Dorm rooms - what is your budget?

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Icky! You must hav a huge washing machine at your house! How do you wash that every week(or at least every other week?)

Laundry isn't free on most campuses and having to lug a comforter every week down would be a PITA.

You use a duvet cover and wash that. Easy!

 

[punkin]

DD had a stinky roommate. She showered at least twice a day and then doused herself in barrels of cheap perfume. No amount of fabreze helped. Sometimes body odor is preferable.

Luckily, next year, she will have a single.

She has 2 sets of XL Twin sheets/pillows/topsheets (one of which was bought at Target when she was still in HS on massive clearance in late September-$8). The other set came as part of a bed in a bag with her comforter ($70). I also bought a VERY NICE mattress cover with foam insert at Costco for about $100 (definitely worth it on old dorm mattresses).

I gave her old (the rattiest I had) towels from home. I threw most of them out after her second year, but I have more threadbare towels to give her for next year. The way they are treated, I wouldn't buy new for her, but I will buy new for myself to replace the old ones.

ETA: I forgot...she really liked the plastic shower caddy ($12 at BB&B)

She did not use her fan, electric teapot, or anything else I was stupid enough to buy first year.

 

[RitaE]

A duvet cover?

I have an urge to go ask my son if he's picked out his dorm room duvet cover yet? I should probably get a picture of that face.

 

[Hannathy]

A duvet cover?

I have an urge to go ask my son if he's picked out his dorm room duvet cover yet? I should probably get a picture of that face.

Along with the WTH is a duvet ? that will come out of his mouth.

 

[HM]

My DS likes his comforter from home (has used since he was five years old) so took that, no need to buy new.

We bought 2 new XL sheets sets. He only uses the fitted and only used one set all year, so the second wasn't needed. (I got it just in case he needed to change out quickly...like if he got sick on it).

Laundry hamper

Standing fan (already had at home)

Rubbermaid containers for under the bed: held shoes in one, linens and cleaning items in another, food stuff and medicine items in the third

bucket/caddy for shower items (he threw away before coming home...is was moldy....)

2 towel sets (but probably could have sent some from home) he lost his two bath towels and came home with one of someone else's.

hangers--he had very little drawer space so some clothes had to be hung up that normally wouldn't

Could not use extension cords in the dorm so had to buy surge protectors with long cords

micro-fridge was supplied, so no need to buy those things. They hardly used them anyway. Easier to walk next door to the Subway and Grille.

We also bought a metal bedstand/shelving unit at BB&B that went at the head of his bed for more shelving. After putting it together, it was impossible to take apart and got left behind at the end of the year. He did use it. Hung is wet towel from it, had a place for his alarm clock and other items he needed right at hand.

area rug if the room is not carpeted

Here's the things that I bought that never got used: plastic bowls/storage containers/plates, paper towel roll, hand towels and wash clothes (only used the bath towels from sets), second set of XL sheets, 3-ring binders,

Things I should have sent: broom/dustpan or sweeper, air freshener (got some later)

Next year, my son is in a larger suite and will have more room (thank goodness as this year's room was tinier than mine was at school and I thought it was small) and may have room for some extra shelving. I already bought a set we're using at home and come apart easily, so expect to bring that.

Last year he didn't have a closet, they had wardrobes in the rooms, so a hanging bag for shoes or such was not usable. I think he's got a regular closet this year so we might invest in some closet organizers (or maybe not....).

 

[MrsPete]

With college only months away, I feel no obligation to do anything for my daughter's dorm room -- decorating her room is both her privledge and her responsibility. I'll pay tuition, dorm and meal plan, but I'm not going to micro-manage her room.

Having said that, over the past couple years I've purposefully bought her a couple things that'll be useful: For Christmas and birthdays she's received an iHome alarm clock/ipod speaker, a laptop, and a couple other things. She asked for some specific inexpensive dishes last Christmas; I pointed out that I didn't think heavy stoneware was a good choice in a room with tile flooring, but she wanted them -- I suspect she'll regret it, but they were only Target dishes.

She already has pillows, blankets, and laundry baskets. She doesn't need new ones. We have power strips around the house. I recently did a big clean-out of the kitchen, and she claimed a few items from the box destined for the Salvation Army: A can opener, some ramekins with lids, etc. She has a couple Tervis Tumblers and refillable water bottles.

She herself has purchased a number of items over the last year: She bought a foam bed topper from ebay (in part because she wanted to learn to use ebay). Her grandmother gave her $100 for her birthday, and she used it for dorm towels and a lamp. We got a $25 Ikea coupon in the mail, and she asked if she could have it for dorm items -- she picked out a particularly nice lap desk and some organizational items.

