Off to Uni in Sept. Start buying now!

Poppy9

My DD is now home after 3 years away and I'm selling lots of bits I bought her for uni cheap so look on work notice boards if you are packing your child off in Sept or if you are a student and packing yourself off.

I am now the proud owner of 2 of the following!

• slow cooker
• Laundry basket
• Iron
• Ironing board
• Shoe rack
• Double duvet

In her third year she and flat mates bought essentials that weren't in the house between them i.e one bought kettle, another toaster etc.

some of the things I bought and DD found useful:

• washing up bowl for not only doing odd bit of laundry but in case of sickness!
• Washing tablets as easier/pods as easier to use for them.
• Bin liners for the bins in their room
• Mattress protector and if a crap mattress a cheap memory foam topper (added warmth too if room cold)
• Fleece blankets to go over and under in bed and to sit in communal areas! Less that £5 in Primark
• No more than 2 plates/cups/cutlery. 1 saucepan, pyrex bowl. Sharp knife and chopping board
• A few ready meals for first few days and some longer life staples like tins of beans/cereal/long life milk.
• Check what size bed before buying bedding
• Check if accommodation has desk lamp/iron/ironing board etc - DD accom. did for first 2 years not that she ever used iron.
• Large plastic storage boxes are good for clothes, books etc. and can often fit on top of wardrobes. Pretty Ikea storage boxes brighten up a room.
• An overnight bag for trips home
• A laundry bag/basket - Ikea blue bags are good.
• An extension lead - they won't have many sockets!
• If in private accommodation a spare light bulb!!
• Loyalty card key fobs for your account
• Some booze/goodies for getting to know new flatmates
• A thermos flask to take a hot drink to library or if they have breaks between lectures but not enough time to walk back to accommodation. DD even bought the disposable coffee cups upon as she was wasting a £2 a time buying coffee on way to uni as she didn't always want to carry thermos all day
• Also start saving the plastic boxes chinese takeaways come in. I filled a dozen of them up with them with portions of homecooked food. They are just the right size for 1 portion and the boxes small enough to fit compactly into freezer.
• A first aid kit
• Clothes airer

Do show them how to use online food shopping and vouchers. Do help them work out an amount of money they have "free" each week.


Register with Student Beans and Unidays for discounts. Plus railcards are free with some bank accounts and you don't have to stay with the bank after you have the card.


Check if they need contents insurance. I found https://www.cover4students.com cheaper than adding to home insurance plus it covers iPhone and only has £10 excess.