What to take to college

[Tandyc]

I have 2 ds going to college in the Fall. Just got a catalog from one college stating they have off size beds and to order sheets and such from the catalog. The had kits with sheets, towels, hampers, underbed storage ect. Yikes! Hadn't thought this far ahead. So my question is what is needed to go to college? Does anyone have a comprehensive list? If I start watching for good deals now and planing ahead I think I will be more "budget friendly.'

Thanks for any thoughts on this overwhelming time.

Tandyc

 

[RitaE]

By "offsize" they probably mean Twin XL which is widely available from almost anywhere that sells bedding. Target usually starts their College Dorm crap sales in the summer and they will have decent sheets, blankets, comforters, towels etc.

But everyplace has College Dorm crap sales. Penneys, Linens and Things etc etc etc You will have no problem finding stuff. The catalogs the schools send out are money makers for them.

My advice is to buy as little as possible and then wait until the move in and see what they need. Look around on Dorm move-in day and you will see parent after parent going home with stuff that wouldn't fit into the space.

 

[plutolovr]

Don't buy the stuff they have in those catalogs. The sheets are hard and scratchy and the towels are cheap. I just gave my kids my old towels and bought new ones for the house. If they needed more we just checked for sales. JCPenney has XL twin sheets as well as Target and BB&B which are of much better quality.

I also agree with getting the minimum for the start. If your kids have roommates, they should try to get in touch with each other before school and coordinate some things, like TV, printer, refrigerator (some schools require you to rent one from them), toilet paper, etc. Usually on check-in day you will have time to run to a Sam's Club or Walmart to pick-up some things. If you try to get everything beforehand, you will end up bring stuff home with you or they will be bringing stuff home at Christmas break.

 

[erincon23]

This was my list for DS last year. His dorm room included a combo microwave/fridge/freezer, so we didn't have to get that.

Power strip
desk lamp
over-the-door hooks (great for towels and coats)
dry erase board (although DS didn't end up using it)
set of plastic drawers (the three-drawer kind -- holds anything, great to put
the printer on top of it)
small first aid kit
shower tote
paper plates, bowls, paper towels, plastic silverware
office supplies -- scissors, stapler, paper clips, butterfly clips, ruler, scotch tape,
duct tape, etc.
large and #10 envelopes, couple of stamps
small tool kit -- screwdriver, little hammer, flashlight
fan
small sewing kit
calendar
computer, printer, paper (even if there's a central printer, this is useful)
school supplies -- folders, spiral notebooks, sharpie, pens, pencils
bedding, including a throw, and a 2" thick foam pad for under the mattress pad
two sets of towels
area rug
back rest pillow
laundry basket or collapsible hamper
wastebasket (our school said no plastic wastebaskets -- not quite sure why), with
small trash can liners (much easier to get rid of the garbage and not have the
basket smell bad)
kleenex
Clorox cloths, several of various size ziploc bags, a small box of large garbage bags
(these were handy for all kinds of things, including protecting kids and books
in the rain)
Purex 3-in-1 laundry sheets -- MUCH more convenient than lugging detergent and
softener
closet organizer of some kind -- he had both a hanging shelf (from the
closet rod) and a put together three-shelf thing that sat on the floor (my DS
is a clothes horse)
Basic dorm food -- soda, poptarts, Kraft easymac, granola bars, favorite snacks

We ended up swapping out the desk chair they provided with our own chair (and switched back when he came home). His roommate lofted his bed and brought a wing chair. If there's room and the roommates want one, you could get one of those small couch/futons that they have at Target to put under a lofted bed.

Our DS did not have a TV, or use an umbrella. He is going to a different school this fall, and now thinks he wants a TV, but he will be in an apartment-style dorm (two 2-guy bedrooms, full kitchen and living room) and doesn't know yet what's included.

I wouldn't wait until you get your child to school unless you're travelling a long distance and don't want to bring stuff with you. Some stuff you can get on campus, but your child will most likely be itching for you to leave so they can get on with starting college life, and won't want to take a trip to Target or WalMart. And at that point, you might not be able to get decent prices on some things.

