HostelPeti

Toiletries and health: what to look for

If your bathroom is shared, or has no shelf, these types make it easier, and keep a small health kit within reach. Buy consumables such as soap and shampoo after you arrive; they are heavy to carry and easy to find.

Shower caddy or toiletry basket

Take soap, shampoo and brush to a shared bathroom in one trip, and bring them back.

Check before you buy

  • Drain holes so it dries between uses.
  • A handle or hook to hang it in a bathroom with no shelf.

Skip or avoid

  • Leaving toiletries in a shared bathroom.

Most useful for: Hostel · PG with meals · PG, no meals · Working PG

Shop: search Amazon.in for shower caddy or toiletry basketAmazon.in search results. No commission is earned at present.

Bathroom slippers

Shared bathroom floors are wet and used by many people.

Check before you buy

  • Soles with grip for wet floors.
  • A separate pair for the room.
  • Look for the ISI mark on rubber Hawai chappals.

Skip or avoid

  • Slippers with worn, smooth soles.

Safety note. BIS lists rubber Hawai chappals (IS 10702) under a footwear quality control order. Source: BIS Scheme I (ISI mark) list, checked 26 October 2026.

Most useful for: Hostel · PG with meals · PG, no meals · Working PG

Shop: search Amazon.in for bathroom slippersAmazon.in search results. No commission is earned at present.

Quick-dry towels

Rooms without sun or balconies dry towels slowly.

Check before you buy

  • Microfibre dries faster; cotton feels softer and dries slower.
  • Two bath towels and a hand towel let you rotate them.
  • A hanging loop.

Skip or avoid

  • Thick towels in a damp room with nowhere to dry them.

Most useful for: Hostel · PG with meals · PG, no meals · Working PG

Shop: search Amazon.in for quick-dry towelsAmazon.in search results. No commission is earned at present.

Basic first-aid kit

Small cuts, a fever at night or a headache before an exam.

Check before you buy

  • Adhesive bandages, gauze, an antiseptic, a thermometer and any regular medicines you take.
  • Expiry dates, and replace what you use.
  • A written note of your allergies and prescriptions.

Skip or avoid

  • Starting new medicines without asking a doctor or pharmacist.

General information only. Ask a doctor or pharmacist about medicines, and see a doctor for anything serious.

Most useful for: Hostel · PG with meals · PG, no meals · Working PG

Shop: search Amazon.in for basic first-aid kitAmazon.in search results. No commission is earned at present.

Bucket and mug

Some shared bathrooms have none, and a bucket also helps with hand-washing clothes.

Check before you buy

  • A size you can carry when full.
  • A sturdy handle.

Skip or avoid

  • Buying before you know what the bathroom already has.

Most useful for: Hostel · PG with meals · PG, no meals · Working PG

Shop: search Amazon.in for bucket and mugAmazon.in search results. No commission is earned at present.

Sources