a week, they were sticky. I rushed out to Primark to buy a pair of flip-flops and now they are a definite essential for me.

Coat hangers

If you are moving into halls, you probably won’t know how much storage you have available. I assumed I would have more drawers for my clothes but didn’t end up having that many. I started to put more than one item on each hanger, but it would have been easier to have brought the correct number. Bring more than you think you will need, you can always take them back home.

Clotheshorse and laundry bag/collapsable basket

Going with the clothing theme, something else you will need is a clotheshorse and something to store your dirty laundry. The washing machines and dryers are very expensive at uni, so unless I had sheets to wash I would be using my clothes horse. I think a laundry bag/basket is something that a lot of people forget. And you could just use a bag for life, but I like to have something dedicated for it. Mine can fold down so it’s easy to pack away at the end of the year. They sell them pretty cheap at lots of places like Argos or Amazon.

Related post: My favourite ways to save money as a student

Pegs

This is another item which I forgot to bring. Pegs are so handy and you never know when you are going to need them. At home, we use pegs for everything so I had to buy some when I realised. Maybe they won’t be essential for you, it’s something to think about taking (including a bag to keep them in).

Emergency sewing kit

You can get a small emergency sewing kit for a couple of pounds from Amazon or somewhere like Poundland. It’s useful to have in case you need to sew on a button or need a safety pin for something.

Kitchen scissors

You would be surprised by how often you need to use scissors in the kitchen. Also if you use them, make sure to clean them after! They are just like any other kitchen utensil.

Photos or prints to decorate your room

Having photos or prints up can really make your room feel more homely. I decorated every wall of my room in my second year and I felt so much better away from home. Maybe get some photos of you with your friends, family or pets. You will also need command tape as most places don’t allow blue tac, and maybe some pins for a corkboard.

Tupperware

You can never have enough Tupperware! There are so many uses for them such as batch cooking, keeping food fresh and taking to uni for lunch. If I knew I was having a flare-up soon, I would chop up veg to put in containers so meals wouldn’t take too long.

First aid kit/medicine

I packed a box full of medicine because I have a few medical conditions. Mainly though, you need the basics like paracetamol/ibuprofen, plasters, antiseptic cream, maybe some bandages/gauzes and microporous tape for emergencies.

Did you forget to pack any of these university essentials? What items were your must haves?

Caroline ♡