Mom of Freshman Question??

[DVCLiz]

This isn't about WDW, but since you all are the experts, I thought I'd start here.

I ordered DD a collection of sheets, towels, etc. because her dorm beds need extra-long sheets.

OK, total Mom questions here -

How many sets of sheets, etc. will she really need? Also, how many regular bath towels, etc? If she has several of those turban-style towels for wet hair, can she get away with 4-6 towels, or does she need more?? What else in the linens department should I be thinking of??

Thanks, guys - and gals - I appreciate it!!!

 

[yearbook50]

I came to college with 4 sets of sheets. It was too many. Two would have been enough.

Towels...4 would be more than enough.

The helpful things were a rug for the room, coming with extra shampoo, condition and the shower caddy.

 

[monarchsfan16]

Granted I live in NH, where heat and humidity only exist for about one month of the school year, but I had three towels, and three washcloths. I changed both once a week, after all I'm clean when I use both (wash cloths get used only for drying my hands after I wash them), and they dry fast enough so they don't grow mold. So I only had to wash a load of towels every three weeks
As for sheets, I had two sets per season (cotton for warmer months, flannel in the winter), but only used one each season. I brought them home whenever I went home, washed them, and put them back on the bed. The biggest reason I only used one of each type was because the other sets weren't as soft, but anywho. I always only took my sheets off when I was going to wash them, so extra sets weren't necessary

 

[MuchLuv4WDW]

I think 2 sets of sheets are enough. That's how many I've had over the past 2 years in college and it's been fine. I have 8 bath towels that I bring to my dorm but that's way too many. I think 4 would be enough.

 

[wdwgirl03]

I pretty much agree with what everyone's said so far. I had 3 sets of sheets, but 2 would be fine. And 4 towels would be plenty. The more you bring the more you need to keep in your room, and dorm rooms can be pretty small (like my little shoebox I lived in my freshman year ).

 

[singingpixie]

Seriously, if you give her more linens than she needs (2 sets of sheets, 4 towels) it will just give her an excuse not to do laundry. Save the money you're going to spend on more of those things and use it for care packages, or maybe even some sort of spending cash for her every so often- not extra linens to take up space!

 

[DVCLiz]

Thanks, ya'll!!! Any other great tips you can think of - I like these expert opinions!!!

 

[momrek06]

One of the best items I bought my DS as he went off to college was a "feather-bed" for his bed. Those dorm beds/mattresses are so used and old and uncomfortable and basically FLAT AS A PANCAKE. My DS slept like a babe with his feather-bed!!! Look for sales, they can run from $60.00-100.00 for a twin size but well worth it. Linens N'Things, Bed Bath and Beyond and Kohl's to name a few stores.
If that is out of your price range, get your DD a foam egg-crate and then cover that with a high quality cotton mattress protector and then her sheets. That will help with the "pancake" effect of the mattress.

 

[monarchsfan16]

An egg crate is wicked important. Otherwise dorm beds are brutal

Not really a linen, but if the dorms are not air conditioned (I know you live in the south, but dont know where your daughter is going) a fan is about the most important item possible

And as a heads up, Kohls is having a mega sale right now if you have one near you. We shopped this sale last year for me, and got amazing towels for about $9 a piece (big, soft, and nice colors ) allergy barrier pillows for $10 a piece (most of their pillows were similar prices, not sure what they are this year), etc. So if you still need anything, head to Kohls. For every $50 you spend on your card you get a $10 Kohls cash thing. We combined all of our $10 things last year and ended up getting my bed in a bag set for FREE

And just so you know, (I know, too late) you don't have to buy the extra large sheets through a mail order thing. All the stores (Bed Bath and Beyond, Linens and Things, etc) have them this time of year

 

[MuchLuv4WDW]

I completely agree about fans being a MUST if the dorms aren't air-conditioned. Freshman year I had 2 roommates who both brought fans (I didn't bring one) but the fans were too small to circulate the air so it was so hot in our room. I had my dad go out and get a big one that rotated and even had a remote control lol and it definitely helped.

About the egg crates: depending on the college, they may be against the rules. At my college we're not allowed to have them because they are considered a safety hazard so I suggest finding out if they are allowed first. Freshman year one of my roommates had a featherbed and it made her bed really comfortable so that's another option.

 

[lpizzuro123]

Not the mom of a college student but another question would be - how close to home will she be. My niece was about 2 hours from home and came home every few weeks to do laundry (actually for her mom to do laundry). If they are too far away to bring laundry home they might need more.

