Easy2name's Product Guide: Labelling Everything for Boarding School

Starting at a boarding school and moving away from home can be very overwhelming, with lots of things happening at once. This leaves room for precious belongings to get lost in transit, not to mention the mix-ups you can have when living with other students. We can help! 

This simple guide outlines not only what to take to boarding school, but also how to keep those items safe! We explain which of our products should label which items and why it’s so important to do so. 

Furnishings 

The main aspect to consider is that most boarding schools provide students with the main furnishings like bed and mattress, desk, chair, wardrobe and/or a dresser. It is likely that each student in the room (most rooms will be shared) will have their own set of furnishings. Understanding what furnishings will be provided for your child can help you get a better idea of what needs to be on the back-to-school shopping list. 

What does my child need to take to boarding school? 

1. Bedding 

Although a bed and mattress are provided, often students are expected to bring their own bedding and sheets. Your school should specify sizes, but usually students are asked to bring sheets for a twin sized bed, along with duvet covers, pillows, blankets and sometimes a mattress cover or topper.

To label these, we recommend our StickEasy Clothing Stickers - name labels that stick to the care label of garments and linen and are washing machine and tumble dryer safe. 

For added security against industrial washing, you can opt for our reusable and reliable EasyTags, which are applied to care labels with one click and can only be removed using the specialised applicator (make sure you also purchase one of these if it’s your first time buying the tags!) 

TIP: Take two lots of sheets so you’re covered when one set is in the laundry. 

2. Toiletries 

Depending on the school’s layout, children may have access to a bathroom shared only with their roommates, or, more likely, they will be expected to share with other dorms in their halls. Therefore, it’s a good idea to invest in toiletry storage that is easy to carry to and from the bathroom and keeps everything in one place. This could be a storage bucket or a washbag, but make sure it’s labelled clearly with your child’s name. For non-fabric holders, see our range of name stickers or for fabric bags, go with our labels for clothing options or Bag Tags. 

You’ll also need towels and washcloths (again, take at least two of each), which can be labelled using our StickEasy Clothing Stickers. 

Shower shoes, like flipflops, sliders or crocs, are useful for trips to and from the bathroom. Use our specially designed Shoe Labels for these, or for older kids wanting more discrete labels, go for our Micro Name Label Stickers. 

Then, of course, make sure to take all the necessary toiletries, like shampoo, conditioner, soap, body wash and skincare. You could just label storage bag or bucket that these items go in, however for extra safety (especially as most students will likely have the same products), use our name tags on the different bottles. 

This also goes for toothpaste, toothbrushes, hairbrushes, sun cream and any other toiletries. For smaller bottles, use our Micro Labels. 

TIP: Personalise labels with your child’s name AND their room number/house to make items even easier to find when misplaced. 

 

3. Clothes & Shoes 

Unlike day school, boarding school children need to remember to bring clothes other than just their uniform with them, for weekends and evenings. Start by packing the required uniform items and sports kit, then move onto packing home clothes. 

The best way to do this is to pack lightly but ensure your child has something for all weather and scenarios. Think about how long it will be until your child returns home and what time of year it is to pick the appropriate clothes. 

You’ll likely need: 

• Formal clothing (for formal school celebrations and events) 
• Casual clothes for evenings and weekends, including pyjamas! 
• Sports clothes for P.E. or extra-curriculars 
• A range of footwear – shower shoes, school shoes, formal shoes, trainers, slippers etc. 
• Accessories like sunglasses, hats (winter and summer)
• Waterproof clothing – raincoats and umbrellas 

Our range of clothing labels has name labels for every item so you can avoid the lost property box! 

TIP: Take extra hangers or under-the-bed clothes storage boxes, as often clothing space is limited in shared rooms 

4. School supplies 

Make sure your child has all the stationery and school supplies they need with them as there may not be a shop nearby. Below is a list of the basic stationery and desk essentials, along with the appropriate name labels we recommend for each. 