She plans to go shopping with her roommate this summer to buy matching comforters. They aren't assigned to a specific dorm yet, and she knows that some dorms have XLs, while others have plain twins -- so it makes sense to wait. Most of the dorms at her school include a micro-fridge combination; I probably would've bought her that for graduation, but since it's included . . . no point.

For graduation we're giving her a small trunk (bright, decorative -- she's going to love it) that'll provide her with a bit of locked space, and we've put a few kitchen items into the trunk.

She almost always goes grocery shopping with me, so a week or so before she goes, I'll encourage her to pick up laundry detergent, Clorox wipes, Kleenex and other consumables. She'll need a few school supplies when the time is closer, but she has a perfectly good backpack and a calculator that'll meet her needs.

I've encouraged her to pay attention to what's available on campus: Over-the-counter medicines were free at the health center when I was a student. Tools, brooms/vaccum cleaners and other items could be checked out from the dorm lobby desk in the evenings. No need to duplicate what's available.

Beyond that, I'm not really involved with her room. It's hers. If she bought absolutely nothing else, she'd be fine with what she has already -- she needs to figure out what she needs for herself. It'd be nice if she had a TV, but I'm not buying her one. She does need a printer, but she can manage that one herself.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

A duvet cover?

I have an urge to go ask my son if he's picked out his dorm room duvet cover yet? I should probably get a picture of that face.

I'm surprised so many never heard of this. It's not exactly an exotic item. It's what you call a comforter cover. They are used all the world.

Guess some people lead kind of isolated lives?

 

[HM]

For graduation we're giving her a small trunk (bright, decorative -- she's going to love it) that'll provide her with a bit of locked space, and we've put a few kitchen items into the trunk.

There would have been NO room in my DS's dorm room for a trunk. None. So, be mindful of this when you make your purchase. I'd hate for you to invest in something you'll just have to take home.

As it was he had to put his laundry basket in his wardrobe leaving little space for clean clothe and their trash and recycling containers had to sit in the middle of the room. We even had to place the microfridge on top of DS's dresser. They had no wall space beyond what their beds, desk, wardrobe and dresser took up. His roommate put the tv he brought on top of his dresser. Neither boy had any flat space in the room except for their desktop.
It was tiny.

 

[kamik86]

I'm surprised so many never heard of this. It's not exactly an exotic item. It's what you call a comforter cover. They are used all the world.

Guess some people lead kind of isolated lives?

I never had a comforter with a cover until... last month.

Would have had no idea what you were talking about before leaving for high school.

As for what to bring. I know I bought and brought many things i never needed and ended up going out and buying many things after I got there... If your child is responsible and won't just blow the money I would say go with just the basics you know they will need and a gift card to a nearby store. (example: I didnt use 90% of the dishes I brought, because there was no place to have dirty ones so really just needed a bowl and a plate, didn't even need a glass as everything I drank was in cans or came in single serve containers. Plastic is easier then washing silverware in the little space.... May need a bit more if he can have any kind of cooking stuff though but we couldn't have anything that heated up... including some kinds of light bulbs.)

 

[kamik86]

Beyond that, I'm not really involved with her room. It's hers. If she bought absolutely nothing else, she'd be fine with what she has already -- she needs to figure out what she needs for herself. It'd be nice if she had a TV, but I'm not buying her one. She does need a printer, but she can manage that one herself.

She may not need a printer. Most people I know in college didn't have their own. We had printing quotas on a few different labs (But they were 150 pages per quarter... for just one of the labs and most had access to at least two labs, the general one and the one in the building of their major). Then if you really needed more you could get some from the library for a small fee. I never even got close to the 150 pages for the lab quota. Most professors didn't want things on paper and the ones that did wanted everything double sided so it lasted awhile.

 

[Evi]

If you have a local ikea you should be able to find a lot of room storage, lamps, cable type stuff. My dn bought lots of supplies at ikea and Bed & bath. I think if you keep your eyes peeled you should be able to find a lot of stuff on sale. I do think your budget is a little low but it also depend on how far away from home he is going to be. Since if he's close you can supplement stuff little by little as he uses or needs stuff. Dn was across country so she went with a ton of stuff. Don't forget personal care supplies and laundry products in your list.

 

[Hannathy]

I'm surprised so many never heard of this. It's not exactly an exotic item. It's what you call a comforter cover. They are used all the world.

Guess some people lead kind of isolated lives?

Uhhh you missed the point completely. It isn't that we haven't heard of them or know what they are, it is the fact that no normal college guy is going to give two hoots what his comforter is or if it coordinates with his room mate or if there is such a thing as a duvet cover, let alone picking one out, Or washing it.

As long as it isn't My Little Pony or pink unicorns you are pretty much safe to buy whatever you want for them, and not to expect to see it washed till it comes home.

 

[RitaE]

I'm surprised so many never heard of this. It's not exactly an exotic item. It's what you call a comforter cover. They are used all the world.

