AS NEW university students prepare for their big move, here are 12 decorative and practical ways to make those halls of residence feel more like home.

1. Luxury Velvet Personalised Planner by Thebridge & Taylor, £45, NotOnTheHighStreet.com - an A4 hardback notebook worthy of pride of place on any desk.

2. VAGGIS Noticeboard, £4.95 (58 x 39cm), KVISSLE Letter Tray, £19, SKADIS Containers, from £2 each, Ikea - create a mini study area with these brilliant basics from Ikea.

3. Tommy Task Lamp, £12, Matalan - don't put up with dingy lighting; this desk accessory will put essays in the spotlight.

4. Small Cacti in Crackle Pot, £7.60, Marks & Spencer - a sassy succulent to brighten up any room.

5. Sainsbury's Home Chalk Memo Board, £15, Sainsbury's - your new best friend for keeping track of lecture timetables, deadlines and your social life.

6. Wooden Drawers, £10, Morrisons Home - if your new room is short on drawer space or you just need somewhere neat to keep jewellery, make-up and tiny treasures.

7. Lavazza A Modo Mio Tiny, £49, Lavazza - at just 29cm tall this capsule coffee machine will squeeze into the smallest space and will pay for itself in no time.

8. Sainsbury's Home Rural Retreat 3 Pack Knives, £10, Sainsbury's - a trio of knives to help meet students' kitchen needs.

9. Morphy Richards Microwave Cookware MICO Egg Poacher, £29.99, Toasted Sandwich Maker, £29.99, and Jacket Potato Maker, £29.99, Amazon - midnight snacks, toasties, jacket potatoes with melted cheese - relying heavily on a microwave needn't mean meals are lacklustre.

10. Ditsy Floral Double Duvet Set, £18, Ditsy Floral Cushion, £6, Morrisons Home - this 100% cotton bedding and matching cushion are pretty as a picture.

11. Grey Striped Laundry Bag, £10, Wilko - rope handles mean you can hang it on the back of the door so it takes up less floor space.

12. Hometime Round Geometric Wall Clock, £14.99, Very - a clock should be in every student's edit, and why not make it a stylish one?