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Moving into halls without my parents and no car?

How do I move into uni halls alone? I've gathered that I will probably have to get the train as I don't have a car, but the journey is long with lots of station changes so I won't be able to carry a lot with me unless I do several trips.
Should I even bother bringing a duvet, pillows, towels, kitchen tools with me? I could buy new ones once I'm there but this is just extra stress, and again how will I carry all this from the shops to my halls which is about 20 minute walk.
Has anyone done this before that can give me advice?
(edited 7 years ago)

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Yeah, forget about the basics like kitchen rolls/bathroom items and just buy it when you get there.You could also get a coach or hire someone to take your belongings there
Reply 2
Original post by rairai
My parents were originally going to help me move into halls but they decided they would actually rather be sunbathing in Spain instead. :frown:
How do I move into uni halls alone? I've gathered that I will probably have to get the train as I don't have a car, but the journey is long with lots of station changes so I won't be able to carry a lot with me unless I do several trips.
Should I even bother bringing a duvet, pillows, towels, kitchen tools with me? I could buy new ones once I'm there but this is just extra stress, and again how will I carry all this from the shops to my halls which is about 20 minute walk.
Has anyone done this before that can give me advice?


I will be moving alone too, and most of those stuff I am not bringing until the day after I've settled to reduce the work load. Also are you certain you will need duvet and pillows (since it is provided at most accommodations)?

If this isn't something you want to do, have you thought about getting a taxi from the train/bus station to your hall?
Reply 3
I have the exact same problem. I will also have to go by train, so I can take one suitcase and one backpack I guess.

:frown: Also, the uni is 4 hours away by train from where I live, so I will have to buy things like kitchen tools, duvet, pillows, etc... when I arrive.
Reply 4
Original post by kkboyk
I will be moving alone too, and most of those stuff I am not bringing until the day after I've settled to reduce the work load. Also are you certain you will need duvet and pillows (since it is provided at most accommodations)?

If this isn't something you want to do, have you thought about getting a taxi from the train/bus station to your hall?


yeah i have checked with the uni, i need bedsheets, duvets, duvet covers ect
it seems they only provide the bed frame and mattress
Thats a good idea, i'll get a taxi to halls
This is something i've often wondered about too. I don't drive and if my son were to ever go to uni in say, Belfast [we live in Newry about 40 miles away] how on earth would we manage on the bus or train with all the stuff he would need to take? And this is nothing compared to if he ever wanted to travel over to England to go to Uni. I have no relatives. My son's late father's relatives are all hundreds of miles away in the Republic of Ireland.Plus I doubt very much his aunt and uncle would be able to take the day off from their jobs as a primary school teacher and an accountant just to ferry my son and me and his stuff to uni.If it ever comes to the time he does want to go I just don't know what we would do.
Reply 6
Original post by eden3
I have the exact same problem. I will also have to go by train, so I can take one suitcase and one backpack I guess.

:frown: Also, the uni is 4 hours away by train from where I live, so I will have to buy things like kitchen tools, duvet, pillows, etc... when I arrive.


i wont bring a suitcase as there isnt room to store it in my halls, ill probably use supermarket bags for lives, I have soo many clothes i feel like i will end up looking like a crazy bag lady on the train :colondollar:
Reply 7
Original post by rairai
i wont bring a suitcase as there isnt room to store it in my halls, ill probably use supermarket bags for lives, I have soo many clothes i feel like i will end up looking like a crazy bag lady on the train :colondollar:


Hahahaha well good luck!
Reply 8
Original post by loveleest
Yeah, forget about the basics like kitchen rolls/bathroom items and just buy it when you get there.You could also get a coach or hire someone to take your belongings there


I thought about this but ill be home alone when i leave, so i would have to be at home when the courier picks my things up, and then race them to reach my uni halls before the courier arrives there, otherwise they will deliver them to an empty flat
Take what you can carry in a back pack / wheely suitcase - see what you can post to yourself clothes wise (parcelforce or similar - but pay the extra to insure it ) buy everything else when you get there from poundland and wilko - I drove my son the 6 1/2 hours up to Newcastle from Swindon and it was hell - his friend flew up easyjet from Bristol for £35 with his laptop and a rucksack and then did clothes shopping in primark and went to wilko and poundland - cost me £90 in petrol plus the cost of an overnight hotel stay - so this year we paid to put his stuff in storage over the summer and he came back easyjet for £32 - see if there is a megabus that goes your way - it might go halfway round the moon and back before you get there but it will be cheap.
Original post by rairai
My parents were originally going to help me move into halls but they decided they would actually rather be sunbathing in Spain instead. :frown:
How do I move into uni halls alone? I've gathered that I will probably have to get the train as I don't have a car, but the journey is long with lots of station changes so I won't be able to carry a lot with me unless I do several trips.
Should I even bother bringing a duvet, pillows, towels, kitchen tools with me? I could buy new ones once I'm there but this is just extra stress, and again how will I carry all this from the shops to my halls which is about 20 minute walk.
Has anyone done this before that can give me advice?


