A Guide to UNPACKED: The Student Starter Pack
Moving into student accommodation for the first time comes with a long mental checklist. Most students think about the big things: getting to university, checking into their room, and finding their way around campus. This can lead to the practical things being side-lined. Soon enough, realisation hits, and a mad scramble to buy supplies begins. Whether it’s bedding, cleaning supplies, cooking implements, or towels, you’ll almost certainly forget something. These are the kind of things you leave behind because they’ve just always been there.
Shopping for it all is stressful, time-consuming and easy to get wrong. That is the problem UNPACKED was built to solve.
Who Are UNPACKED?
UNPACKED is a UK-based company that has been helping students move into student accommodation since 2013 (previously as My Student Essentials). Since relaunching in 2021, the brand has delivered thousands of packs to students across the UK.
They are a family-run business based in Lincoln, and everything they stock is designed around making move-in day simple. They are a company whose entire focus is on making life easier for students and the people supporting their move.
UNPACKED are partners of Homes for Students, which means this is a brand we have seen in action at our properties and can proudly recommend their services.
The Kitchen Packs
For students moving into self-catered accommodation, the kitchen is where UNPACKED earns its reputation most clearly. The Student Kitchen Pack, priced at £140, contains everything needed to cook, eat, and function in a shared kitchen or studio, delivered in a single box.
What’s inside covers you for the whole year. Cookware, including a 3-piece induction-compatible pan set and an oven tray; an 18-piece dining set with plates, bowls, mugs, tumblers, and cutlery; utensils, such as a knife set and chopping boards; plus tea towels, an oven glove, and more! Thirty items, one box.
It’s important to note that most student halls use induction hobs rather than gas. This means standard pans may not work on them. Every piece of cookware in the UNPACKED kitchen pack is suitable for induction hobs, ensuring it’s usable from day one.
For students who want to go further, the Ultimate Kitchen Pack costs £260 and includes an even more comprehensive setup. You can also purchase items separately to create a custom arrangement.
The Bedding Packs
Bedding is one of the most commonly overlooked items on the move-in checklist, and an important thing to get right. It’s not a great start if you arrive with a duvet that’s too small for your new bed.
UNPACKED offers two bedding options to suit different budgets and preferences. The Student Bedding Pack costs between £80 and £100, depending on bed size and covers your essentials. Meanwhile, the Luxury Bedding Pack ranges from £120 to £180, taking your comfort to the next level through superior quality and finishes. Both are available in sizes from single to king, and the bed size is confirmed at the checkout stage.
Bedroom, Bathroom, and Beyond
The kitchen and bedding packs are the flagship products, but UNPACKED covers more than that. Their bedroom range includes items like mirrors, hangers, storage, and desk accessories, the small things that make a room feel homely. The bathroom range includes towels, bath mats, and more. There is also a cleaning and laundry range that covers the basics students need to keep their spaces in order.
For students who want everything sorted early, the full range can be browsed and added together, with all items consolidated into one delivery regardless of category.
How Does Delivery Work?
The UNPACKED delivery model is extremely convenient and easy to understand. Orders can be placed up to three months in advance, and the delivery date is confirmed upon purchase. You can select your preferred date at this stage, with UNPACKED guaranteeing delivery that day. Packages can be sent directly to your new Homes for Students building or to a home address before you leave home. Every package is tracked, insured, and signed for, with the minimum lead time being just two working days.
For students coming from overseas or travelling to university via public transport without the option of a car to move things, this is a huge benefit.
Worth Planning Now
The students who have the smoothest moving experience are those with things planned. Knowing UNPACKED is there to help you out can remove a significant amount of stress and can check off a big chunk of your pre-university to-do list.
If you are in the early stages of planning your move, UNPACKED are worth exploring now. You’ll thank yourself for looking come September.
Browse the full UNPACKED range and secure your essentials today.