You’ve had your head in your books for two years, got the grades, and got into university – congratulations! If you’re moving out, you now have about a month to pack everything up and move on to a new chapter.First things first: travel light. Generally speaking, university rooms aren’t very big – especially if you’re going into halls. You’re likely to accumulate dozens of freebies at Freshers’ Week events, so it’s best to avoid over-packing and causing clutter.Before you leave home, check what’s already in your accommodation – sometimes you’ll need things like bins and desk lamps, sometimes you won’t. Call up your landlord/lady, or the people who manage your halls if you can’t find the information online.There are a few things your new flatmates may want to buy too, so don’t bring essentials like a kettle, toaster, and cleaning utensils – these are things you’ll be share with your housemates, so wait until you get there and split the price of them.In the meantime though, here’s what every new undergraduate-to-be will need to take with them:1) Stuff for your bed – A duvet, two or three sets of bed sheets, duvet covers, and pillow cases.
It’s worth getting these in doubles, even if you’re in a single bed. More often than not, second and third year houses have double beds, so it stops you buying twice. Plus, a double duvet makes a single bed cosier for those mornings after the night before.Getting additional pillows and blankets can give your bedroom a ‘homely’ feel. Plus, over winter, it can get very cold in university accommodation. It’s also important to remember a mattress protector; you never know who’s been in the bed before you. It may be worth investing in a mattress topper too, as beds in halls and student houses can be uncomfortable. For around £50, you can make it feel like you’re in a luxury mattress. 2) Doorstop – Keeping your door open when you move in is an easy way to make friends with the people in your flat.3) Hangers – You’ll probably only be given a couple, if any at all.4) Basic cleaning products – Even if you have a cleaner, it’s unlikely he or she will clean your room. Some Febreeze, Flash, washing-up liquid, and sponges will go a long way.
5) Ear plugs – Believe it or not, there will be nights where you want to kip while those who live near you want to party, so ear plugs are a must.8) Medicine – Painkillers and cold and flu remedies will make life a whole lot easier if you catch the infamous Freshers’ Flu.9) Everyday things – Whatever you usually use; shower gel, soap, shampoo, conditioner, moisture, and toothpastes. As well as hair products – don’t forget to bring your hair straighteners and dryers. 11) Bath towel and hand towels12) Toilet brush (although, you and your flatmates may want to chip-in for this)13) Laundry bag– You’ll probably have to travel to a washroom, so you’ll need something that’s easy to carry – whether you’re doing it yourself or taking it home to do. Top 10 universities in the UK Kitchen Essentials (even if you’re in catered):14) Crockery – About four plates and four bowls is probably enough – make sure they’re microwavable!15) Cutlery – Again about four sets of knifes, spoons, and forks is probably enough.
16) Kitchen gadgets – Wooden spoon, spatula, colander, scissors, and a recipe book will all be useful. 20) Casserole dish – You’ll probably be eating lots of pasta bakes.22) Pots and pans – Remember to take these in a few different sizes.23) Tupperware and freezer bags – Great if you want to cook once and eat for a week.26) Stationery – Whatever you used at school, whether you were a one-pen or full-set-of-crayons kind of person.29) Electronics – An extension lead, as you may not have many plugs in your room. Don’t forget any chargers for your phone, laptop, Kindle, or any other electrics you plan to bring.If you don’t have a phone that can voice record, a Dictaphone is useful for recording lectures too. An Ethernet cable, or Wi-Fi box, is good too, so you don’t have to sit with your laptop in one place. A USB or an external hard drive will be incredibly useful.30) Important documents – Passport, passport photos, National Insurance card, NHS card or medical insurance, vaccination history, and contents insurance documents.
