So picture the following, you are all settled into your new student property, you have mostly unpacked all your boxes and you are ready to enjoy your next year of university life!

But before you get too comfy, we suggest some student essentials you should make sure to grab from your local shop when you pop into town. You might never need them and we hope some of them you will never have to use, but they will come in handy to have just in case when all the shops are shut!

Basic Toolbox

We suggest that at least one person in the property will need to have one of these, however, we aren’t talking power drills, sanders and the like, but just essential stuff that may come in handy.

• A screwdriver- Some screws are slotted, some are like a cross, and you can guarantee that you will have both somewhere in the house or flat, therefore one with a changeable head is ideal.
• Double sided tape – This can be used for a variety of things and is so useful.
• Plunger – From experience, this is something that every student house should have. A plunger will work for a bath, shower, toilet or sink.  You can also get liquid that you put down the plughole.
• Spare fuses – Sometimes a plug for any appliance can blow a fuse and that makes it useless until you change it.  You can usually pick up a variety pack of them, but always change like for like. 

Lightbulbs

There are loads of different types of bulbs, the best thing to do when you go to buy one is take the old one from your house with you! There are lots of different descriptions on the packets for different types, shapes and the amount of light that each give off. If you replace like with like you can’t go far wrong! 

An obvious thing to say but remember the more powerful a bulb, the more electricity it will use, which is important if you are the one paying the electricity bills!

Extra Kitchen Utensils

Having good quality kitchen utensils will make life a lot easier, however you may pay a bit extra for a good one, but it’ll be better in the long run and these usually last longer, which is great for those essential ones you use all the time.

If you’ve got non-stick pans, don’t use anything metal on them, to cook or to wash up. Metal on non-stick means scratching and rust, and rust doesn’t taste good in your food!

Cleaning Products

You won’t need every product the shops have available, just the essential cleaners; a general antibacterial cleaner will do the job for most surfaces! Just make sure you read the instructions even if only once to make sure you can use it on all the surfaces.  For example, enamel baths don’t like certain products.

There are loads of different toilet and bathroom cleaners too. Just get one or two essentials that work for you.

But make sure you use different cloths for your bathroom and kitchen, no one wants those germs spreading to their dinner!

Torch and batteries

Definitely worth having and keeping somewhere everyone knows. When the lights go out in the middle of the night, or you need to go under the stairs to reset the fuses it's useful to have and know where it is. 

You can find a torch relatively cheaply, but make sure you have a set of batteries in it and also a spare set as well.

First Aid Kit

You can get one of these from a pound shop, with a few bits in such as plasters, bandages etc. or just use an old lunchbox or ice cream tub and fill with the essentials you need. Keep an eye on the expiry date on these as they don’t last forever!
 

With over 30 years experience in letting property we can guarantee these tips will help you in your new home.

What do you think? have you had an emergency where any of the above have come in handy? Did we miss anything out you would suggest to new students? Let us know!

As always, don't forget to check out our other blogs for helpful tips and ideas in your home: