Student Moving Checklist 2024
With September quickly approaching, students will be putting together their plans to travel to college either again or for the first time. With the added stress of starting a new college course in possibly a new city, we want to make the actual moving as stress-free as possible.
Compare My Move has put together a checklist so you know exactly what to bring when going to college along with some expert tips and tricks.
What Should I Bring to College / University?
This checklist will go through the essentials you will need when going to college, and offer some tips and tricks surrounding these essential items.
Kitchen:
If you’re moving into a dorm, the kitchen is likely to be a shared space, it may be a good idea to talk to your future roommates (if you can) about what they are bringing and what they’d be happy with sharing.
Plates and Bowls – 2 plates and 2 bowls are all you’ll need, 3 of each should be the maximum. Getting plates and bowls with a unique pattern is also a good idea if you want people to avoid using your kitchen supplies.
Glasses and Mugs – The same rule applies to glasses and mugs for plates and bowls. However, if you don’t have much space on the journey, discount stores will usually sell glasses and mugs for $2 or less – meaning you can save space and not risk damaging glass on your journey.
Utensils – There are the obvious utensils that you’ll need, fork, knife and spoon, which you should take two of each. However, there are a few other utensils that you should consider when packing.
- Wooden spoon
- Spatula
- Cutting knife
- Bottle opener
- Peeler
- Kitchen Scissors
- Ladle
- Corkscrew
- Cheese grater
- Can opener
- Pizza cutter
Kitchen Appliances – In many cases, college accommodation will supply appliances such as a toaster and a microwave, although it is still good to check. If you want to bring an additional appliance like a coffee machine, make sure to secure the appliance properly on the journey.
Dorm Room / Bedroom:
The bedroom is always going to be your main domain when in college. In most circumstances, it is the only room that isn’t shared with other people.
Clothing – There are two essential things to remember when packing clothes, one is that you are going to be at college during all seasons, so make sure your clothes reflect this. The second thing to remember is to pack something formal as there will be opportunities when you’ll need to attend a job interview or a special event, so be prepared.
Bedding – Bedding will take up a good amount of space in transit, but it’s worth it. As well as the actual bedding and pillows, you’ll need two sets of bedding covers to go with it. It’s also a good idea to make sure that your bedding covers have a unique design, as it can be easy to mix things up in communal washers and dryers.
Textbooks – There will be a set list of reading you will have to do in college, and it’s a good idea to transport these books with the rest of your belongings. Alternatively, you can order the books to your apartment to save space during the move, and have your books ready and waiting.
Laptop – All of your work will likely be done on a laptop or a computer, and therefore it’s going to be very high up your checklist of things to bring. When transporting your laptop, I’d recommend having it in a backpack on your person, to make sure it isn’t crushed by anything else you are moving.
Bathroom:
Whether you have a private bathroom or a shared bathroom, the fixtures and fittings will remain the same, a toilet, a sink, and a shower/bath.
Toothbrush, Toothpaste, and Toiletries – These are arguably the most essential things you’ll need to bring to college, it’s a good idea to organise these in a toiletry bag, which will minimize anyone accidentally using your toiletries if you don’t want them to.
Towels and Bathmats – I’d recommend bringing two towels and washing them regularly, similar to the bedding, it’s a good idea to have towels with unique designs to avoid losing them. If you have a shared bathroom then the bathmat will have to be shared, but bringing one anyway is always a good idea, just in case.
Documents:
There are also a few important documents that will be handy to have around in your new accommodation. Keep these documents in a separate folder and a safe place.
ID (Passport, Driving License) – This will be very important, not only for getting access to college bars when you turn 21 but there will be many opportunities that will require an ID to register. For example, if you are voting in your new constituency, you will need proof of ID.
Rental Agreement and Accommodation Information – We’d recommend printing out your tenancy or accommodation agreement to have on hand at all times, therefore, if you get there and something isn’t quite right, you’ll be able to reference it and bring it up straight away.
Student Loan Documents – Any funding documents that are in print should be kept with you in a safe place where you know they’ll be. This way they can be easily referenced when needed.