Moving · 27 September 2026
Freshers packing list: what to bring, what to leave and what to send ahead
A practical, room-by-room list of what to pack for university halls, what to leave at home, and what is easier to send ahead than carry on the train.
Moving into halls for the first time, it is easy to over-pack. The room is small, storage is limited, and you do not know yet what you will actually use day to day. This is a practical, room-by-room list to help you decide what to bring, what to leave at home, and what is better sent on ahead than wrestled onto a train.
Bedding and bathroom
Most halls provide a bed but not bedding. Bring a duvet, a duvet cover, a pillowcase, a fitted sheet and a spare set so you can wash one while the other is on. Add a bath towel, a hand towel and a floor mat. A plastic shower caddy is worth the small space it takes when the bathroom is shared.
Kitchen kit
Catered halls: a kettle, a few mugs, a plate and some cutlery for the evenings when the kitchen is your only option. Self-catered halls: at least two saucepans, a frying pan, plates, bowls, cutlery, a sharp knife, a chopping board, a colander, a tin opener and a wooden spoon. Bring what you will actually use and buy anything missing once you know the gap; local shops near every university stock the basics.
Electronics
Laptop and its charger. Chargers for your phone and any other devices. A multi-socket extension lead, because most halls rooms have few sockets. Headphones for lectures, the library and the evenings. If your course requires a lot of printing, check whether the library handles it before bringing a printer.
Clothes
Pack for the first few weeks and the season you are arriving in, not the whole academic year. You can always send for more once you know what you actually wear in a new city. Bring a laundry bag, detergent or pods, and change for the machines if your halls charges by the wash.
Documents and practical bits
Your passport or photo ID, any financial letters, your NHS card, a copy of your tenancy agreement and your student finance paperwork. A basic first aid kit, paracetamol, cold medicine and antihistamines. Spare batteries, a power bank, a small sewing kit and a folder to keep important documents together. A padlock is sometimes useful for shared storage spaces in the building.
What to leave at home
Everything you would want over summer but not during term. Half your wardrobe, bulky hobby equipment, extra duvets and pillows you will not use, anything sentimental you would not want damaged or lost, and anything you doubt will fit in a halls bedroom. If you are unsure, leave it. Most things can arrive in a later parcel or be bought locally.
What to send ahead rather than carry
Some things are genuinely useful at university but too awkward to carry on the train or fit in a car. A second duvet, a box of course books, a desk lamp, kitchen appliances and a full set of kitchen kit all fall into this category. Rather than managing them at both ends of the journey, UniMove collects boxes and items from your home address, delivers them to your halls and brings them back at the end of the academic year, door to door, with one all-in price shown before you pay.
Once you are there
The first week is a good time to walk the neighbourhood and find your nearest supermarket, independent cafes, gyms and everything else you will use regularly. Everything Student lists the independents in every UK university city, from accommodation agents to barbers and banks, so you can find the good local places without defaulting to the chains. Browse your city hub once you have arrived and know your area.
Common questions
What should I bring to university halls?
The essentials are bedding (most halls provide a bed but not bedding), towels, kitchen kit if you are in self-catered accommodation, your laptop and chargers, a multi-socket extension lead, clothes for the first few weeks, and your important documents. Pack for the first term rather than the whole year; you can send more later once you know what you actually use.
What should I leave at home when moving to university?
Leave anything you only use in summer, bulky hobby equipment, extra duvets, sentimental items you would not want damaged, and anything you doubt will fit in a halls room. If you are unsure, leave it at home rather than cart it to university only to store it in the corner of a small room.
How do I get bulky items to my university halls without carrying them on a train?
For things that are useful at university but awkward to carry, a door to door service is the straightforward option. UniMove collects boxes and items from your home address, delivers them to your halls and brings them back at the end of the academic year, door to door, with one all-in price shown before you pay in the booking tool.
What do freshers most commonly forget to pack?
The most frequently forgotten items are: a multi-socket extension lead, a first aid kit and basic medicines, laundry detergent and change for the machines, a padlock for shared storage, a folder for important documents, spare phone and laptop chargers, and a floor mat for a bare halls floor.
Fig. 1. UniMove student storage
When can UniMove collect your things?
UniMove collects your things from your room, stores them safely over the holidays and brings them back when you return. Door to door, packed and labelled, one price paid up front.
One all-in price covers collection, storage and return. See it before you pay.