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Post by SallyPA on May 10, 2021 20:32:52 GMT
I am sure I've seen past threads on this, but the search function is failing me.
I have found a list on the university website with suggestions and rules (no hot plates, toasters, candles/incense, and nail holes in walls was essentially it). But pea advice and experience are invaluable!
She has a unique situation where she will actually be moving in July to a summer dorm room for a summer bridge program. Then in late August she will move to her actual fall/winter dorm room. The U is 6-7 hours away so I will not/cannot be going back and forth all the time. The only store there is Walmart. So I am buying it all ahead of time. We plan to move almost everything in July except for fall/winter clothes and then going for a quick trip in August to move from one room to another.
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Post by gizzy on May 10, 2021 20:44:30 GMT
How exciting!
Let's see...is she a coffee drinker? Is she allowed a coffee maker?
Sheets/pillows/blankets/laundry basket
towels, washcloths, all toiletries along with a caddy to take back and forth
cleaning supplies/paper towels
command strips
first aid kit along with some cold meds
I know there's more I'm forgetting.
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Post by Basket1lady on May 10, 2021 20:52:29 GMT
long charging cord
first aid kit
mini fridge (both of my kids had the kind with the separate freezer for ice cream)
microwave
loft rental
futon/chair
fairy lights (DD is a graduating senior and says this is essential for freshmen dorms!)
Costco makes great collage poster prints in various sizes for about $10
college tee, sweatshirt
small Ikea rolling cart
If you are looking for just your DD and what to buy, I found a lot of lists of Pinterest and made up a composite list for DS, then used it again for DD. Both went to school out of state and didn't have cars, so I needed to get them supplied as much as possible.
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amom23
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,425 
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Post by amom23 on May 10, 2021 20:54:58 GMT
Make sure you buy extra long twin bedding as regular twin sheets will be too short. My kids always took fans to cool their rooms and provide some white noise. An area rug is also really nice to have if the dorm room has tile.
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Post by ~summer~ on May 10, 2021 21:04:59 GMT
My kids did not need much.
Both did not end up needing either fridge (which takes up a lot of space and hummmms) or a microwave.
They did need:
Lamp
Mattress pad
Storage baskets
Hamper
Other obvious stuff like toiletries etc
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kate
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,586
Location: The city that doesn't sleep
Site Supporter
Jun 26, 2014 3:30:05 GMT
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Post by kate on May 10, 2021 21:20:53 GMT
I got my kid one of those "dorm room in a box" kits. It wasn't too fancy, but it covered the basics and then some. There were some things he didn't end up using, and there were a few extra things he found he needed - some of that stuff depended on the particulars of the room, so not really predictable...
It's great that she'll have a summer dorm room - you can get her the basics, and she'll figure out what she needs/wants for when she moves in the fall.
Oh! I just remembered something: we got him a printer for his room. He loved having it because the dorm printers were sometimes backed up during high-demand times. He didn't have to turn in physical papers (even before Covid), but there were times he wanted to print things out or make a copy. It was a cheap printer ($50?), but it served his needs.
Something else to note: there were some restrictions on packages during move-in season, so don't depend on Amazon for important basics like sheets and towels! We had the "dorm room in a box" shipped to us at home, then put it in the car when we drove him down to campus.
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ellen
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,777
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Post by ellen on May 10, 2021 21:28:19 GMT
A fan was essential for my daughter. I've been putting together a big bag full of items for my second daughter to take to college in August. She already has a fridge. If her roommate does not have a microwave, we'll probably add a microwave to the list.
We have:
Twin XL sheets
bedding
blanket I crocheted to match the bedding
fun pillows
towels
slippers
shower caddy
umbrella
make up organizer with drawers, could be used for other things
IKEA zippered blue bags
My daughter attended college in an area with three colleges in closer proximity and the Target and Walmart stores were hit all hit hard at the same time. Amazon Prime was really helpful.
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Post by hookturnian on May 10, 2021 21:38:34 GMT
The Ikea blue bag that zips
Study lamp
Kettle / coffee maker
Shower sandals
Shower caddy
Are they allowed to cook in their rooms? Microwave, single plate induction cook top (Less of a fire hazard) or maybe an IP/Airfryer combo.
Stuff to cook with
Something to improve security (locks, lockbox, trunk, etc)
Bed risers so you can store stuff under the bed
Cleaning supplies
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Post by Darcy Collins on May 10, 2021 21:50:29 GMT
FYI for those wanting to ship items, but unable to ship directly to the college, look to see if there's a fedex or ups location close by where you can pick up items. We shipped a bunch of stuff to a fedex just a few blocks from campus.
Be sure and see if your daughter's college has a parent fb page. So much is college specific - for example some of the beds at my daughter's school are doubles, instead of the more common twin xl. Also the dorms have a/c so no need for a fan.
