A list of everything you'll need

Packing for university can be daunting for some; from worrying about overpacking to buying the wrong size of bedding.

Fear not!

We’ve got you covered. All your university necessities have been broken down for you.

The essentials list contains items that you will be using frequently and can’t go through university without.

The non-essentials are items you may use occasionally, these can be bought at a later date and may help improve your space.

The best part is that you can PRINT these checklists and tick off the items you have packed as you go along so you don’t forget a thing!

Bedroom checklist

Some tips for shopping for your bedroom:

• Make sure you check the bed size bed before buying any bedding. If you are not sure of this, you can always have a look online where this can be found.
• It may be a good idea to print some pictures, get some plants or some nice cushions to ✨ up your room and make it a bit more cosy - however, this is not compulsory
• If you are planning on hanging pictures or any other items, COMMAND STRIPS will SAVE your life and stop you from losing your deposit!

Bathroom Checklist

One of the items from the checklist you should definitely purchase are bathroom cleaning products - these can be bought in bulk, so you don’t have to continuously replace them. Some of my favourite cleaning products from 1st and 2nd year were: Dettol Disinfectant spray, Flash All-purpose cleaner spray, Harpic toilet cleaner

Also, try and set up a schedule for your bathroom cleaning, at least once every 2 weeks.

You may also want to consider getting a bathroom storage basket or box where items such as face serums, cotton pads, and extra toilet rolls can be organised into.

Kitchen packing list

There are a lot of places (including Queen Mary’s E-shop) where you can buy kitchen packs that come with majority of items you will need. This is often very convenient for international students who may not have time to shop around.

The only disadvantage of purchasing these packs is that almost everyone is given identical items, so if there are multiple people in your flat that purchase these kitchen packs, make sure you label your items clearly and encourage your flatmates to do so too.

Miscellaneous checklist

General tips:

• It might be a good idea to buy a folder to place all your important documents so that they are all in one specific place and don’t go missing
• Examples of great places I would recommend to shop are: Wilko, IKEA, Primark (great for bedding!), Dunelm, Amazon, Asda (George), B&M, Homebargains
• Some underrated places to shop (although some may be on the pricey side): H&M, The Range, Zara, TKMaxx, PLT
• Don’t forget to check UNiDAYS or StudentBeans as there may be discounts on certain shops mentioned above

What not to pack and banned items

Luckily for you, when you arrive at your accommodation, items such as toasters, kettles and hoovers are provided by residential services, so you don’t have to buy these!

Weapons, including firearms and other objects that may cause harm or create a sense of intimidation towards others such as knives, are strictly forbidden on any Queen Mary campus.Other prohibited items in halls are:

• Barbeques (internal and external)

• Candles, incense sticks, or anything else with a naked flame

• Deep fat fryers

• Electric/Heated Blankets

• Electric scooters/skateboards/bikes

• Fan / Halogen heaters

• Fireworks

• Mains powered decorative lighting e.g. fairy lights

• Non UK-Compliant Electrical items

• Shisha Pipes

Please keep in mind that any items that are prohibited will be confiscated immediately, and this may result in disciplinary action being taken. In some cases, the police may also be notified so avoid this at all costs!

Lastly, you can purchase a lot of items when you arrive at Queen Mary, check out the online shop for a list of items you can buy!