'Bottom Drawer' for Uni

siws1

I would also check the situation regarding electrical equipment. I know in my son's uni halls they are not allowed to bring any electrical cooking equipment.

We did end up going out to get him his own printer as it was costing him a fortune to print in the Uni.

In the laundry room in his halls you are not allowed to use washing powder or softner so we bought him liquitabs 2 in 1.

Rather than carting food with you I would put a couple of pounds away each week so that you have a good sum and then do your research as to what supermarkets are in the town the uni is in and then go and shop when you get there as you won't know how much storage space you have before going.

We did get him a 18 pack of toilet roll, toilet cleaner etc, we bought a flexi bucket and filled it with something for cleaning etc every time we went shopping.

Hope this helps - we now have the task of bringing it all home next week until September!! Good luck it is an exciting time.

luxor4t

My daughter took a set of plastic drawers - in one hall room she kept stationery in it as the desk had no drawer space, in another room it held small clothing as there were no shelves in the wardrobe.




Hangers are usually not provided (DS found that out the hard way).

Out,_Vile_Jelly

-paracetomol for Freshers Flu/general hangovers
-bottle opener/cork screw
-tea/coffee for inviting people round

If they are fully catered Halls you need very little kitchenware.

The difference in expenditure when moving from catered Halls to private housesharing rentals is quite significant so remind him that he should have more spare cash in second and third year. If you can train him to be able to cook cheap and nutritious meals which can be bulked up with veggies and lentils then he will have more money for essentials like booze! If he can make his own lunch at least two days a week that will save cash and is a good habit to get into; I work at a university and amazed at the queues outside the campus cafes and food outlets- buying lunch was a rare expensive treat in my student days!

Another thing to check is your own contents insurance- some policies do cover the possessions of students staying away from home. Halls can be vulnerable to theft unfortunately.

Islandmaid

I like the idea of the drawers, again, will check accomodation once it's confirmed.

We have offered to pay for his insurance and TV licence for the first year, on the understanding that he saves the equivalent amount of money so he can buy them as a one off next year, rather than risk paying interest for monthly payments on insurance.

And if he doesn't cook and take packed lunches I shall not be amused he's had years of second hand OS via me and all of you on this site I reminded him that the money he saves on not buying expensive 'ready' food, will mean he will have more to spend on socialising ..... Carrot and stick

culpepper

My son liked the 'cup a soups' and the instant hot chocolate in his box .
A couple of packs of tissues and some hot lemon for colds.
Safety pins.
I think a freezer proof pen could be handy for marking which grub belongs to him.It wont guarantee it isnt 'borrowed' but at least he can see whats in the packs and not have to guess which ones are his.
Both my kids bought themselves a lazer printer when there, due to the amount of printing. My daughter said there was always a queue .

Islandmaid

Well chaps,

Today, I bought a large plastic box and have started the first few bits, toothpaste, herbs, spices etc

I have written 4 lists,

Laundry/first aid
Kitchen/food basics
Course basics (files/pens/etc)
General - duvet, covers, batteries etc

I will buy more boxes and split the contents into the above, the boxes stack, so won,t take up much room.

I feel a bit more organised, thanks all x

onlyme68

Having had 2 DD's at uni so far the most useful 'luxury' item they have taken is a mattress topper. We were binning an old memory foam mattress which has a thin top part to it, I suggested we remove this and pop it in the car, it might be useful. My DD was the envy of her flat mates who all had to sleep on lumpy, uncomfortable, plastic coated cheap mattresses.


I compiled a list with my daughter and then arranged a Tesco delivery to arrive an hour or so after us at her accommodation. That way she had all she needed to start with and it didn't take up valuable space in the car.


They also found a Printer was needed. Photos, etc to make there room feel like their space. A bedside lamp. I could go on, there is so much stuff.

Molillie

A pop-up storage ottoman can be useful, they come with padded tops, so can be used for extra seating, and even the small cube styles hold lots of things. They fold flat for travel. You could pop in all the boxes of laundry stuff, first-aid, dry and canned foods that the room doesn't really have space for.
If you size up the kitchen cupboard or other storage in communal areas, it can be worth getting boxes which will fit into the space. People are less likely to pull out a box, take of the lid, and rummage through for snacks than they are to grab something they can see on opening a cupboard. (might not apply if they have been drinking) You can also fit a lot more in.

vulpix

Haven't read the whole thread,has anyone mentioned a baking tray and a dish for the oven for pasta bake type things.My daughter cooked, my son lived off 19p noodles.On collecting them at the end of year it was shocking what and how much had just been abandoned.Also you have the summer to look at car boot sales and charity shops for mugs,glasses etc.Sorry if I am repeating what has already been said.

MandM90

At uni I did my bedding every Sunday and just washed/dried the same set. A cheap clotheshorse is a good idea as drying is usually a quid a time!

I'd also add some box files to keep the huge amounts of notes he will amass and some large plastic boxes to shove towels/shoes under the bed as storage is usually very tight.

Also on a less practical level, some booze and snacks to share on the first week!