What to Take to Uni: A Complete Uni Checklist

College is over and the time has finally come to start university – fantastic! There are exciting times ahead, so you need to make sure you have everything you need to take to uni with you.

Make your halls a home with some great value decor and get all the essentials for your party pre-drinks, easy meals and of course a bit of late-night panic cramming. From bedding and poster-hanging strips to laptops and lamps, we know just what to take to uni - so we’ve created a complete uni checklist to make sure you don’t miss a thing. (Check out our downloadable checklist to keep with you for ultimate convenience.) 

We’ve broken down each key area with a list of essentials – have a look and make sure you’re fully kitted out to start your new uni life!

There’s quite a lot to buy when you’re moving out and preparing for your first year at uni. Let’s break it down so you know you have everything you’ll need.

First of all, there’s the kitchen equipment. You’ll have three meals a day to make for yourself, so there’s a fair amount you need. When it comes to things like toasters and kettles, these are usually already at your halls, so wait until you get there to find out what’s lacking. If it turns out you need one, you can discuss with your new flatmates who should buy what, or all chip in for one together. 

Another thing to remember is that, this year, Freshers will be joining during a cost-of-living crisis, with energy bills skyrocketing, so make sure you pack some good energy-saving appliances to help keep those bills down.

• Plates and cutlery
• Mugs and glasses
• Set of saucepans
• Frying pan
• Tea towels
• Oven gloves
• Food storage containers
• Steamer if you prefer healthier food
• Air fryer for solo cooking, healthier frying and energy-saving
• CRIMPiT crimper for wraps
• Kettle
• Toaster
• Toastie maker
• Knives and scissors
• Chopping board
• Oven trays and dishes
• Colander
• Grater
• Juicer
• Bottle and can openers
• Peeler
• Wooden spoons and spatula
• Measuring jug
• Bin bags
• Tray for dining in bed!

Towels, soaps and other bathroom supplies are going to be needed, whether you have an en-suite or a communal bathroom. If you’ll be in a house share instead of halls, take some toilet roll with you for your first week and then you can work out between you and your flatmates who’ll buy the next pack. 

• Hand towels, bath towels and bath mat
• Bathroom bin (if your hall doesn’t already have one)
• Soap and soap dish
• Shower caddy
• Toothbrush holder
• Toilet brush
• Plunger

You want to feel at home in your halls, so make sure your room is somewhere you feel happy and comfortable. After all, you will be spending a lot of time in there studying and resting. Get yourself some nice bedding, put up some posters and decorate it your way. 

• Duvet
• Pillows
• Storage boxes
• Hangers
• 2 x Bedding sets (one for when the other’s in the wash)
• 2 x Bed sheets for your mattress 
• Blanket for colder nights and cosying up with a film

• Laundry basket - a pop-up or fold-away one is ideal for uni
• Clothes airer (try a heated airer in winter and avoid putting the radiators on to help reduce bills)
• Iron
• Ironing board
• Laundry detergent (opt for an Ecoegg Laundry Egg to save money on detergent and wash the eco way)
• Iron
• Ironing board

There’ll be parties to be had and someone needs to do the clean-up afterwards! Not to mention general cleaning, whether it’s your bathroom, bedroom or communal spaces.  

• Mop and bucket
• Cloths and sponges
• All-purpose cleaner
• Washing-up liquid
• Washing-up bowl
• Dustpan and brush
• Toilet cleaner

• Speaker
• Headphones
• Desk lamp
• Alarm clock
• Printer

• USB stick
• Power bank and charger
• Multi-plug adaptor or extension leads

Having your own laptop will make your life much easier than sharing library resources, as they might be in use when you need them. It also means you can study whenever you want, plus use it as your TV (remember to buy a TV licence!). There are several other items you won’t want to start uni without too. 

• Padlock and bike lock
• Screwdriver set
• Damage-free hanging strips for frames and posters
• Laptop bag or backpack
• Hair dryer
• Door stop
• Stationery
• Ear plugs (for noisy new flatmates)
• Medicine such as paracetamol
• Umbrella 
• Torch
• Batteries

And that’s your complete uni checklist – we hope you’ve found it helpful. You now know exactly what to take to uni and will soon be all set to take on your first year! 

Our site and stores are full of amazing deals to help save you money. So if you haven’t already, visit your local store or browse our site for all the uni essentials you need, from bedroom bits to kitchenware and so much more. 

Don’t forget you can get a 10% discount all year round in-store with a valid student card! For more information, see our student discount page.