Buying for university on a budget – the bedroom.

My actual room last year.

It will break.
When you move away from home for the first time, it will surprise you how much actual stuff you need to take with you. Everything that you take for granted at home; pots, spoons, mugs, etc.; will add up when you need to buy them to take with you, and since there’s a high chance that they’ll be stolen, broken or simply become unusable, you don’t want to spend extortionate amounts of money on them. This is where supermarkets come in – I managed to get almost everything I needed in a big Asda last year; kettle, cutlery, tea towels – the lot! In this two part post, bedroom and kitchen items will be covered.

Get a list.
That is, an inventory list, of what is already in the bedroom you’ll be moving into. Every university is different with what they will and will not provide, so it’s vitally important that you get a list. If you’re not sent one in any of the various welcome packs you get, then shoot off a quick email to the head of residential services for your uni.
My uni provided a desk, chair, bed, bedding, lamp, bookcase/shelving, wardrobe, mirror and sink in my room. I’ll be basing this post on that, but if you have any questions on where to get things on the cheap which I haven’t covered, please ask!

Make a list!
You must think this is all I do – and it is. Lists are useful and easy. A list of needs for the inventory list above for me was bedding (I prefer a double duvet), bed linen and hangers. This is obviously just a basic list, I expanded on it with laptop, speakers, printer, television and decorations, but everything on this second list is personal choice and discretion.

Where to get what?
As I already mentioned, you nearest supermarket/hypermarket probably has it all!

• Duvet – I have no problems admitting I got my duvet in ASDA. I made sure to get a thick one, as I get cold at night and as I found out, my room was extremely cold in winter. There’s also no point spending a lot on your duvet as there’s a high chance you’re going to spill something on it at some point. As the review in the link points out, that duvet really isn’t anything nice to look at, but who cares – you’ll be covering it in…
• Bed linen – This is another thing which I bought cheap, and I’m glad I did. I have two sets (though I will be getting a third for this year) and both have either had something spilt on them, drawn on them and so on and so forth. A fitted sheet is this best thing you can buy, and again, have two or three. A duvet set doesn’t have to cost the earth if you’re not all that fusses about what it looks like, I actually have this one in pink and it’s nice and simple, saying that though you can get something a little nicer cheap as well – look in your local inStore. I got an adorable pink tartan set for less than £10!
• Hangers – While I can’t find any on the website, you can get packs of 20 clothes hangers for only a few pounds in Tesco.

And the second list? Well decorations are your own personal taste and could be anything! I had a little row of rubber ducks my boyfriend buys me up on a shelf, pictures on the walls and posters – it’s likely there will be a poster fair during fresher’s week as well, so don’t fret.

See the post for kitchen things here.