The freshers furnishings finder guide

(Image courtesy of Unsplash)

As a Fresher or returning student to UKC there are bound to be a few bits and bobs, or possibly bigger things that you need or want for your accommodation. This can vary from cutlery to towels, bookshelves to door hooks. All necessary things in making your next year here more organised and hassle free. Here is a list of the best shops in Canterbury to buy second hand or new furniture from.

Wilko:

Though not the cheapest of options Wilko is a very central shop and offers a decent selection of stationary, kitchen utensils, bedroom must haves; as well as cleaning supplies. Located opposite Fenwick, Canterbury’s Wilko is a decent two floors.

The Range:

A much bigger store than Wilko which offers even more variety in homeware and equipment. This is definitely a great store to have in mind if you want things cheap but new. The downside is that this store is located roughly 1.5 miles from the city centre which is roughly a 35 minute walk. However there are buses that run pretty close to where The Range is located so definitely look into those if you are not much of a walker or know you will be buying some heavier/more awkward to carry items.

Flying Tiger:

A store that has been up and coming and a favourite for buyers. This store offers all sorts of homeware, games, toiletries and even snacks for a great price. The Canterbury store is very local as it sits in the heart of White Friars shopping centre.

General Charity shops:

There are plenty of charity shops in and around Canterbury. Though each store varies in the amount of homeware/equipment it may supply. The best ones I recommend are:

The Children’s Trust shop - a central charity shop next to Houdini’s. This shop rarely has furniture stocked but they always have a few cute glasses/plates.

Emmaus Dover - only a short walk away from the city centre this second hand furniture shop is on the same street as The Penny Theatre. This shop offers an array of furniture and cooking utensils. The best part? They offer 10% off for students. And if you buy something that is too big to carry then delivery is only £10. This place is definitely worth checking out.

There are many other charity shops that could be listed here; but as previously stated what they stock always varies. There are even more places than what has been mentioned above; like TKmaxx, Next Home, Walrus & Oyster Emporium and M&S homeware. The best thing you can do is just walk around the city and see what shops you find; you’ll be surprised at how many there are and how well some of them are hidden.

If you find any of our suggestions helpful, let us know via our Instagram page - @inquirekent.