Moving out for the first time: the ultimate packing checklist

What to pack when moving out: the ultimate checklist

Moving day is just around the corner and your head is spinning. What should I pack? What should I leave behind? What am I bound to forget? This checklist is the result of years of experience with university students living away from home — it’s everything you actually need, no fluff.

The paperwork — don't leave these behind

Before you think about anything else, put these documents in your bag:

• ID card or passport

• Health insurance card

• Tax code (Codice Fiscale)

• University student card or badge

• A copy of your signed rental agreement

• Your bank details (IBAN)

• Emergency numbers written on paper (not just on your phone)

• Primary care physician card — you’ll need to register with a new GP in your new city

For your room — the essentials

If your room is furnished — like all Stanza Semplice rooms — you already have a bed, desk, wardrobe, and all the basics. Here is what you need to bring:

• Bedding: sheets, pillowcases, duvet or blankets

• Pillow — because nothing beats the one from your bed at home

• Towels (at least 2 sets)

• A desk lamp, if you prefer working with warm light

• A few personal touches — a photo, a poster — to make it feel like home

For the bathroom

• Toothbrush and toothpaste

• Shampoo, conditioner, soap

• Razor or epilator

• Hairdryer

• Basic medicine kit: painkillers, anti-inflammatories, plasters, a thermometer

• Condoms

Don't try to pack your entire home bathroom — buy what you need when you get there. Less weight, less stress.

For the kitchen — if shared

If the kitchen is shared and already equipped, just pack:

• A personal cutlery set

• A plate, a mug, a glass — your own, so they won't get lost

• A medium non-stick pan — because shared pans are always scratched

• Salt, oil, pasta, and rice for the first couple of days

If you have to equip a kitchen from scratch, the list gets longer. But in that case, it’s much easier to buy everything directly in your new city rather than haul it there.

For studying

• Laptop and charger

• Headphones — absolutely essential in a shared flat

• External hard drive or USB drive for backups

• Notebooks, pens, highlighters

• An extension lead with multiple sockets — there are never enough outlets

• A sturdy backpack for uni

For daily life

• Transit card or app for public transport in your new city

• A bike or scooter, if the city is rider-friendly

• An umbrella — always, everywhere

• A reusable shopping bag

• Some cash for your first few errands

What NOT to pack

Moving out for the first time usually leads to heavy overpacking. Here is what to leave at home:

• All your high school textbooks — you will never open them

• Your entire physical DVD collection

• Bulky items you probably won't use

• Too many shoes — bring the 3-4 pairs you actually wear

• Duplicate appliances — if the kitchen already has a microwave, you don't need another one

The golden rule: if you haven't used it in the last 3 months, you won't use it in your new flat either.

Our top tip

Don't try to move everything in one single trip. Travel light on day one with the essentials — documents, bedding, laptop, a few clothes — and then bring or buy the rest in the following weeks.

Almost anything you forget can easily be bought in your new city. Arriving relaxed and travel-light is worth way more than having everything on day one.

With Stanza Semplice, you’re already halfway there

Stanza Semplice rooms come fully furnished with care — bed, wardrobe, desk, lamp, chair. All bills are included, and the flat is ready to welcome you. You just need to bring your personal items and your documents.

Simple. Just as it should be.