One not as common things my daughter really liked - GOOD headphones - now it was a covid year, so probably more necessary last year than most, but extremely comfortable headphones were a life saver.
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Post by holly on May 10, 2021 21:58:01 GMT
My DD had a roommate so they shared the bigger things like the mini fridge, microwave and Keurig. Her roommate also had a stick vacuum for touch up vacuuming (they had carpeting throughout).
*shower caddy
*long charger cords
*fairy lights and pictures
*first aid kit with cold meds too
*Brita water pitcher or filter for faucet (DD had sink in room so they attached filter to faucet)
*fan
*folding laundry basket
*as think of a mattress pad you can afford (I would recommend at least 2”)
*cleaning supplies if she has a sink
*some utensils and a couple plates and bowls (doesn’t need to be more than a couple)
*some food storage containers
*Ziplock bags
*cheap iron
If she lofts her bed she will have more room, typically since she can store stuff under her bed. Some people loft it high enough where you could sit underneath but my DD didn’t want hers that high. She had a couple cheap storage units under it. One plastic and one made of that fake wood.
My DD brought entirely too much stuff, kind of like when you go on vacation, lol. Especially clothes.
They eat on campus but there are usually markets where they can buy snacks and it’s nice to have a fridge for that if you need it. Or a micro to warm up a can of soup.
Good luck to your DD, it’s an exciting time!
ETA don’t be surprised if you make a Walmart run while there, you are bound to realize you need something:)
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Belle
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,309
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Post by Belle on May 10, 2021 22:11:12 GMT
Great ideas! Thanks for sharing!
One question I have is about the dorm shower/bathroom situation. Did kids just wear regular flip flops or are other types of shower shoes better?
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Post by littlemama on May 11, 2021 0:01:08 GMT
Depends on the type of dorm room honestly:
Is there a bathroom within the room/suite or is it a communal bathroom down the hall?
Is there a kitchen, either within the dorm room/suite or a communal kitchen?
Will she have a roommate in the same bedroom or will she have her own bedroom?
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Post by candleangie on May 11, 2021 2:07:19 GMT
Great ideas! Thanks for sharing! One question I have is about the dorm shower/bathroom situation. Did kids just wear regular flip flops or are other types of shower shoes better? The adidas slides that swimmers wear are way better. They don’t get slick and it’s easy to slip in and off to wash your feet. :-) |
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MerryMom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,564
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Post by MerryMom on May 11, 2021 2:32:00 GMT
My son and his roommate lofted their beds high enough so they could slide their dorm fridge and dresser underneath. They didn’t raise it high enough to put a couch underneath.
It was a good thing because it turned out that my son and his roommate were both prone to rolling out of bed. They had a few nights where each rolled out of their twin bed and onto the floor about 4 feet below. Lots of bruises.
I still had his old bed rail from when he was a toddler and he kept rolling out of bed. I thought he outgrew that, but actually I was fooled because he got a full size bed when he was in elementary school. He was probably still rolling around, but he had more room.
I brought his old bed rail to campus and I felt bad for his roommate, so I bought him one so he wouldn’t fall out of bed.
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Post by Memo on May 11, 2021 2:43:44 GMT
We are on our 3rd son in college. Best thing we ever did was to join a Facebook parent's page for the child's college. You'll get tons of info from seasoned parents, they'll be able to tell you what was needed or not. Some campuses have beds that are loft-able, others are only bunk-able, which makes a big difference on how the room can be set up. Is she going to be in a suite with a Jack-and-Jill bathroom or a common bathroom? Sometimes you have to supply your own toilet paper depending on the set-up. Will you be driving or flying? Those blue zip-up Ikea bags are great, but don't always travel well on airplanes. Most dorms won't allow hot plates, crockpots, air fryers, things with a heating element, but double check. We just moved our oldest son to Montana for a seasonal job at a resort. All the little items (toiletries, medicines, small bedding items, etc), I just placed a Walmart pick-up order and we picked it right up after our flight landed. Saved us tons of valuable packing space. Invaluable items for all of our sons: **Medicine kit (Tylenol/Motrin, etc, bandaids, cough medicines, allergy pills, etc.) The last thing a kid wants to do when they're ill is go to the store. Add some canned soup, crackers and some ginger ale as a back up for stomach flu/upset. **Extension cords. Most dorms will not have enough outlets. **Ethernet cable - check if your school will supply them for free or do you have to buy them. **Shower shoes/slides **Some schools do not supply a fridge or microwave, order early if you have to buy your own. **Does the room have a sink? If not, keep a supply of paper/plastic goods to keep in the room for quick meals. **Definitely something to lock up valuables, including electronics and prescription meds. You never know who will be in the room. **Renter's insurance. Check and see if your home insurance will cover. We didn't want to make any claims against our home insurance, so we got renter's insurance through this SITE. About $120 for the whole school year for about $3000 in coverage. We never made a claim, but other parents did and had no problems getting reimbursed for damaged/lost items. **Even though your daughter will be moving in for the summer, send some cold weather clothing. Our son's dorm this year was absolutely freezing and they didn't have much control of the thermostat. You'll get through this! The first one is always the hardest to plan for and the hardest one to let go. It will be ok, though! |
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msliz
Drama Llama
The Procrastinator
Posts: 6,419
Jun 26, 2014 21:32:34 GMT
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Post by msliz on May 11, 2021 2:56:42 GMT
An area rug and a mini vac
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Post by gotranch on May 11, 2021 3:44:04 GMT
Lots of great suggestions! I would add a full size mirror(hang on back of door) and command strips.
