Moving into your new residence room is such an exciting experience, made all the more exciting by the freedom to decorate your room however you want! While it’s lots of fun to deck your room out with all your favourite things, there are also some necessities you can bring that will make your residence experience that much better! I’ve compiled a list of some things that I brought, was advised to bring, and wish I had brought to create the ideal residence experience.  

Slippers or slides are a residence necessity! They’re great for lounging around in your own room as well as travelling around your residence. You’ll be very happy to have this pair of indoor footwear in the winter when the floors get wet. Not to mention, they’re extremely comfy!!! 

A fan is great to have during the warmer months! There are also some residences that are warm throughout the entire year, so having a fan gives you at least a little bit of temperature control.  

Some residence rooms supply an extension cord, but it’s not always guaranteed. Extension cords are so helpful because outlets can sometimes be awkwardly placed in relation to your furniture. In my first year, my only outlet for my chargers was 8 feet from my desk - I brought 2 extension cords with me and they absolutely helped with my tricky outlet situation.  

(Unless you live in a residence with communal bathrooms) Some people forget that decorating and stocking up your bathroom is also a part of moving into your residence room. If you are living in a residence where you share a private bathroom with your suitemate, it’s a great idea to get in touch with them about your bathroom accessories. This might include a shower curtain, bathmat, towels, etc. Rooms with private ensuite bathrooms are also responsible for bringing their own toilet paper.  

For those that live in a residence with communal bathrooms, a shower caddy is definitely a necessity. Not only does it keep your bathroom items super organized, it also makes it easy to transport your items to and from the bathroom. This way you can take everything in one trip, and you won’t leave anything behind.  

Sometimes you might want to cook a meal in your residence kitchen instead of going to the dining hall for a change - having a few dishes in your residence room makes this a possibility! There may also be a residence event where you need to use your own dishes like a movie night with popcorn or getting hot chocolate in your main lounge!  

Most residence rooms are on a different floor than the laundry room, so having a hamper or laundry bag with handles is extremely helpful! It's a bit of a pain to carry lots of clothes up and down stairs without something comfortable to hold onto.  

Last but not least, a rug serves a couple great purposes in your res room! First, it’s a great decoration and can really tie your room together. Second, residence floors can get dirty from people walking in and out of your room, so having a rug can help your floor look a little better overall.