25 essential homeware items for student life

It’s a trying time for everyone. The “kids” — nay, adults — are nervous and excited about heading to university, while the parents are pleased to reclaim the house as their own but keen to ensure their offspring have everything they need to settle into student life — at least relatively comfortably.
The checklist to furnishing student accommodation is seemingly endless, from furniture and bedding to cookware and technology. And what about those creature comforts for the most pampered among them?
Alexandra Fox, a home design stylist at John Lewis & Partners — which offers free virtual and in-store appointments that students can book to get help in picking out essentials — says: “Planning the move to university can be a daunting prospect for students as it’s likely to be the first time they have set up life for themselves outside of the family home. A little bit of planning around the basics and ensuring you include some home comforts will make the transition easier for everyone.”
She continues: “Their university bedroom is going to be a multi-use space — a new hub for work, rest and socialising. Investing in a mattress topper can make all the difference for sleep, while clever storage solutions will not only save space but ensure you can put everything away for a clearer room and mind. They might not be top of mind, but rugs, mirrors, table lamps and indoor plants can also make the room feel more personal and enjoyable to be in.”
Fox adds: “Cooking at university is a rite of passage and now there is more than a wok on people’s lists. A good pan, quality chopping knife and air-fryer are staples for prospective students now. Having more than a couple of drinking glasses or coffee cups can be great for socialising during those first few weeks, too.”
Here’s our pick of the best essentials to stock up on ahead of freshers week.
This cutlery set gives you four knives, forks, spoons and teaspoons and works out at an amazing 22p per item. You might not be planning on inviting friends round, but who wants to wash up every time they need a fork? Plus things like teaspoons have a habit of going missing. Mopsig 16-piece cutlery set, £3.50, ikea.com
Just big enough, at 16cm in diameter, to style your hair and fix your make-up, but doesn’t take up too much room — it will even fit into your bag for weekends away. Table mirror, £5.48, sostrenegrene.com
Pictures of Mum and Dad, pets, school friends, timetables and deadlines can be printed out and posted for display on these easy-to-hang cork pin boards (pins included). Sizes range from 30x40cm to 60x90cm. An analogue touch in a digital world. Kav cork notice board, from £8.49, diy.com
Impress your new mates with your ability to muddle a mojito or mix a mocktail with this cocktail shaker set. All you need to do now is practise your Tom Cruise moves. Cocktail shaker set, £8.99, home.bargains
A pack of six toughened and durable glass tumblers. Made for “repeated and intense use in canteens, bars and cafés”, they are ideal for student digs — and very cost-effective. Duralex Picardie tumblers, £8.99 for a pack of six, nisbets.co.uk
Simple but stylish, this hanging organiser makes the most of the redundant space behind doors by hanging over the top and offering four handy pockets for extra storage. Think accessories, shoes or cosmetics — the world’s your oyster. Tarinna hanging organiser, £12.95, sklum.com
It’s not just kids who need a lunchbox. Whether between lectures, in the park or at the library, sustenance on-the-go is crucial for students. Free from childish colours or motifs, this bento box-inspired container features three dedicated compartments and a three-piece cutlery set cleverly stashed away in an airtight lid. A bit of prep will certainly make for a cheaper alternative to Pret. Built Professional 1-litre lunch box with cutlery, £15.99, therange.co.uk
Whether it is whizzing up a healthy breakfast of fruit, yoghurt and protein powder after your run or concocting your hangover cure of choice, everyone can find a use for a blender. George 1.5 litre jug blender, £18, asda.com
Urban Outfitters always caters to students with deals, but we’ve got our eye firmly on this vibrant orange lamp. Looking the part on any desk, it’s ultra-modern and features curved edges in all the right places. And at less than £20 — with a further 10 per cent off when you sign up to the newsletter — it’s a bright idea, indeed. Avery lamp, £19, urbanoutfitters.com
This set comes with four dinner plates, four bowls and four side plates — less than £2 per item. Better still, it’s crafted from high-quality stoneware to withstand the inevitable wear and tear and it can be bunged in the dishwasher without fear. Our pick is the mushroom colourway — much less Nineties than the charcoal. Stoneware 12-piece dinner set, £20, dunelm.com
Save 25 per cent on selected uni essentials using the code “UNI24” when you shop at Argos, including this handy clothes rail, made from powder-coated steel. Sturdy but with a small footprint, it provides valuable hanging space for clothes — up to 25kg — and maybe even a graduation gown one day. Habitat Arnie clothes rail, £25, argos.co.uk
Rentals usually mean you can’t rip a hideous carpet up and start again — not to mention the price of such a costly endeavour — but a vibrant rug can hide a multitude of sins and add instant cheer. This flatwoven striped floor covering should do the trick. Boring and beige, be gone! Vagskylt rug, £29, ikea.com
