Uni: What to Pack

So, results day has been and gone and now leaving home to go to uni is probably starting to feel a whole lot more real than it felt before. So now you know what uni you’re off to, you can start packing! It goes without saying that packing for uni is a pretty big challenge because it means packing a lot of stuff. My best tip would be to enlist someone more organised than you to help (shout out to my mum), because it’s a lot to pack by yourself. But before you start, here’s some advice on what to pack…

Hangers – its surprising how many people forget to pack hangers for their wardrobe, what else do you expect to do with all your clothes??

Kitchen stuff – a lot of people ask me how much kitchen stuff to pack, but really it depends on you and your cooking style. For example, my flatmate loved making smoothies so she brought a blender to uni whereas I never needed to use one. If you enjoy baking, bring along a selection of baking utensils. The bottom line is bring the basics: I would say a saucepan set, a frying pan, chopping board, a good knife, at least one set of crockery and cutlery, glasses and mugs, measuring jug, baking tray, sieve and a vegetable peeler would probably give you all you need for the essentials. I’ve also been asked whether things get shared in kitchens, and again, it just depends on the people. In our flat we didn’t share kitchen stuff, but I know in some of my friend’s flats they all put their stuff in together and had communal kitchen goods. There will definitely be some things you’ll have to share – don’t worry about packing washing up liquid or you’ll have 12 bottles sitting by the sink at once.

Doorstop – in the lead up to leaving for uni, I read lots of things telling me to take a doorstop to help the flat be more sociable rather than everyone being hidden in their rooms. I have to say, it’s definitely not an essential, but it can be helpful. I did use my doorstop on the first day to keep my door open while I unpacked, but then I didn’t really ever use it again for the rest of the year. So bring a doorstop if you have one, but don’t worry to much if you don’t. (Also bear in mind the doors are firedoors and therefore pretty heavy so you’ll need a decent doorstop and they shouldn’t be left open for long periods of time)

Room decor – things like photos and cushions are a lovely way to make your room feel more homely. I found a good buy was a little plastic set of drawers for the space next to my bed to use as a bedside table. I also brought a nice throw for my bed – personally I never got too cold in my uni room but this might be something to think about for ensuring you’ll definitely be warm enough in the colder months.

Important documents – don’t forget stuff like ID and any paperwork you need for uni. You might also find it helpful to bring documents like copies of your CV in case you want to apply for a job while at uni.

Easy food – the first couple of weeks at uni are crazy busy, and you’ll still be settling in. This is why I think it’s helpful to have a decent selection of easy-to-cook meals for the first few weeks. Think frozen food and tinned food for the ultimate quick and easy options. You can worry about expanding your culinary options later, but trust me, when you first get to uni you won’t want to have to be planning and cooking difficult meals during freshers week.

Laundry stuff – when you’re no longer living at home, the bad news is you’re now in charge of washing all your own clothes. Make sure you have a decent laundry bag for transporting clothes to the laundrette, a drying rack and get a box of washing capsules because the machines don’t take powder or gel.

So that’s my best advice on what to pack (and what not to pack). If you think I’ve missed anything or if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below 🙂 Good luck with the packing!!