Patterned cutlery and houseplants: Everything you need to take to uni, according to TikTok

It’s nearly the start of the new year, IKEA is full of parents and first time students laden down with pots and pans, and TikTok’s For You Page is full of students recommending what freshers should bring with them when they move into halls for the first time. It’s not necessarily a full list, but some of them do have incredibly detailed spreadsheets that are absolutely worth a look.

As a result of falling down this rabbit hole, here is a comprehensive list of the 15 things you absolutely must take to university with you, according to TikTok. There’s no clothes, but you will have a very nice room.

Coat hangers

As one TikTok put it, a wardrobe is useless unless you can do something with it. Lots of people pointed out you always need more coat hangers than you think, especially if you plan to order some things online whilst you’re there. And you definitely will.

Toilet rolls

Whether you’ve got your own bathroom or sharing, it never hurts to be prepared. Especially if you’ve got one bathroom between the entire flat, you all turn up and realise you were all relying on the other people bringing the loo roll.

Sliders or flip flops

Most TikToks pointed out you don’t want to be heading down to the kitchen or the bathroom in your bare feet, particularly if you don’t know where people with muddy shoes have been before you. It would ruin your white socks, as well.

Unique cutlery

In an effort not to lose your knives and forks, several people suggested trying to find cutlery with coloured or patterned handles, so they would stand out. You do run the risk of multiple people having the same very good idea and all choosing the same pattern, though it is very slim.

National Insurance documents, passports, student finance etc

The amount of hoops you have to jump through in order to study at university is bonkers, and when you start to look for a house for your second year, you’ll need things like passports to prove your right to study, so they’re worth taking.

Extension leads

Almost every TikTok suggests extension leads as one of the most important things to take, particularly if you have plenty of gadgets that’ll need charging or are taking a lamp. It’s in almost every video, so it seems daft not to take it as an idea.

Laundry basket or washing bag

You’re not going to want to carry all your clothes down to Circuit Laundry in a big pile in your arms, and besides, it keeps it all tidy. Several TikToks recommended using a blue IKEA bag instead.

Candles or a reed diffuser

Lots of halls don’t let you have candles so reed diffusers are a good shout for that first day when your room just smells musty.

Under the bed storage boxes

Most wardrobes in university rooms are small and you’re definitely going to need more storage than you have so under the bed storage boxes for your excess clothes, shoes and coats are a great idea. This TikTok suggested the long, flat ones, and they’re also really good for packing your stuff in to at the start and end of term.

Houseplants

Let’s face it, you’re going to be living in a beige box for the next year. You don’t want to be the only living thing in that room, and loads of videos listed all the cheap places to get succulents that are very hard to kill. Or you could just opt for fake plants.

Tea towels

Using other people’s are fine, but can be a bit gross.

Mattress topper

One TikTok made the very valid point that you don’t know who slept on your mattress before you, or what they did on it. It’s also worth getting something to make it a little bit comfier, as well as more hygienic.

Shower storage

One person who had shared a bathroom in first year said that their toiletries had gotten stolen so many times that they had needed something to take them to the bathroom and back each night. Even if you have your own bathroom, you’re going to want some storage in there so your products aren’t cluttering your bedroom.

Over the door hooks

Coats can be bulky, and will take up way too much space in your wardrobe if you’re not careful, so over the door hooks can be a really good solution. Some unis do already have hooks on the wall and doors though.

A Dishmatic

The most supreme of all cleaning methods, you just put the washing up liquid in and let it do the rest. They’re a little more expensive but according to TikTok are lifesavers.

For more of the best TikTok videos, trends and memes, follow The Holy Church of TikTok on Facebook. 

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Featured images via @miaaalicex and @hype_collective on TikTok.