Back-to-school: What you need to move in

Moving out of residence into a rental unit, whether by yourself or with friends, means a whole new world of things you will need to cook your own meals, and provide for yourself. Here's my quick and dirty list of the essentials and usefuls (minus the desk, textbooks, and other school supplies). A pantry list will be a later post.

Bedroom:

·         Something to sleep on (bed/futon)

·         Pillow

·         Sheets & pillow case

·         Comforter/Blanket/equivalent

·         Clothing

·         Somewhere to store clothing

·         Laundry basket/bag

If you need a dresser or other stuff, try kijiji or goodwill. Other options are a couple plastic tubs devoted to clothing). If you live in a basement, make sure there is airflow through your container or you might find mould and mildew growing on your stuff.

Bathroom:

·         Hygiene items (toothbrush, razor, soap, toothpaste, hair brush, shampoo, hair gel, etc.)

·         Hand soap (for bathroom sink)

·         Hand towel & regular towel

·         Cleaning products (bleach & vinegar a cheap options)

·         Toilet brush

·         Plunger

·         Cloth for cleaning the bathroom (think dollarstore for a microfiber one you can use repeatedly or cut an old T-shirt into squares)

·         Bucket (or old ice-cream container)

Remember that you will have guests that will want to wash their hands and dry them, and who will want to use a clean bathroom. An old ice-cream contain works well because you can store all of your supplies in one place and it doubles for holding water while washing the floors, etc.

Living Area:

·         Cloth for cleaning general areas

·         Vacuum or similar device

·         Dust pan & broom

Push vacuums are cheaper than electric, but not as strong. If you use them regularly this isn't a problem. The dollarstore is a great option for a dustpan and broom.

Kitchen:

·         Dish detergent

·         Dish cloth (or sponge)

·         Dish towel

·         Garbage bags (and garbage can)

·         Containers for storing food (dollarama sells a pack of 10 freezer/microwave safe dishes for $2)

·         Drying rack or extra dish towel

·         2 Plates, 2 bowls, 2 glasses, 2 mugs (at least that way you can have a friend over)

·         2 knives, 2 forks, 2 spoons

·         A sharp knife (for cutting veggies, fruit, meat, etc)

·         Bread knife (optional)

·         Cutting board (optional, but very useful)

·         Pots (1 big, 1 small)

·         Pans (1 medium)

·         1 baking tray

·         1 medium-large brownie pan/casserole dish (usually about 9x13in and about 2in deep)

·         One big bowl (think salad bowl)--not essential but useful

·         Measuring spoons (1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, 1/2 tbsp, 1 tbsp)

·         Measuring cups (1/4 cup, 1/2 cup, 1 cup or a glass measuring cup)

·         Spatula (bowl scraper)

·         Egg lifter

·         Mixing spoon

·         Strainer & grater (optional)

·         Cling wrap

·         Tin foil 

        Slow cooker (not a necessity, but a huge help during exams)

·         Oven mitts (you can use the dish towel instead) 

Several of these items can be skipped or picked up later. Some simply make your life as a student easier.

Laundry:                          

·         Laundry detergent

·         Stain treatment (optional, but you will find it useful when you spill things on the carpets)

·         Fabric softener (instead of buying dryer sheets try buying blue spikey dryer balls at Walmart for $2, they last forever)

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