Linda

 

[Silverraindrop84]

Well when i lived on campus I had two sets of sheets and it seemed to work well. I also had 3 towels for showering, plus a robe, a shower cady, and also a couple of towels for the pool/beach. And i totally agree about the egg crate foam thing, the bed was hard as a rock and that made it more comfortable. I also took a fan too, b/c it did get hot at times and we weren't allowed to open the windows. Hope some of this helped!

 

[DVCLiz]

Thanks, everyone!!!!
We ended up buying two more sets of towels, so she'll have four bath towels, two hand towels, two washcloths, as well as a nice big (monogrammed) towel that was a graduation gift. She also has a wrap-type towel, again monogrammed, that was a Christmas present, so she'll bring that as well. She'll have two turban-towels for wet hair.

We ended up buying another set of sheets, even though her "package" has two included, because they were jersey and they came in cool colors. What can I say - I'm a pushover for sheets!!! We also bought a "feather bed" at BB&B for 39.99. She has an egg-crate foam pad included in her set, so she'll be able to see which makes her bed more comfortable. That's abotu all I'm willing to do - after all, I didn't have a "Heavenly Bed" in college, either!!!!

She got a fan that is a "tower" style - it has a remote control, how funny is that? How lazy do you have to be not to walk over and turn on the fan if you're hot? Don't answer that - it was on sale and it looked like it would get the job done and take up less space.

We also got a pop-up laundry hamper - useful or waste? If she ends up not using them I can always use them at home.

Finally, here's a real Mom question - does anyone iron at college? She has a lot of cotton clothes - do college students iron or just wear things straight from the dryer? Does anyone ever send things out to a dry cleaner?

 

[momrek06]

LIZ:
Those POP UP hampers are worth their weight in GOLD. My DS uses many. One he keeps for all his dirty clothes. One he keeps for all his clean linens. He brings his laundry home to do and he transports it back and forth in that! Right now they are all downstairs full of all his CLEAN clothes for return to school. One has FALL, one has WINTER and one has all his towels, sheets and his pillow stuffed into for safe return. I love those little things! They are great!

AND YES this DS of mine wears more clothes that require DRY CLEANING than any college kid I know. My college grad(older DS) wears jeans and t's @ college (Masters) but my undergrad has all dress shirts! He has always been a stylish dresser! I have two totally different sons. AND younger DS has about 20 friends that are girls that will IRON anything he needs while at school.

 

[Silverraindrop84]

I totally agree about the pop up hampers!! I went through a few of them, they kinda wear out if you carry to much in them lol. But they are really handy in moving dirty clothes to the laundry room. Also I never ironed anything in the dorm... but I do think one of my friends down the hall had an iron

 

[monarchsfan16]

Finally, here's a real Mom question - does anyone iron at college? She has a lot of cotton clothes - do college students iron or just wear things straight from the dryer? Does anyone ever send things out to a dry cleaner?

I don't even bring an iron to school. If I had to iron something someone on my floor probably has one, but it's not really something I worry about. As long as you fold your clothes as soon as they come out of the dryer they're fine. They may not be straight as a board, but they won't be very wrinkly
A lot of people have those hampers. They don't really fit in the room I have at school. I have two mesh laundry bags that I like to use, but really anything is fine. She'll figure out how to fit it somewhere

 

[MuchLuv4WDW]

Most people don't have irons in college but if your daughter needed one and didn't have it, she'd be able to find someone who did pretty easily. I have 1 and only used it once over the past 2 years lol (I needed to iron a shirt for a presentation for my managerial accounting class a couple of months ago). Even when I go out to parties, I don't iron. I have a different style hamper (not the popup one) but I think I'll get the popup one.

 

[Mary Anne]

another wonderful thread of what to bring and not bring. I had never heard of the "feather bed" I am going to look into that. Thanks for the tip.

 

[momrek06]

another wonderful thread of what to bring and not bring. I had never heard of the "feather bed" I am going to look into that. Thanks for the tip.

Oh..if you do your "research" you will undoubtedly find one at a decent price...(look in all the SALE flyers).

I posted the FEATHERBED. My son's first year..wow..the bed was a joke..hence the extra $$$ spent on a featherbed. DS had a back injury when he was younger (fell off a deck on his back) and he always needed more support than usual. HEY, many many college students have NO issues with their bed...but if you have a few extra dollars..def look into it.

Good Luck. My niece (who will be a freshmen) just spent all day yesterday between Target and Linens'n Things and managed to get quite a bit done. I told my Sis to have her start taking photos of everything to start her college scrap book. Those years go bye SOOO fast and it is so much fun to look back starting with the FIRST SHOPPING SPREE!!!

I have a DS who is getting his Masters (grad 2004) and we have a blast looking back SIX years ago to his first photos. My other DS will be a Junior...Oh, man time just gets away. Younger DS will study overseas this semester.

The THRILLS of your college days!!!