7 Unexpected Items You Might Want in Your Student Apartment

When making a packing list for your student apartment, many items you need to include are obvious, such as clothing, personal care items, and study supplies. However, there are other things you likely won’t realize you need until you arrive at your housing — which will mean hitting the stores to purchase whatever you’re missing. To prevent this happening to you, we’ve put together a list of items students often don’t think of when they’re packing.

1. White Board

You’ll find having a white board above your desk invaluable. You can use it to note down important dates (like upcoming deadlines for assignments), reminders to yourself, to-dos, and more. It may be worth finding one with a calendar where you can easily write your schedule for the month. Attach it to the wall with an adhesive strip to avoid damaging the paint.

2. Floor Pillow

If you’ll be inviting friends over for a movie night or to study together, you need enough seating for everyone. A great solution is a floor pillow because this is comfortable, welcoming, and easy to move out of the way when you don’t need it. Plus, floor pillows come in all sorts of designs, meaning you should be able to find one that matches the rest of your decor.

3. Steamer

Whereas you’ll be wearing casual clothes most of the time at university, there will be occasions when you need to dress up, such as for job fairs, interviews, and internships. Ironing is a lot of effort and requires dragging out an ironing board — that you then need to find a place to store. A better option is to purchase a steamer. A travel-size steamer is ideal, as it won’t take up much space to bring with you or store and you can bring it along on trips if you’ll need to wear formal clothes.

4. Coffee Maker

If you’re a regular coffee drinker, you’ll quickly find that purchasing your caffeine fix from the campus coffee shop becomes too expensive. Whereas a coffee maker may have a high upfront cost, it will soon pay for itself. Choose a model that makes the type of coffee you drink, whether that’s espresso, cappuccino, or iced coffee.

5. Folding Shelf

If you know you’ll have a lot of books and other large items that you’d like to keep on display, you may need an extra shelf or two. Choose a folding shelf that’s easy to bring to your student housing and pack away when you move out.

6. Storage Containers

Another way to store your belongings is with storage containers. These are ideal for putting under your bed, in your closet, and around your bedroom, especially if you choose some in an attractive design. In fact, you should use storage containers to bring your belongings rather than boxes (which you’ll need to dispose of) or suitcases (which require storing themselves).

7. Backrest Pillow

Although you should study at your desk, you may often find you want to sit on your bed, such as to read, watch series, or otherwise relax. To stay comfortable and avoid developing neck or back pain, invest in a backrest pillow.

You’ll be able to bring less with you to university if you move into fully-furnished student housing. Oshawa students can find a new home at 17Hundred. All our apartments come with upgraded furniture as well as fast Wi-Fi and all-inclusive utilities. You’ll find everything else you need in our renovated amenities, which include a lobby, games room, and study spaces. Book a tour to see where you could be living.