 

[edk35]

I have 2 ds going to college in the Fall. Just got a catalog from one college stating they have off size beds and to order sheets and such from the catalog. The had kits with sheets, towels, hampers, underbed storage ect. Yikes! Hadn't thought this far ahead. So my question is what is needed to go to college? Does anyone have a comprehensive list? If I start watching for good deals now and planing ahead I think I will be more "budget friendly.'

Thanks for any thoughts on this overwhelming time.

Tandyc

I got that same information. I didn't order from them. We went to Bed Bath and Beyond and Kohls for my dd stuff two years ago. We also got some things at Target. We even ended up returning stuff ..bought way too much CUTE STUFF. LOL

Of course they need bedding. You will need the LONG TWIN size..might be called Extra Long. Trust me all of these type stores will have displays for college students. My dd has two sets of sheets. She has several towels/hand towels and wash cloths. She lives in a quad and they don't have to clean their bathroom. However..the school does not supply paper towels or soft soap. So all the girls take turns putting out soap but they each have their own paper towels/hand towels.

Lamp for desk/floor lamp
towels
mesh laundry bag for CLEAN CLOTHES from the dryer
hampers (my daughter has two of the collapsible ones, one for towels, one for clothes)
rubber maid containers/some with the big drawers are nice to have for STUFF/CLOTHES
trash can
hangers
paper plates/bowls/cups (especially bathroom ones)
plastic utensils
dry dusting cloths for desk/tv/furniture
clorox wipes/cleaning supplies if they have to clean their bathroom
school supplies/stapler, paper clips, pens/pencils, notebooks, paper, printer paper, extra printer cartridges, glue


You will want rubbermaid containers for food/snacks.
Laundry supplies (I buy the Purex sheets, stain stick)
cases of water/sports drinks if they drink that
a bathroom caddy to hold shampoo/soap/bodywash/shaving stuff
power strip
extension cords
paper towels/napkins
a box with over the counter medical supplies
extra supply of toiletries

A lot of the kids bring XBOX/Wii/PS3
tv
camera
printer
laptop

My daughter has a inexpensive floor vacuum too. There is a vac. on each floor at her school but she wanted her own.

 

[3mickeymom]

Buy the necessities, set of XL twin sheets,pillow, Towels(I buy beach towels as they go on sale at end of seson and they are different than everyone else's amd wrap around your whole body), shower caddy and personals. Oh and I recommend a security box with a lock for important papers and valuables and a fan if there is no air conditioning in the dorm. For all of the other stuff, wait until the 50-75% off sales at Target and Kohl's etc. I was able to get a rug, desk lamp, comforter(my kids started off with ones we already had), blanket throw, bed risers, bed chair bolster, extra sheets all for 75% off right after school started. Check with their roomates to see who is bringing TV, fridge, microwave. Just a suggestion, every week when I go food shopping, I pick up a small item to put in my son's first aid box - band aids, antibiotic cream, advil. It makes it a little less painful when the time comes to stock up on those items. Best of luck to your children at this exciting time in their lives!

 

[edk35]

Also depends on what type of dorm they will be in. Some dorm rooms have a lot of space and some don't. My dd does not have a closet, she has a wardrobe. She uses the top to store stuff. She has a bunk bed with a very big desk under it. So she has a lot of space on her desk. It is the length of her bed plus she has good storage under it. If there is hard flooring, then you would want a rug, swiffer/broom maybe. Also, I tend to pick up toiletries throughout the year...so when they come home you are not spending A TON to restock. I just buy here and there when I am shopping and keep a stockpile at home. I also do this for water/snacks if I know she is coming home in a couple of weeks. I learned fast that it is NOT fun buying your weekly groceries and then spend another CHUNK of moola on restocking the dorm room.

OH and I forgot to add ziploc bags and SCISSORS.

 

[Sandy61]

A couple of ideas...my son had the top bunk and needed to have something to put his glasses, phone, small light etc in when he went to bed. He wanted these things close to reach them. We found a bed caddy from BB&B that was small and fabric and was made to tuck part of it under his mattress and the part with pockets hung down.

