What to bring to residence

In my previous post, I explained what NOT to bring to residence and gave the advice to be as much of a minimalist as possible. Now, I will explain what you should think of when considering what to bring to residence.

Going into residence, one thing to remember is, as much as possible, to buy used items. After all, things break or get lost in the transition of moving between residences. Or maybe your roommate might even leave with your oven mitts (that might be my own personal experiences talking there). Instead of wasting your money on buying a bunch of items that will be lost by the time you graduate, buy second hand items - it's much cheaper and better for the environment! I've seen a lot of great, affordable items on Facebook Marketplace, furniture, décor, kitchenware, rugs, you name it, you can probably find it there for at least half the price of what you would pay in store. Better yet, go through your house and look through items with your family to see what they no longer want or need and don’t mind giving you. If you're lucky, they will have collected some items like toaster ovens with the intention of giving it to you when you move out.

Whatever you don’t find through the above means, you can most likely find at the Free Store on campus. As the title suggests, everything is free for uOttawa students. They have a large amount of kitchen appliances from blenders to pots and pans. They have plates, cups, mugs, and utensils. Not only that, but they have many school supplies, so I would suggests going there to pick up a binder instead of buying ahead. They also have cleaning supplies. Much of what is collected there comes from what previous students have left behind in residence after they graduated (like mini fans). 

When choosing what clothes to bring, consider the fact that you must be minimalistic since there is not a large closet space. As such, make sure that what you bring is clothes you will wear often and that all go together. Basics are your best friend. A good amount of clothes to consider bringing is three pairs of pants, one shorts, one legging, two blouses, seven shirts and two sweaters. You will most likely collect much more clothes the longer you live on campus as the Free Store and the Rideau Centre are nearby. Starting with the bare necessities is good when considering space. 

Some items that have been a godsend during my experience in residence are a mini-fan, a mini-fridge, a shelfing unit, a mattress topper (mattresses in residence have been around for a while, this makes it much more comfortable), an extension cord, two extremely comfortable pillows (not one! Your room might end up being where you spend the most time in your home depending on your relationship with your roommates so an extra pillow would not hurt), either a swifter or a small vacuum and cleaning supplies for your bathroom. I would also suggest using eco-strips as detergent as it takes much less space than liquid detergent or pods. 

Hope these tips on what to bring to residence helped, even if just a bit! And I hope that you’ll enjoy your time in residence! 

~ mélanie plante, co-op student