What to pack
By
Halls Life
Posted 1 day ago
Wed 19 Aug, 2026 12:08 AM
There's lots to remember when you're moving to university. Between reminding yourself that you need to bring important documents and forgetting your phone charger, it can be a bit overwhelming.
Here's a list of the essentials of what you can bring to halls with you to ease your mind:
Important items ‼️
- Any form of photo ID (Passport or Driver's Licence)
- Any travel documents (Visa, Tickets)
- Copy of National Insurance
- Bank cards
- Any medication and medical documents
- Details of your Health Insurance (international students)
- Any University documents you have been asked to bring
- Any copies of financial documents
- Any discount cards you use (railcard)
- A basic first aid kit
What to pack 🎒
- Duvet
- Duvet cover
- Pillows
- Pillowcases
- Bedsheets
- Clothing items - preferably suitable for British weather
- Clothes hangers
- Any decor items you'd like to bring (makes your room more homely)
- A bath mat
- Towels and face cloths
- Toilet roll
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Hand soap
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Shower gel
- Washbag (very useful for storing items or if you're sharing a bathroom)
- Toilet cleaner
- Any other toiletries you'd like to bring
- A small bin (trust us, you'll need this!)
- Plates and bowls
- Mugs and glasses
- Cutlery
- Oven trays
- Frying pans
- Saucepans (you only need a couple, so bring a small and a big one)
- Tin opener
- Scissors
- Chopping knife and board (you don't need to buy a knife block or a big set of chef knives - a couple of good ones will do the job and save you money!)
- Vegetable peeler
- Cheese grater
- Spatula and wooden spoons (always handy to have for cooking)
- Tupperware
- Bin bags
- Foil and cling film
- Tea towels
- Colander
- Mixing bowl
- Laundry bag (a big bag for life works just as well too if you don't want to spend too much money)
- Duster
- Kitchen roll
- Washing up liquid
- Sponges, cloths and scourers
- Cleaning sprays for kitchen and bathroom
And if you don't want to pack your car/moving van filled to the brim, you can pre-order bedding and essential student kits from UniKitOut. The best thing about it is that it will be delivered before you arrive! Use the discount code SOUTH10 to save 10% on your order.
If you’d like to pre-order your move-in essentials for September intake, please do so by Midnight on Thursday 3 September 2026 to ensure they’re ready in your halls before you arrive.
What not to pack 🚫
- Deep fat fryers
- Rice cookers not bought in the UK
- Candles, incense sticks, tea lights
- Smoking equipment like pipes and ashtrays
- Dartboards or any kind of weapons
Key information
You can use one extension lead per wall socket, as long as the total load doesn't exceed 13 amps, as it could be a fire hazard.
Make sure you position cables carefully so they don't become a trip hazard.
Chargers, adaptors and multi-socket extensions must have a CE mark or a BSI (British Standards Institution) Kitemark. This shows the product has been tested to meet EU or UK safety standards.
Find out more about Electrical Safety on our Halls Life page.
If you watch live TV on any channel, download, or watch any BBC programmes on iPlayer, you must have a TV Licence.
Take a look at TV Licensing and check if you need one.
If you have any unanswered questions after reading through our pages, feel free to contact the Student Accommodation Line via email at accommodation@soton.ac.uk.
