This article was published by the Great British Mag content team on 25 August 2021
We know that the urge to bring all your worldly possessions with you when moving to a new country is real. However, with an average of only 23kg available in your suitcase, you will be forced to pick and choose what you bring. To make sure that you are packing sensibly—and leaving the kitchen sink at home—we have compiled a handy list of things NOT to pack.
Electronics
Many electronics are actually pretty cheap in the UK. So it’s better to leave things like hairdryers, hair straighteners, and rice cookers at home and buy new ones in the UK. Think about it this way—you’ll save suitcase space for things that are not easily replaceable, and you won’t need to bring extra power adaptors for these items. Win win!
TIP: Do not buy a printer. Your university library will have one available and it will be a lot cheaper to use that one than to keep buying your own ink!
If you are unsure of where to buy electronics, supermarkets such as Asda or Morrisons sell them cheaply. Argos and Amazon are also good places to look.
Academic supplies
Unless you have a favourite highlighter that you cannot live without, do not use any precious space to bring academic supplies.
You will most likely be given academic supplies for free such as pens, highlighters and even notepads during your uni freshers’ week. Any other things that you might need such as binders or notebooks, you’ll be able to buy for cheap in supermarkets or shops such as Poundland or WHSmith.
TIP: do not under any circumstances bring an umbrella. In many places in the UK—especially in the north—it is so windy that it rains horizontally (yes horizontally!). The wind will also completely destroy your umbrella, making it useless. Wait until you have arrived to assess whether it is better to just have a raincoat and, if you want an umbrella, you can always buy a sturdier one here.
Homeware and kitchenware
You should not bring any homeware or kitchenware. The UK has many stores where you can buy kitchenware on a budget. These include items such as bathroom supplies (towels, bathmat, soap dispenser) as well as your bedroom basics and kitchen pots and pans.
Primark has very cheap bedding, pillows and duvets (make sure your duvet is at least 13.5 Tog or else you might find yourself freezing in the winter). Here, you can also get your bathroom basics and very cute storage solutions such as baskets and jewellery boxes.
You can also find most kitchen supplies such as pots, pans, chopping boards, knives and tea towels in supermarkets such as Asda. We recommend that if you are going to splurge on something then you do so on a Tefal pan—they are non-stick and will last you for your whole stay.
Although supermarkets sell plates and cutlery for cheap, a good shout would be to go to Poundland where you can find kitchen utensils and dining sets for as low as £1 each – the clue is in the name!
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