Whatever you’re spending your summer doing, in just under two months you’ll have to start thinking about going back to university, and crucially, what you’re going to be bringing with you when you move into your brand-new student house. If this is your first time dipping into the world of student housing, you might be a little bewildered as to what to bring.

Assuming you’ve looked round your new place, you’re probably aware that you don’t need to spring for things like a bedframe or a fridge – and if you do move in to find these things missing, a quick call to the landlord should be number one on the to-do list. But what about all those little things that are often an afterthought?

Well, to help minimise the stress of moving in day, we have compiled a list of things you should consider bringing with you to your student house that are easy to overlook:

1. Bathroom Amenities

You probably already have a list of things to bring for the bathroom: shampoo, conditioner, soap etc. But you should be aware that your student house will most likely not include a toilet brush – something which you will only realise you need once it’s too late. A shower/bath mat is also an important feature of any bathroom to prevent a slippery floor. Both of these can be picked up very cheaply, and even if it turns out that someone else has brought these as well, then you’ll have spares (and trust us, you won’t want to use the same toilet brush all year long).

2. Extension Lead/Cable Reel

There just never seems to be enough plug sockets, does there? Even if a room has an abundance of them, students will always need more. To prevent the struggle and fights between housemates for limited electrical sources, invest in an extension lead to create more outlets for all of your devices. It may also be worth getting a cable reel if, for example, you want to bring speakers to allow more flexibility in where they can be placed in the house.

3. Doorstop

You may have already experienced this in halls, but often doorstops are not a feature included in housing. They are incredibly useful devices that are frequently forgotten when it comes to shopping for university. Next time you’re out, chuck one in the shopping basket; you will definitely get good use out of it.

4. Plasters

Another often forgotten necessity, plasters are probably freely available at your parent’s house, but if no one in your student house brings them, then you won’t have any (again, you won’t notice this until they’re badly needed). Make sure you get a pack for the bathroom or to keep in your room; you’ll be very glad you did.

5. HDMI Cable

Most university accommodation won’t include a television, but student houses do. Chances are you’ll want to watch something that you can only access on your laptop or games console but would like to watch it on the television together as a house. Make sure you bring a HDMI cable so you can connect devices to your television.

6. Sewing Kit

If you’re not much of a seamstress, mini sewing kits can be bought very cheaply, and they are infinitely useful. Eventually, you will make a hole in your favourite shirt or rip your jeans. Clothes are expensive, so make sure you learn a few basic stitches and come prepared – most likely you will be living with at least one person who knows how to sew on a button.

7. Torch

A torch is a good idea for any student to have to hand should there be a power outage in your house. Whilst most students would rather opt to use their phone’s torch function than an actual torch (I mean what is this, the 90s?), this is perhaps not the best use of your waning mobile battery in an emergency outage.

Additionally, every year Lancaster hosts the ‘Light Up Lancaster’ event, a weekend festival of art and light incorporating the annual fireworks event. A torch is a nifty tool to have to hand for this event whilst you’re walking around the city after dark.

Make sure you’re prepared by getting yourself a torch (with working batteries) and keep it somewhere safe in your room, you never know when you might need one.

When looking around a potential student house, you should bear in mind that there will most likely be students already living there. A lot of the things you see in the house may have been brought by them and will probably be going with them when they move out.

It’s worth contacting your landlord to ask exactly what is included in your student house and plan accordingly. Remember, there will always be something you forget to bring, so try not to stress too much. Enjoy the summer while it lasts, and Student Housing Lancaster look forward to welcoming you into your new student house at the start of the academic year.