Back-to-school basics include: 

• A backpack or school bag to carry everything in (Bag Tags) 
• Pencil case & stationery kit with pencils, pens, rubber, ruler, protractor, highlighters, compass, glue sticks, staplers, holepunch etc. (Mini Name Stickers or Micro Name Labels) 
• Notepads, folders and sticky notes (Large Name Stickers) 
• Water bottle (Large Name Label Stickers or Bottle Bands) 
• Lunchbox for trips out (Personalised Lunch Box or, if you already have one, Large Stickers) 
• Planner/diary/calendar (Original or Large Name Tags) 
• Any required technology e.g. laptops, calculators, tablets, USB sticks (Depends on size but any Name Sticker should work, Micro Name Label Stickers are best for small items) 

 TIP: Take an extension cable for your child’s room so they can charge and use laptops and other technology at their desk and at the same time as their roommates (plug sockets are far too sparse!) 

 

5. Medication & Equipment 

An important extra to consider is any medication or medical equipment your child needs with them. For example, EpiPen's or inhalers for children with medical conditions. 

It’s also good for children to have small first aid kits of their own, including things like plasters or blister patches, so things like papercuts don’t require trips to the nurse. 

Prescription medication and medical equipment is usually required to be kept with the school’s nurse so it’s a good idea to have either a labelled medical bag (use our Bag Tags) to keep your child’s equipment together or ensure you individually label equipment like inhalers with your child’s name – use our Stick-on Name Labels or Mini Name Labels for this. If an item is particularly small or tricky to label, our Micro Name Tags will work perfectly. 

For children with food allergies, try our Allergy Stickers on their lunchboxes to alert staff and carers of allergies and medical conditions.

TIP: For children with severe conditions, we recommend getting a personalised Safety ID Wristband with emergency contact numbers and details of the condition on. 

6. Entertainment 

While most of the day is filled with schoolwork and extra-curriculars, there will always be free periods and evenings where items like board games, cards and reading books are ideal. 

Any of our Name Stickers should be suitable to label these items. 

TIP: Label the inside cover of reading books with your child’s surname so they always know which ones are theirs, even with book swaps between students. 

7. Comforts & Décor 

Although not necessary, it is nice for students to have a reminder of home and to make their dorm feel as homely as possible. A great way to do this is by bringing photos of friends and family, cuddly toys and decorations like fairy lights or posters that express your child’s personality. 

You definitely want to avoid losing sentimental or expensive items so, where possible, make sure they are labelled. Pick the most suitable from our name label stickers or labels for fabric items and personalise with your child’s name, room number, house or even contact details. 

TIP: Don’t forget to take your cosy dressing gown! 

 

8. Sports & Activities Equipment 

Boarding schools offer lots of sports, clubs and extra-curricular activities to their students so plan for any groups your child is interested in joining and make sure they have the right kit. 

For example, it’s a good idea to have separate bags for general sports kit and swim kit, or another specific sport. That way your child will always be prepared with the right items and can easily find which is which. Make sure the bags are labelled with our Bag Tags. These can also be used on instrument cases or other equipment bags to differentiate between other people’s; there will be lots of similar looking bags and equipment around. 

For specific equipment like hockey sticks, use either our Large Name Label Stickers or Mini Name Stickers, depending on size, and, of course, for sports clothing, our StickEasy Clothing Labels. 

TIP: Remember to take smaller items like mouthguards and hair ties so you can play all sports. 

9. Extra useful bits 

• Take some extra name labels with you for any new purchases, or to replace old ones 
• Torch or extra bed/desk clip-on reading lamp 
• Cushion for your desk chair 
• Reusable containers, snacks and a tuck box! 
• Earplugs – good against noisy roommates 
• Alarm clock 
• Fan – most boarding schools don’t have air conditioning and windows may not open fully 
• Folders and dividers/supplies to keep homework and revision organised 

Overview 

The main thing to remember is that there are plenty of staff and other students to help or lend your child any bits they may have forgotten. And, of course, terms have plenty of breaks for students to return home so anything forgotten in the first term can always be packed ready for the second. Remember that all students will be taking similar items, so get ready to label everything! 

Get all your children's school name tags and labels in one pack with our School Labelling Everything Covered Pack.

Author: Anna Allam