Airers are usually clunky, jangly things that just add clutter, right? Wrong. This compact beechwood and steel iteration can hold up to 12kg of washing without taking up too much room. In short: it uses vertical, rather than horizontal, space. Concertina airer, £29.99, lakeland.co.uk
Compact and versatile, it’s no wonder air fryers have soared in popularity in recent years, while enabling you to cook smaller quantities more efficiently than a standard oven. All of which makes this digital air fryer from Wilko a no-brainer. Despite a capacity of five litres, its sleek design and digital controls mean it’s stylish on the counter top, while the tech reduces oil intake for a healthier way to cook. Meaning there’s no excuse for takeaways. Digital air fryer 1500W, £29.99, wilko.com
Good sleep is conducive to good studies, right? At least, that’s what you’d like to think happens at uni. Regardless, this simple but stylish duvet set is made from 100 per cent cotton for temperature regulation and features a colourful striped pattern that’s reversible for changing things up. Sweet dreams, guaranteed. Anyday pure cotton duvet set, from £30, johnlewis.com
Pick ’n’ mix a range of towels — including face, hand, bath towel and bath sheet — from this hotel-style collection without the five-star prices. Light but luxurious, each piece features a modern ribbed design on both sides, while being highly absorbent and fast drying. Get the whole set for just £35 in the sale and go for grey, as it’s hard to keep white pristine. Monaco Plus ribbed cotton towel collection, £35, dusk.com
They’ll need all the help they can get if it’s the first time they’ve washed their own clothes. This laundry basket will lend them a hand with two compartments for separating lights and darks, while it folds down when it’s not needed. Perfect for when moving between campus and flat-share. Grey country laundry basket sorter, £35, next.co.uk
Ironing is for nans, busy Gen Z are more likely to give their clothes a quick steam (an added bonus is no need for an ironing board). The Times Fashion desk swears by this nifty garment steamer. There’s no reason to look as if your clothes spent the night on the floor. Philips Series 3000 STH3000/26 garment steamer, £33, argos.co.uk
This portable clothes dryer takes the hassle and expense out of drying garments in pretty much any space — so long as there’s a plug socket. It comprises a steel frame on wheels, a cover to contain the heat and a 1000w dryer. Plus, since clothes are dried while hanging, it’ll save on ironing, too. Win-win. DMD Hang ’n’ Dry electric clothes dryer wardrobe collapsible airer with cover, £49.99, diy.com
Lumpy, bumpy mattress? Keep them in the manner to which they’ve become accustomed at home with this thick mattress topper for an extra layer of comfort. It’s filled with soft fibres to ensure a dreamy night’s sleep no matter the state of the mattress below. Ultimate Comfort 4cm mattress topper, from £60, marksandspencer.com
Now this is a steal: 14 items of cookware, including three saucepans, two frying pans and utensils, for less than £80. All pans are made from pressed aluminium with a non-stick ceramic inner coating — reducing the chances of culinary disasters — and there’s a tool for every task, from a pizza cutter (essential) to spoons and a tin opener. Morphy Richards cookware set, £74.99, amazon.co.uk
Once the basics are sorted, why not treat your offspring to some seriously luxurious bedding? As the name behind the linen at some of the world’s five-star hotels — The Savoy and The Dorchester included — Tielle Love Luxury is just the thing to show you care. Including duvet cover, pillowcases and fitted sheet, this 300-thread-count bed linen set can be snapped up from under £100 and features luxury fibres, ethical yarns and a crisp white colourway. Why not personalise for that finishing touch? Just don’t embarrass them. Classic Hotel 300-thread-count bed linen set, from £97, tielleloveluxury.co.uk
George Home at Asda has launched a raft of student offers, but you’ll need to be quick to get your hands on a coveted Shark vacuum cleaner. Cordless and lightweight, it promises up to 40 minutes of power with every charge and cleans both carpets and hard flooring. After all, just because you’re a student, it doesn’t mean you need to live like one. Shark anti-hair wrap cordless vacuum cleaner, £169, asda.com
Sometimes desks are provided in student digs, sometimes they’re not, in which case this slimline style is perfect for fitting into tight spaces. It’s made from sturdy MDF and bamboo and comes with two drawers and tapered legs in a bowling-green colour. Deadline dinner al desko beckons. Anyday Spindle Desk, £199, johnlewis.com
Apple is the go-to tech brand for kids and parents alike. In addition to year-round special education prices, Apple is offering a £80 gift card with the purchase of any eligible iPad or a £120 gift card with any eligible Mac, while students can get 20 per cent off AppleCare+ to protect their tech along with free access to Apple Music and Apple TV+ for a month with student rates for both services thereafter. Upgrade, anyone? iPad Air, from £549; MacBook Air, from £899, apple.com