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Post by Legacy Girl on May 11, 2021 6:53:02 GMT
Three things that come to mind right away: An air purifier is tops on the list on DD's university parent FB page. Between COVID, some older dorms and lots of people living together, nearly everyone says it's essential, so it's on DD's Amazon wish list. The other thing that seems to be somewhat universal among upper-classmen's parents is the Java folding bookcase from the Container Store. It can either be used as a traditional bookcase, or it can be flipped upside down and placed on top of the desk to create a hutch (attached with zip ties). I bought one last week. Java Folding BookcaseFinally, I can't recall if you have Costco nearby, but they have a really nice tower fan for $30 right now. Seemed like a great price, so I also grabbed one of those for DD last week before they're out of stock. There may be more, but for now, those are the ones that pop into my mind.  |
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Post by Bridget in MD on May 11, 2021 11:52:49 GMT
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Post by shanniebananie on May 11, 2021 11:57:26 GMT
Join Dorm Chatter on Facebook. Tons of great advice, tips and hacks.
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iowgirl
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,295
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Post by iowgirl on May 11, 2021 12:30:23 GMT
Don't go overboard. Space is very limited, and half the crap you think they need, they never use! LOL
An extra long USB cord is great though! My kids laughed at me when I got them one, but they all said it was the best thing ever. I give them as graduation gifts now.
If you have Amazon Prime, you can add them to that. Then things go right to their address. That is so handy!
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peabrain
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,588
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Post by peabrain on May 11, 2021 12:55:29 GMT
I can tell you that my dd did not, under any circumstances, need the clothes iron I bought her.
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peabrain
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,588
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Post by peabrain on May 11, 2021 12:59:55 GMT
We did buy a bunch of the large plastic totes. It made moving a lot easier for us and only made a few trips up and down.
Also the huge bags from Ikea are popular too.
She also used those rolling Ikea 3 tiered rolling carts. Michaels has them too a tiny bit cheaper.
I made sure she had a bunch and long charging cords...extension cords or surge protector thingies too.
I did buy her a set of dinnerware from amazon. After the whole year she was there, she finally told me that since they are plastic and she microwaves 80% of her food, that the plates look more like bowls now. WHY didn't I think of that?!!
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peabrain
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,588
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Post by peabrain on May 11, 2021 13:02:06 GMT
Once dd found out her address, I made up little return address labels for her. I put it together with some envelopes and stamps. I mean, she didn't mail a ton of stuff, but it was nice to have.
I also stock up on little gift cards to send to her and her bff roommate.
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Post by Susie_Homemaker on May 11, 2021 13:09:42 GMT
A medicine kit. I put together a small rubbermaid box for my DDs and put medicine essentials in it- ibuprofen, tums, Pepto, allergy medicine, cough medicine, a thermometer, neosporin cream, bandaids, gas pills,,,, anything that you keep at home that you know she will need goes in there.
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Post by mom on May 11, 2021 14:26:34 GMT
My advice is to buy some of those IKEA blue bags now to haul the stuff in. They are the best and you can find them on Amazon.
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psiluvu
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,217
Location: Canada's Capital
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Post by psiluvu on May 11, 2021 15:07:53 GMT
The Ikea blue bags, or if your kids play hockey like mine hockey bags are the same thing. They hold a ton and then fold up out of the way. An extra long charging cord and a bed pillow with arms I think it is called a lounge pillow. My dd swears that was the BEST.
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pridemom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,843
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Post by pridemom on May 11, 2021 15:15:32 GMT
Amazon or Walmart delivery are your friends. Remember that whatever you buy now has to come home next May.
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Post by katiescarlett on May 11, 2021 15:20:46 GMT
Marking my place so I can find this thread again in a year! Really good suggestions!
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peppermintpatty
Pearl Clutcher
Refupea #1345
Posts: 3,969
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Post by peppermintpatty on May 11, 2021 15:41:31 GMT
Lots of great suggestions! I would add a full size mirror(hang on back of door) and command strips. My kids dorms had the full size mirror. I would ask before schlepping one there. |
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