Remember any confirmation letters of your scholarship or bursary, if appropriate, or acceptance letters from your university. Don’t forget any monetary documents – especially related to your student loan or bank account.31) Driving licence – Or any other kind of ID you don’t mind taking out. 32) Bank debit card and card reader for online banking, or a cheque book (if you’re retro like that).33) Travel discount cards – 16-25 railcards are great for cheap travel home, a student Oyster card if you’re in London, or bus cards for the city you’re living in will be useful.34) CV and references for those part-time job applications.35) A torch – Power cuts can happen at any time.36) Umbrella – This is the UK37) Clothes horse – Tumble drying your clothes is quite expensive in bills. The world's top 10 universities The Cool and Useful Non-Essentials:38) A small suitcase or large bag for weekends back home or visiting friends.39) Formal clothes – There are a lot of balls at university.41) Photos – They’re great for decorating, or just looking-at when you’re feeling homesick.42) Coffee machine – There’ll no doubt be a lot of late-nights followed by early-morning lectures.46) Fairy lights and bunting for decoration47) Diffuser
, potpourri, or room spray – University rooms usually aren’t well ventilated, and making it smell nice can make a real difference to your mood. 48) Toasted sandwich maker – Toasties are a great comfort food. 49) White tack –This leaves less of a stain than blue tack, and push-pins as most university rooms come with a corkboard.50) Finally, board games and a pack of cards – Armed with these, you’re sure to break-the-ice and pave the way to make some life-long mates.Luxury mattresses, ergonomic pillows and layers of luxury linen—but sleep is the ultimate priceless luxury, isn't it? The bedroom is the sanctum sanctorum of a living space. And bed its focal point. The bed has emerged as the luxury abode of style, couture and comfort. “Sleep is the ultimate luxury and the consumerist icon derivative of this piece of luxury is the bed,” says Delhi-based luxury interior designer Manjeet Bullar. With sleep attainting the status of luxury, people are going that extra mile to make the most of it.
Interior designer Vinita Chaitanya says, “Indians are getting ahead in the game. The bedroom is their sanctuary. Off late, the only brief I get is to design the bedroom based on the client’s last stay at a seven-star luxury hotel”. Vinita says her clients are well-aware of brands such as Frette, Fendi, Versace, Ralph Lauren, White Linen Co. And Atmosphere, which sell luxury mattresses, ergonomic pillows and high thread count bed linen. She adds,“Bed linen can cost lakhs of rupees and Indians are willing to buy. Harrods has bedsheets with thread count of 1000. Milan-based luxury linen brand Frette sells bedsheets in pure cashmere. Young homemakers too are investing in labels like Zara Home. We import beds from international labels like Baker Furniture, Christopher Guy, Cavalli and Fendi. We import mattresses from Hastens and Tempur that cost between ₹1lakh and ₹20 lakh”. 140-year-old Italian luxury brand Frette, which has an ardent admirer in singer Madonna, has a store in Mumbai.
Their linen range comes in thread counts from 300 to 1000 and costs ₹18,000 to ₹1 lakh. The higher the thread count, the finer, lighter and smoother is the product. Let's not forget that versatile natural fibres give a cooling effect in summers and much-needed warmth in winters. Linen Box, a Chennai-based brand sells only white luxury linen to clients in Chennai, Bangalore and Kochi. Their pristine white linens, which lend a satin-weave effect, are made from Indian cotton with a thread count of 600. White linen is timeless. An elegant all-white bed reflects purity and goodness. Aneena Tharakan, owner of Linen Box, says, “When we started eight years ago, we had to educate people about the luxury of sleeping on white linen and high thread count. Today we sell our linen for baby beds too”. Mattresses from Mon Chateau in Bangalore has found fandom among Hollywood celebrities. Their Royal Pedic mattresses, made in Beverly Hills California, have made it into the homes of former US Presidents like John F Kennedy and Ronald Reagan;
royalty of Saudi Arabia, Brunei and Thailand; top entertainers and athletes. Now it is finding favour among Indians too. The mattress is crafted with New Zealand lamb wool, natural latex and cotton from California and Texas. Available in a pillow-top and organic range, it can cost anywhere between ₹6lakh and ₹8 lakh. Besides goose-feather pillows and duvets, Mon Chateau also stocks Egyptian cotton bed linen from Italian luxury label Nancy Koltes that costs between ₹50,000 and ₹1,10,000. Offering a thread count of 350 to 900, the high-grade bed linen comes in jacquard weave and fine embroidery. The store also has furniture from legendary American brands like Baker Furniture, Hickory Chair, Thomas William and Lexington. Vasanthi Ram, CEO of Mon Chateau says, “The desire for luxury in bedrooms in India has increased by almost 65 to 70 per cent. Clients want luxury even in their guest rooms. When you can spend ₹70 lakh on a kitchen, why not on your bed where you get the biggest piece of luxury – peace.”