6 October 2026

Your guide to what to bring and buy for your new student home

Moving away from home for the first time can seem exciting and daunting all at the same time, with a lot going on and so much to learn about living by yourself for the first time. In this article, we will give you some advice on what we think you should bring, and what is actually worth having in your new uni house. 

At the beginning of your tenancy, you’ll receive a detailed Inventory and Schedule of Condition in your Dropbox folder, so you’ll know exactly what is in the property and what the condition of the house is. You can use this to cross-reference against our checklist and map out exactly what you need to bring, so you can turn your uni house into a home for the next year or more.  

Kitchen Essentials

The kitchen is one of the biggest communal spaces in the house, but also the room that likely has the most opportunity to duplicate up on household goods – not everyone needs to bring their own kettle, for example.

However, some university accommodations come with all the kitchen appliances you require, but not things like cutlery and utensils. That goes for teaspoons in particular, which can have a habit of disappearing seemingly at random and never reappearing. 

We recommend that you communicate with your housemates and draw up a plan to divide and conquer what is required versus what you already have to hand. It sounds obvious, but a shared space can become quickly cluttered if everyone is bringing their own appliances and utensils. 

You will need to buy laundry detergent and fabric softener for your washing and, if you have a dishwasher, you will need dishwasher tablets and dishwasher salt. Be mindful when buying washing essentials, as other people in the household may need to use a specific detergent due to either allergies or health conditions. 

If you have to wash dishes by hand, you will need a good stock of sponges, washing up liquid, tea towels and a drying rack. As it’s Norfolk and we have particularly hard water, a kettle descaler wire ball is always useful – that can live in your kettle and just needs replacing every month.

You will likely only have one fridge/freezer in your house, and the space will need to be divided between yourself and your housemates. As there can be a lot of food in the fridge at any one time, it’s important to regularly check the best-before dates on food, as well as occasionally clear out the fridge and give everything a good wipe down. If anything leaks, clean it up as soon as you notice it. That goes for the bottom drawer, as well, which can have the tendency to be forgotten about – not what you want when it’ll be full of fruit and veg that can quickly go off.

It’s also a good idea to label any food products that you’re not too keen on sharing, as whilst it’s a nice idea to have everything shared, sometimes people have specific dietary requirements. 

Cleaning the floor is another chore that can be forgotten about – sometimes, a good hoovering isn’t enough for flooring. We’d recommend getting a flat mop with antibacterial wipes for the kitchen and bathrooms. Some houses come with a hoover for the carpeted areas of the house, however some people may prefer to bring their own.

When you first move in, it’s a good idea to establish a cleaning rota, or decide who is responsible for what chores, such as taking the bins out. It will make it a lot easier to keep the responsibility fair if everyone is in agreement, and will keep your house clean for everyone. 

Living room essentials 

Your living space will likely come with sofas, a TV, coffee table and the essentials, but potentially not everything you’d want to stay entertained all year round. 

If you’re a big gamer, you could bring a games console to play with your house mates. If you prefer, you could keep this in your room and bring it down when you want to play with other people – perfect for a good games night. Maybe you could even start up a MarioKart tournament that runs all through the student year…

You could bring some board games from home, which as you’re living in a shared house, is great for those winter evenings where you can all stay in and have an evening together. That is, ultimately, one of the best things about staying in Prolet accommodation – making new friends, socialising, and having an opportunity to do a range of activities with your new housemates.

Bathroom essentials 

The bathroom is another shared space which means the responsibility should also be shared between everyone. There are some houses that feature ensuites in some rooms, but keeping the main bathroom clean will make it more comfortable for everyone in the house. You will need products like air fresheners, bleach, drain unblocker, bath and tile cleaner as well as limescale remover – especially with our Norfolk water. Don’t forget to regularly put the bath mat and towels through the washing machine, especially if you don’t have your own bathroom! 

You and your house mates will probably use different wash products, so it might be worth getting some of the shelves you can suction onto the tiles, allowing you to keep products separate and preventing any disagreements about who’s used your conditioner. 

The same goes for any wash cloths that you may use, or any towels. Get a few as you never want to get out of the shower only to realise your towel is in the wash, or it’s already damp from being used by someone else. 

You may also need to buy or bring some essentials for your first student bathroom, like hand soap, a toilet brush, toothbrush holder, toilet cleaner and a dedicated pair of rubber gloves exclusively for bathroom cleaning sessions. 

Bedroom Essentials

In shared housing accommodations, the bedrooms come furnished but you will need to bring your own pillows, duvet and sheets. Bring two or three sets just in case, as you never want to come home from a night out and realise that you’ve left your bed sheets in the washer and don’t have anything else to put on the bed. 

You’ll also want to remember anything personal that will help to create a space that’s yours and feels safe. Think photos of home, books, blankets, or your favourite teddy bear.

Remember to pay attention to what your landlord states is not allowed. If it says no Blu Tac on the walls, it means it. You don’t want to lose your deposit over some blue splotches on the lovely painted walls. Don’t trust every renter-friendly ‘hack’ you see online because if they cause damage, you will lose your deposit and potentially have to pay towards repairs. If in doubt, it’s always better to contact your landlord and ask. That’s what Prolet is here for with our 24/7 online repair reporting system that handles property maintenance. 

It’s worth bringing items like bedside lamps, an alarm clock (if you don’t plan on using your phone!), clothes hangers and storage boxes to separate your wardrobe, as well as the essentials like plugs with USB connectors and a 2m-long phone charging cable. 

Your bedroom is, ultimately, your responsibility and you’ll need to make sure it stays clean, and staying on top of that will also help your own mental space. It’s so much nicer to come home from a long day at uni or work to a clean bedroom where you can relax and chill out for the evening.

Reminders to pay bills

Because utilities are usually the responsibility of the tenants, it’s worth setting up a reminder system between you and your housemates as to what bills are due and when. Some houses divide these bills up and each person takes responsibility for certain payments, whilst others total up the outgoings and divide the cost equally among everyone.

There’s no correct way to do it – it’s more important that the bills themselves are paid. In some circumstances, bills are included in the monthly payments, but it’s worth checking before you move in. 

For students, you’ll have to pay the following bills:

• Water and sewerage – usually through Anglian Water 
• Gas and electric – not every house needs gas, so you may only need to find a supplier for your electricity
• Internet – get this set up before you move in, as it’s likely need to make arrangements for an engineer appointment to set up the internet connection
• Insurance – it’s definitely worth getting contents insurance to protect your valuable belongings, and that this offers third-party cover 
• TV license – you can set up a direct debit with the BBC if you’re planning on watching any kind of live TV by streaming on a games console or on a TV, or for watching anything on iPlayer. You technically don’t need a TV licence if you only watch on devices that aren’t plugged into the mains
• Council tax – as a student, you technically do not have to pay council tax, however, you must apply for a student exemption to the local council

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