Guess some people lead kind of isolated lives?

Yes, I do know what a duvet is. Thank You Martha Stewart.

My isolated non-wordly clueless boys, who I can't imagine ever wanting to purchase a cover for their bedcovers, just use that pedestrian mundane term of blankets.

And get this, they don't even care if the sheets co-ordinate with their "blankets."

 

[SaraJayne]

Yes, I do know what a duvet is. Thank You Martha Stewart.

My isolated non-wordly clueless boys, who I can't imagine ever wanting to purchase a cover for their bedcovers, just use that pedestrian mundane term of blankets.

And get this, they don't even care if the sheets co-ordinate with their "blankets."

Yup, I'm aware of what a duvet is. I still don't use/need one, though.

 

[marthachick]

Yes to most of the things listed above. One thing I didn't see listed was Downy Wrinkle Releaser (if you can find it). DSs dryers in his dorm were pitiful and took forever (and too much $) so he & his roommate would take the clothes out before they were completely dry & spray them down with the Downy and then smooth them out.

And for whoever mentioned quarters for laundry- some use a card-swipe method. The machines at DSs wouldn't take quarters, you just swiped your school card that was tied to a prepaid account.

 

[MrsPete]

There would have been NO room in my DS's dorm room for a trunk. None. So, be mindful of this when you make your purchase. I'd hate for you to invest in something you'll just have to take home.

It'll depend upon the dorm to which she's assigned; they aren't all equal at her school.

I had something similar in my dorm room, and I found it very useful. If she doesn't want to take it to school, it'll be useful later as an endtable or it'll look good at the foot of a bed. It's very "her", and it's an item that'll have multiple uses in a number of different living situations.

Uhhh you missed the point completely. It isn't that we haven't heard of them or know what they are, it is the fact that no normal college guy is going to give two hoots what his comforter is or if it coordinates with his room mate or if there is such a thing as a duvet cover, let alone picking one out, Or washing it.

I thought the point was that it'd be easier to wash a duvet than a comforter.

And for whoever mentioned quarters for laundry- some use a card-swipe method. The machines at DSs wouldn't take quarters, you just swiped your school card that was tied to a prepaid account.

My daughter's school takes quarters OR card-swipes -- apparently they like money in any form. Her second-choice school provides free laundry, so no quarters would be needed.

Regardless, I bet the students could find an alternate use for the quarters.

 

[hanutedmansionmomma]

My DD just finished her freshman year.

We didn't spend a ton on initial setup in the dorm, but lemmee tell ya, the kids want FOOD. They don't like going to the dining hall and it's not open late on weekends anyway. I would stock up on cans of ravioli, twizzlers, snacks. Cash for ordering pizza and jimmy johns. That's where my $ went this year.

Not so much on the housey stuff like sheets. We did end up getting her a foam mattress pad at xmas tho, the bed was uncomfortable I guess.

Oh and try to find the washer/dryer sheets - all in one. Very cool. She came back with a lot of those though, not a lot of wash done, I don't imagine.

Good luck, don't send too much, you can always make a target run once he's there for anything missed. Save $ to send for food!!

 

[marthachick]

Regardless, I bet the students could find an alternate use for the quarters.

LOL - so true!

Oh and try to find the washer/dryer sheets - all in one. Very cool. She came back with a lot of those though, not a lot of wash done, I don't imagine.

Oh yeah! DS & his roommate loved those!

 

[Green Tea]

I don't really have a budget in mind, but to do this inexpensively for your son look on craigslist or college notices for schools in your area. At the end of the year the kids are trying to get rid of the dorm things they no longer need.

From one college this year I saw microfriges, comforters, flat screen tvs, desk chairs, plastic roller boxes. Really pretty much everything you would need. And for pennies on the dollar.

Also look at Goodwill NOW in the college drop off areas. They will be stocked tot he brim with items the college kids did not want to take into their post college life.

 

[crisi]

I thought the point was that it'd be easier to wash a duvet than a comforter.

I think the real point is that many college age boys aren't going to wash sheets or comforters - they may be getting two or three wearings out of their underwear to avoid laundry . As a college age girl, I didn't wash sheets or comforters - that was an extra expensive load of laundry! It was more important to wash underwear

For that reason, the Febreeze might be as close as you get to washed linens. But, here is the thing - they are leaving for college. You aren't sleeping in the sheets, and hopefully you taught them how to do laundry - at this point, its up to them.

I have a thirteen year old boy who is "all teenage boy" - in the "droopy pants and ballcap, lifts weights, skateboards, and talks in monosyllables to his parents unless asking for a ride or money." His favorite Christmas gift - down comforter and duvet cover - and yes, he knows what a duvet cover is. Appearances can be deceiving. (He'd also NEVER get two wearings out of underwear and washes his own bedding).