First things to do before heading off to University or College is to know what your accommodation / room / flat or house comes with…. WHAT is the inventory provided by the Landlord?
Most property will include the following furniture:
Bedroom: bed frame, mattress, desk, chair and wardrobe as a minimum
Kitchen: Fitted kitchen units, oven / hob / extractor, fridge / freezer, microwave, washing machine Lounge / Dining: Sofa, dining table + chairs, possibly TV (TV is not generally a standard inventory item)
Within the kitchen items such as pots, pans, utensils, crockery and cutlery are not generally provided, and you would be required to have them as they will be classed as personal items.
Bedding will also generally be classed as personal items and not provided.
For moving into a property for the first time, Halls of Residence on a Campus, as first year students, you are best not going to a great expense on kitchen stuff. Budget shops (B&M, Wilkinsons, Poundland) or supermarkets (Asda, Tesco, Lidl and Aldi) are great places to purchase anything you need. Prices will range for utensils from 50p up to a couple of pounds. Crockery sets, prices start from 50p a plate.
Within Halls, each tenants will be required to provide their own items and there will then be a limited amount of storage space per person in a kitchen. Shop wisely and take the basic amount you think you will need. Not all storage within a kitchen area will be lockable, so be considerate regarding the value of your possessions, value being both sentimental and monetary.
Once you have gone through your first year and you have secured a flat / house with a group of friends then you have the options to get together to buy some items of useful kitchen ware between you.
To start with, Less is More, as you will have the space to add to what you have and need, when you know where you are and what you have got available.
A reminder that also when you move out that all your property has to leave with you. Whether you box it up for your next flat / house, or you have to store it at home over summer before moving on, or at the end of the day, the items have served you well, but it time to get a fresh and dispose of what you have.