Hello :smile:

I'm sorry to hear that your parents aren't there to help you move in, I can imagine it's a horrible feeling. There are many options available. Personally, I'd suggest hiring a moving truck - there are some student services out there that help you do things like that. You can get them to pick up your stuff and take it to your university - they are fairly priced away, just have a Google around and see what you can find.

Equally, have you thought about asking any other family members or friends that can drive and would be willing to be take you? Just because your parents can't doesn't meant their aren't others.

Best of luck!
Leave the bedding and kitchen stuff then buy it when you're there or order it to arrive for when you get there. That's what I did, if you think it'll stress you out just bring a sleeping bag and for food you'll end up eating out for a lot of the first few days anyway.

Alternatively you could arrive a day early and stay in a hotel, that'll give you an extra day to arrange things. You can also fit quite a lot of stuff if you go by coach, so that's another way to go.

Also there will be room to store a large suitcase (or two) in halls, don't be silly :tongue:
Original post by rairai
My parents were originally going to help me move into halls but they decided they would actually rather be sunbathing in Spain instead. :frown:
How do I move into uni halls alone? I've gathered that I will probably have to get the train as I don't have a car, but the journey is long with lots of station changes so I won't be able to carry a lot with me unless I do several trips.
Should I even bother bringing a duvet, pillows, towels, kitchen tools with me? I could buy new ones once I'm there but this is just extra stress, and again how will I carry all this from the shops to my halls which is about 20 minute walk.
Has anyone done this before that can give me advice?


Ok so my friend has been in a similar situation recently and were trying to work things out for him, here is what we have brainstormed so far...

1) Get a train and pack vaccumm backs for your clothes to save space in suitcases or bags/boxes. I would take 2 large suitcases as well as a big backback. If you need to take more then you can book at the station for luggage assist via the train company. Explain your situation and they will organise someone to help you on and off the train as well as somewhere to store your stuff. they will literally meet you from a taxi and put you back into a taxi at the other end, so it means you can take more than you can physically carry.
2) get a train down with stuff you can carry and send some of your more lightweight and compact items by courier, yes this is expensive often but if you have no other option it can be a really good way to get things down.
4) Do 2 journeys in 2 seperate weeks or ask a friend to come down with you to help carry extra stuff (obviously compensate them).

if you are doing stuff like this then buy anything that can be bought at uni!
Possible to get a friend to drive you or man with a van to come and pick you up?

Alternatively just do it over a number of trips and buy what else you need when there?

You could also get some stuff couriered?

Also you could just take the essentials and then your parents could bring syuff up when or if they come and see you next time around?
Reply 14
Have you looked into student movers services OP? Depending on where you're studying you can get some cheapish quotes. Since your parents ****ed you over, they should foot the bill.
https://www.unibaggage.com/quote?quote=GB,GB

The site above lets you ship up to items up to 30kg for £16.99 in mainland UK. great for a couple of boxes OP!
Bring just clothes in a suitcase and maybe some essentials in a messenger bag or whatever.

Buy any crockery or breakable stuff there.

Downside is you'll probably have to go shopping near enough immediately after you've unpacked, upside is your flatmates will too so do it with them.
If you've got a driving licence it might be as cheap to hire a car for a day(from a national firm like Enterprise so you can drop it off anywhere there's a depot) instead of making multiple train journeys.
At some universities, you can purchase a moving in pack consisting of bed linen, kitchen equipment etc, which you can collect on arrival. This is generally used by overseas students, but is available to anyone, and should be reasonably priced.

I would avoid going overboard on clothes. Just take some basics and use accessories to change your look. Quite apart from the difficulties of transporting your entire wardrobe, you don't get a huge amount of storage space in most rooms.
Reply 19
I'm hiring a van but only because I live alone and need to move all of my stuff in one go. Even if I don't have furniture it's still quite a bit. I managed to find some vans to rent for about £90 and it's 2 hour ride. They also have an extra passenger seat so you can just go with your stuff.