Shopping for College Dorm Room, College Freshman necessities

[Honeybell]

If you're near an Ikea the marketplace section is very good. We've bought wine glasses and silverware there to use for parties that were cheaper than plastic disposables. I've been really happy with the bedding we've bought from there too. People make fun of Ikea but we've been very happy the quality and design of the things we've bought there.

 

[Sandy61]

Thick mattress pad as the beds are usually horribly hard. DS uses his clip on light and a bed caddy because they lofted their beds. The bed caddy is cloth and hangs down a little way and has pockets for phone, glasses, pens, etc. It was at BBB. I buy him the all in one Purex sheets.

 

[nsmith]

We live in South Jersey, right over the bridge from Philadelphia. The University of Pennsylvania has a yard sale each year with items students can't take with them when they leave campus for the summer.

From what I hear the prices are awesome, cloths, electronics, fridges, lamps, microwaves and furniture.

Check out big University's in your area for similar sales. Before this was turned into a organized event I heard people would trash pick around the campus around move out time and get the same items for free.

 

[scrapgal123]

 

[Soupermom]

Subscribing. Thanks everyone! My daughter is going to a smaller University (around 7000 students) and we just ordered from a company that specializes in bedding, linens for the weird size bed she'll have. However, a PP has me nervous now that these will be poor quality. Does anyone have positive comments about these companies?

 

[M5ward]

Before you buy sheets and bedding, check the bed size in the dorm room. Many college dorm rooms have extra long twin beds that require longer sheets.

 

[HM]

Subscribing. Thanks everyone! My daughter is going to a smaller University (around 7000 students) and we just ordered from a company that specializes in bedding, linens for the weird size bed she'll have. However, a PP has me nervous now that these will be poor quality. Does anyone have positive comments about these companies?

I bought the sheets from that company last year. They are fine and held up well. I'm sure they'll last this year and probably beyond. They did better than the sheets I got from Kohls for his bed at home...they ripped down the middle the first night home after this semester. They were only two years old.

 

[Soupermom]

What a relief! Thanks HM!!!!!

 

[yeahdisney]

When you are preparing to send your kids to away college, while they are not sick, check out where they can go to see a doctor/hospital. Some colleges have sick visit and then some of those clinics have a local doctor who will see them if the clinic can not handle the issues. Think WAlmart quick clinic. We see the sicker ones anywho when we need to send the sick kids for labs, Diagnostic test ect they have no idea with their out of state insurance what lab to use (what the hours for their labs is) which hospital for the test to be cheaper. Sometimes they are delayed because the student is waiting to reach the parent after work to have them call the ins the next day to ask where they are eligible to go and the test has still not been scheduled. We have two major hospitals one is linked with Rush and for some that one is 100% coverage others 80/20 and for others no coverage there they need to go with the other hosp. Some kids do not even bring their ins card with them they come ill after their last class of the day and don't know what to do till they call home. Just a helpful idea.

 

[Muddy Rivers]

Great ideas!

 

[m6c5a90]

Subscribing. Thanks everyone! My daughter is going to a smaller University (around 7000 students) and we just ordered from a company that specializes in bedding, linens for the weird size bed she'll have. However, a PP has me nervous now that these will be poor quality. Does anyone have positive comments about these companies?

I just graduated from college last month and bought sheets through a company suggested in a school mailing my freshmen year. They were pretty bad, really thin, faded extremely fast and ripped/frayed. The sheets that I bought on clearance at Kohls on the other hand for around 75% off lasted all four years and held up great. In fact I'm going to give them to my younger sister for her dorm bed as I am now done.

 

[AllieMallie]

I would chime in and also say that Target and Bed Bath and Beyond tend to have a great selection of college necessities but I find that I can also buy the same things cheaper elsewhere. If you have these stores where you live, do give them a try:

Big Lots
Home Goods<---I LOVE this store! They have brand name stuff for such reasonable prices!
TJ Maxx-for things like beddings and bathroom stuff
Marshalls
Burlington Coat Factory<---I've found them to have a good home section.

I hope this helps

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Subbing as I have one going off to college in the Fall as well.

 

[pal-mickey]

My dd is starting in the fall also. I found a list of things to bring/not bring on the college web site. I've already put some bedding and towels on lay-away at Kmart and bought some laundry supplies. I'll have to check out BB&B!

 

[Robinrs]

My son AND my great niece are going to the same school this fall.

The school gave us a list of NOT ALLOWED thing (a youtube video points it out, also ) and am GLAD I get to buy a girl stuff instead of just my boy! They are so about stuff.

They were born a year and a half apart, everyone thinks they're sister and brother. I'm so glad they're starting school together, at least they'll know someone there from the beginning!

 

[Debbie7452]

Command hooks are great but they don't work on very textured walls. My older DD's dorm room had "bumpy" wall texturing so they were useless. Just an FYI.

The best dorm thing we purchsed was a folding hutch for her desk from The Container Store. She was able to organize all of her desk things on it and still have a usable work space. It is $49 on sale and is very sturdy. I just bought a second one for DD #2.

 

[scrapgal123]

Command hooks are great but they don't work on very textured walls. My older DD's dorm room had "bumpy" wall texturing so they were useless. Just an FYI.

The best dorm thing we purchsed was a folding hutch for her desk from The Container Store. She was able to organize all of her desk things on it and still have a usable work space. It is $49 on sale and is very sturdy. I just bought a second one for DD #2.

Can you give me the link for this? TIA

 

[arthuruscg]

Well, try getting most of your stuff from Amazon. I remember moving into my Dorm at UMD and it was a lot of stuff. If you have everything shipped from amazon, you don't have to haul it to college.
Also, the prices on amazon are great.

 

[Debbie7452]

http://www.containerstore.com/shop?productId=10022642&N=&Ntt=folding+hutch

Here's the link for the folding hutch. I got it for $49 in store last week. It's showing full price on the web site.

 

[MrsPete]

I'd argue that "freshman necessities" aren't all that necessary.

The new student certainly does need a good laptop, probably does need bedsheets for an odd-sized bed, and if his dorm doesn't come with a refrigerator, that's certainly a small luxury worth buying . . . but you have towels, pillows, alarm clocks, lamps, etc. at home already. Don't feel that you need to buy all new stuff for a student moving into a dorm for the first time. And whatever the student does need should be his responsibility; part of the reason we send kids away to college is for the experience of being on their own -- so give the task of planning the room to the student.