Tips and Tricks for Settling into your UK Accommodation

Moving to a new place can be scary, especially without all the comforts of home. When packing for your studies in the UK, there’s not a lot you can bring, so it will be up to you to make your new home away from home feel like your space again! Our advising team has put together their top tips and tricks for settling in to your new UK home.  

Settling into your new space can help combat any homesickness, and overall make you feel more at home. While this may be temporary accommodation, with a few key tips, you can make it feel like your space!  
 

Arriving in the UK  

When you arrive in the UK, you’ll likely have a couple suitcases with your clothes and essentials, and need to purchase the rest. Most standard UK student accommodations will consist of a single room, occasionally an ensuite or shared bathroom, and a shared living area/ kitchen between 3-7 flatmates. While it’s not fair to decorate the shared spaces without permission from your flatmates, your room is yours to do with what you please!  

When you arrive, you’ll need a few essentials, like bedding and groceries, but make sure to take some time to recuperate from the jet lag before taking the time to decorate.  

Meet your flatmates as soon as you can, and plan to do something together – whether it is a game night or simply going shopping for the flat, doing an activity together can help any feelings of aloneness, and build friendships!  

Make sure to also take part in any orientation activities offered by your accommodation or university – these will help you meet people, and make you feel more connected to the university and city.  
 

Delivery to Your Door  

If you are staying in university specific accommodation, there are companies set up that will deliver some accommodation essentials to your door for your move in day, so that you don’t need to worry about going out to buy these things the first day you arrive. Take a look at sites like UnitKitOut, where you can select everything from bedding sets to a full apartment kit, to be delivered and waiting for you on move in day! They partner with many UK universities and accommodation providers, making the process very simple.  

The first few days, everything will be unfamiliar, and you’ll likely miss some of the comforts from home. Try to cook a favourite meal, or order a favourite take out – some of your favourite fast foods from home may be available in your local area!  
 

Local Shopping

Once you’ve had a chance to look around your new home, you can do some shopping! While the stores may be a bit different from home, you’ll find some familiar home brands, like H&M or Ikea. For home décor on a student budget, we recommend the below stores for everything from bed and stationery, to knick-knacks and candles.  

• Primark
• TK Maxx
• ASDA
• Søstrene Grene  
• Next
• Dunelm
• The Range
• Home Bargains  
   

All of these stores have a range of products for all different tastes. To shop sustainably, you can also check out local charity shops, FaceBook Market Place, or eBay for second hand products!  
 

Decorating

You’ll likely be working with a pretty small space – most flats in the UK are much more compact than we are used to in Canada! Mirrors can make a space feel bigger, but lots of cozy blankets, lights, and pillows can make a space feel cozy.  

We suggest bringing some photographs from home, as these are fairly small to pack, and getting frames or a way to hang them once you arrive. Being surrounded by photos of your loved ones instantly makes a place feel more home-y, and more “yours”. If you have a favourite sports team, band, etc. you can find posters to add to your walls as well!  

While you likely won’t be able to find the same pieces you had at home, you’ll be able to find some decoration in your style to make the space feel less like a sterile dorm room, and more like a space you want to stay in.  

As a temporary accommodation, you won’t be able to hang things on the wall, or paint. But Command strips and blue tack will be your best friend for a renter-friendly solution!  

Making a blank dorm room feel like yours will help you settle in, and feel like you have your own space when things get overwhelming.
  

Other Home Essentials

Beyond making your space feel like home, you’ll also need some basic home essentials like cleaning products, personal hygiene supplies, and groceries. The below stores will be able to help with those products, which may not be exactly the same as in Canada, but should be similar. Some brands just have a different name in the UK, like Lays chips, which are called Walkers!  
 

Food and Groceries:  

• Tesco
• Sainsbury  
• Lidl
• Aldi
• ASDA
• Marks and Spencer Food Hall
• Waitrose
• Co-Op
• Morrisons
   

Take a look for some of your favourite snacks, or find some new favourites, to settle in!  
 

Cleaning:  

• Tesco, Sainsbury, Lidl, Aldi, ASDA, etc.  – any grocery store!  
• The Range  
• Home Bargains
   

See if you can find products that smell like those from home – our memories are often triggered by scent, and having a home that smells familiar can instantly make you feel more settled.  
 

Hygiene:

For things like Shampoo, Conditioner, Hand Soap, etc. you can find the basics at any grocery store. For more specific brands, try:  

• Boots
• Superdrug
• ASDA
• Local Pharmacies
• TK Maxx (hit or miss, but they have some pricier brands on sale!)
   

The majority of your favourite brands should be available in the UK as well! There’s no need to change your whole routine, just because you’re in a new place. If you aren’t sure if your favourite brands will be available in the UK, you can absolutely look it up before, and bring anything that won’t be available with you. Especially skin care, if you know what works for you, there’s no reason to experiment when you’re already under other stress.  

We hope these tips and tricks will help you settle in quickly to your new UK home! As you prepare to move, ask your advisor about Across the Pond’s Tried and True Packing List!  

Happy studying!