This post includes affiliate links. When you purchase through these links, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. For full details, please see our affiliate disclosure page.
How many movies have a moving away scene; with the parents all teary-eyed, the van packed to the brim with boxes and a teenager making their final goodbyes before heading off to a distant city for a new life as a university/college student? Really too many to count but as cliché as it seems, this fall I’ll be that excited and nervous teen “leaving the nest” and I’m sure it will be all too much just like the movies.
At the very end of August, I’ll be moving to Ottawa for post-secondary at the University of Ottawa. I am really pleased with my decision as Ottawa gives me the opportunity to take my program in French immersion and also offers a CO-OP program. Ottawa is a beautiful city and I am excited to see what adventures it has for me.
🏡 Where to Stay: Top Accommodations
🥾 Explore: Tours & Experiences
🚙 Hit the Road: Car Rental Deals
🛫 Get Away: Find Flight Deals
🎒 Shop: Travel Essentials
This, of course will be my first time living on my own which can make any teenager a little nervous but I think I’m ready for the challenge. Having my own room, making my own plans, finding my own transportation and of course making my own food! I’ll be sharing a kitchenette with the rest of my residence floor so I’ll have access to a fridge, microwave, stovetop and sink.
I am going to try and avoid too much fast food and make use of this kitchenette by making my own food, so I need a good amount of kitchen supplies like plates, cutlery, utensils and pans. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be able to steal anything from my parent’s kitchen without them noticing, so (not unfortunately) I get all new stuff! I have made a list of things that I need to bring with me (which you can find at the end of this post). Found the list on a website to help me gage what it is that I needed. I add some items and took out some items but for the most part I know I have to hit a good Kitchen store to help me out. I recently was able to check some items off the list after a trip to our local Linen Chest!
When my mom and I went to the Linen Chest a couple weeks ago we picked up some of the essentials to dorm living: 4 large plates, 4 small plates, 4 bowls, a mixing bowl, colander/strainer, a can/bottle opener, a juice carafe/water pitcher and some very handy silicone lids. And of course, being the very colourful person that I am, everything is a very bright shade of blue, green, red or yellow!
My plates and bowls are a bright shade of blue and are from the Luminarc summer collection. They are ‘extra resistant’ to breaking, dishwasher safe, microwaveable, extra durable, and ready for some late night snacking and clumsy falls. And my mixing bowl and colander are a fresh shade of green and are ready for countless servings of pasta and salads.
I also really love the Trudeau Silicone lids that we found at Linen Chest. They are a great way to cover up left overs saving me some much needed cash on plastic wrap and wasted food. You see I am hoping to buy a mini-fridge so I can keep a few things right in my room instead of the ‘common-area’ fridge. I’ve read to avoid leaving things in there as they usually go missing.
Overall we managed to get some great deals because they have an additional 20% off already reduced items so we scored all of this for less then $100 dollars so I still have enough money to pick a few more items.
Lauren’s List for the Kitchen:
- Bottle opener ✓
- Mugs
- Glasses
- Wine glasses
- Shot glasses
- Kettle
- Knives, forks and spoons
- Plates (both small and large) ✓
- Bowls (for cereal, soup, ice cream, etc.) ✓
- One-person casserole dish
- Small frying pan
- 1 small, 1 large saucepan with lids
- Tin opener ✓
- Scissors
- Sharp cutting knife
- Cutting board – An extra cutting if you are cutting meat.
- Vegetable peeler
- Cheese grater
- Breadknife
- Wooden spoon
- Spatula
- Sandwich bags
- Tupperware
- Plastic mixing owl ✓
- Plastic Wrap/ Silicone lids ✓
- Tin foil
- Strainer ✓
- Tea towels
- Oven gloves
- Washing-up stuff – Washing-up liquid / Dishcloth / Scrubbing brush
- Tray – For carrying food to your room and to stop you making a mess if you’re not eating at a table
- Chopsticks
🥾 Explore: Tours & Experiences
🏡 Where to Stay: Top Accommodations
🚙 Hit the Road: Car Rental Deals
🛫 Get Away: Find Flight Deals
🎒 Shop: Travel Essentials