Cover the essentials for university before you go with these checklists and planners.
Whether you’re the student heading off to university or you’re the parent, carer or family member helping with the preparations, this guide is designed to help you plan the essentials, before the move, from start to finish.
Preparing for university has been one of the biggest organisational jobs our family has tackled. One thing I’ve learned is that it works much better when everyone works together. We’ve been using a WhatsApp group and shared Google Sheets so that anyone who wants to help can contribute to the planning, shopping and budgeting. It’s made the whole process feel far more organised and has stopped us buying things we don’t need or forgetting the little things that matter.
What We’ll Cover In This Post.
This guide breaks down the same process we’ve been using in our own home into practical, manageable steps that you can follow yourself. These are the steps will cover in this post:
- Planning of University Essentials-Before Any Money is Spent.
- Create a University Budget Before You Go Shopping
- Planning the Bedroom
- Planning the Kitchen
- Planning the Bathroom and Laundry
- Planning Your First Food Shop
- Important Documents and Admin
- Preparing for Moving Day
Each section focuses on a common problem, offers a simple solution and includes free checklists or Google Sheets to help you stay organised. Whether you’re planning everything on your own or working together as a family, you can simply download the resources you need and adapt them to suit your own situation.
Free Downloads
Go here to get the University checklists planning PDF (this is the real money saver!)
Go here to get the Shopping Lists & Budget Planner (This will keep you on track with your budget when you start to shop)
If you enjoy practical planning, organised checklists and making every pound count, I’d love you to join my newsletter. I’ll send you more free planners, budgeting ideas and simple systems to help make everyday life a little easier.
Planning of University Essentials-Before Any Money Is Spent
Before you spend any money, take the time to understand exactly what accommodation you’ll be moving into. Some people will have visited their accommodation already, while others may only have seen photographs online. If you’re unsure about any aspect of your accommodation, contact the university or accommodation provider before you start shopping.
Check your accommodation
Before you make a shopping list, find out:
- What type of accommodation you’ll be living in.
- What your bedroom includes.
- What is provided in the kitchen.
- How much storage space is available.
- Which areas are shared with other students.
- Whether there are any restrictions on electrical appliances or furniture.
Check your room
Don’t assume every room in the same accommodation block is identical. Bed sizes, storage, desk space and layouts can all vary. If you’re able to visit before moving day, take a measurements and photographs. If you can’t do this for some reason, ask questions from your accommodations team so you can plan sensibly what you need in advance. Doing this could save quite a bit of money!
Check:
- Bed size.
- Wardrobe and drawer space.
- Desk and chair.
- Shelving.
- Window coverings.
- Floor space for additional storage.
Make your shopping list and budget
Once you know exactly what you’re working with, it’s time to make a shopping list and set a realistic budget. If family members would like to help, now is a good time to decide who is buying what. A shared spreadsheet or simple checklist can stop duplicate purchases and make sure everyone knows what’s already been organised.
If you’re funding everything yourself, start planning as early as possible. Buying one or two items each payday, looking for second-hand bargains and checking local Marketplace or community groups can make the cost much easier to manage.
Free Download-University Planning Checklist
I’ve turned everything in this section into a simple printable checklist so you don’t have to remember it all. Download your free copy below and work through it one step at a time before you spend a penny.
Download your university checklist here
Planning The Bedroom
Right then, now that you have a solid idea about what the bedroom is like, it’s time to start planning. Let’s begin with the bedroom. Resist the temptation to buy everything in one go. Start by checking what the room already includes, then think about what you’ll genuinely need from day one and what can wait until you’ve settled in. A little planning now can save potentially save you money, and that is the name of the game for uni students!
I’ve created a free Bedroom Planning Sheet, along with sheets for the rest of the move to help you organise everything in one place. It’s linked below and is free to download.
It includes space to record room measurements, bed size, storage, furniture, shopping ideas, your bedroom budget and anything else you need to remember before moving day. I am big advocate of making your space homely and cosy so I’ve added some slots for some nice bits too. I have started the list for you however you are free to edit the sheet if you wish. The sheet acts as a shopping list and a budget tracker, just be sure to add in what you think it will cost and what you eventually end up spending.
Planning the Kitchen
The kitchen is one of the easiest places to overspend before university. It can be tempting to buy every gadget and every matching set, but most students need far less than they think. Start by finding out exactly what’s already provided, then focus on the essentials you’ll use every day. Anything you’re unsure about can usually wait until after you’ve moved in. Remember in the planning phase that you only need to provide for you, not a whole family or even a couple, meaning 1 of each is fine as long as you take care of your things. You don’t need to buy everything in advance either, you could just use whatever is available for the meantime and add things as you need them.
Planning the Bathroom and Laundry
The bathroom and laundry are often overlooked until the last minute, but getting the basics organised before moving day will make settling in much easier. Start by finding out whether you’ll have a private or shared bathroom and what laundry facilities are available. Think about the practical things you’ll use every day, rather than trying to recreate your bathroom at home. A little planning now will help you avoid unnecessary spending and make sure you’ve covered the essentials before you arrive. Again, as you only need to provide for yourself factor that into your shopping lists for example, how many hand towels will you need especially if you take it with you to the bathroom each time you use it and then hang it up in your room when you return?
Important Documents and Admin
It might not be the most exciting part of preparing for university, but getting your important information organised now will save you a huge amount of time and stress later. Spend half an hour gathering together the details you’ll need most often and keep them somewhere you can access quickly, whether that’s on your phone, in a secure cloud account or both. As you become more independent, taking responsibility for your own paperwork, passwords and important information is a habit that will serve you well long after university. A little organisation today can save hours of frustration when you need something in a hurry. I’m a big fan of creating a digital file of physical documents. While you may need to provide physical official documentation from time to time, often digital files are accepted. I keep them in my Google drive which is accessible on my phone. I reckon this would be a helpful technique for students too.
If you haven’t already make sure to download the free shopping list and budget planner.
Preparing for Moving Day
Moving day is the reward for all the planning you’ve already done. If you’ve worked through the checklists, organised your shopping and packed everything in advance, the day itself should be about getting settled rather than rushing around at the last minute. Pack the essentials where you can reach them easily, leave plenty of time for the journey and don’t worry if you forget one or two things. Almost everything can be bought later. The aim isn’t to make moving day perfect, it’s simply to arrive feeling organised, prepared and ready to enjoy the start of your university adventure.
Conclusion
Preparing for university is one of life’s biggest milestones, but it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. A little planning, a realistic budget and a few simple systems for your university essentials can make the whole process feel much more manageable.
I hope this guide has helped you feel more organised and given you a clear plan to work through over the coming weeks. Remember, you don’t need to buy everything at once. Start with the essentials, use the planning sheets to stay organised and build everything else gradually as your budget allows.
Before you leave, make sure you’ve downloaded the free University Preparation Planner, including the shopping planners, budget trackers and checklists we’ve covered throughout this guide. They’re designed to help you keep everything together in one place, whether you’re preparing on your own or sharing the planning with family and friends.
If practical planning, realistic budgeting and making every pound count sounds like your kind of thing, I’d love you to join the Mrs Hawkins House newsletter. You’ll receive free planners, printable checklists, meal planning ideas, grocery budgeting tips and simple household systems to help you stay organised long after university preparations are over.
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