He and his roommate were buying bottled water so I bought him a Brita water filter pitcher. Now they can make their own water and put it in their own water bottles.

Lots of things can stack. I think they have the fridge on the floor then the microwave then tubs for food etc. all stacked on top.

Some colleges have restrictions on what size of appliances you can take. What wattages things can be.

 

[MrsPete]

I'd say don't buy much of anything until you know where she's going / what dorm she'll live in / who her roommate will be. Things I've learned as we've toured colleges:

Most dorm beds are XLtwins, but some are regular beds. No matter which one you get, the only thing that really NEEDs to be XL is the fitted sheet. The difference is only a few inches, so the flat sheet and the blanket really don't NEED to be longer. Do include a mattress pad and plenty of pillows for propping up and reading in bed.

Dorms we've seen tend to be split between beds that can be "bunked" vs. rooms with two twin beds. When I was in school, people had homemade lofts, but those don't seem to be allowed any more. I have seen a lot of those "bed risers", which give an extra 6" or so under the bed -- that's enough space for a Rubbermaid tub.

I assumed we'd buy a dorm fridge for our oldest, and it'd be passed down to our youngest. Instead, I've found that MOST of the rooms at my daughter's #1 school come equipped with a micro-fridge -- hey, we won't have to move it! If she gets a room that doesn't include this feature, I will consider renting one instead of buying our own. It will cost more in the long run, but they're not allowed to bring microwaves from home, so this is the ONLY way they're allowed a microwave. But, then, if she goes to her current #2 school, they don't provide refrigerators at all, and they don't care about microwaves.

And BOTH of her big-favorite schools have an oddity that I hadn't expected: No closet doors. As we toured dorms on Open House day, it seemed that the guys just didn't care, but the girls all had a curtain rod and a pretty curtain to cover their stuff.

Oh, and lighting: Probably your student'll need a bedside lamp, but it's hard to pick that ahead of time. Most of desks I've seen with my daughter have included a student-purchased desk lamp, but back when I was in school our desks were topped by a "hutch" that had a long built-in lamp underneath. So I wouldn't buy until I knew whether it was needed.

So I won't be buying much of anything 'til we know exactly where she's going. And I don't want to spend money 'til we know who her roommate'll be. After all, I don't want them to arrive at school with two TVs, no rug, and no printer.

Plus, this should be HER project, not mine.

Another reason not to buy too much too soon: My daughter's favorite school has a cool thing that I'd never heard of before. It's called The Big Sale. When kids are moving out of the dorms in the spring, the RAs put out big boxes and ask people to donate things they no longer want or can't take home (which happens pretty often). So people abandon coffee pots, bookshelves, curtains, rugs, organizers, etc. Even clothes. The RAs organize and store the stuff for the summer . . . and when everyone comes back in the fall, they sell it cheaply to new students. Profit for dorm activities, less stuff going to landfills, saving pennies -- it's a great idea!

 

[Rafiki31]

Magnets, wipey dry erase board for door (friends can leave messages) double sided tape to hang stuff up. Power strips, extension cords.

 

[collegejunkie]

definitely don't buy towels, sheets, etc from that catalog. they're going to be way overpriced and not all that comfortable. target has really comfy sheets, they come in some "box" thing.

 

[MrsPete]

wipey dry erase board for door (friends can leave messages)

We all had these when we were in college, but I haven't seen them in the dorms we've been touring. I think texting has taken the place of note-leaving.

 

[Princess_Meghan <3]

Do you have a layout of the room available at all? That usually gives you an idea of how much space there'll be for extras like chairs, futons, shelves, etc.

This past year, I brought way more than I needed to. I just moved home, and when I was packing found a ton of stuff and was like, I forgot I brought this!
The stuff I used was:

XL Sheets
Comforter
Pillows
throw blanket (I brought multiple ones for when it was really cold and heat wasn't on yet- I was very glad I did)
Something to lean against when reading in bed (body pillow or husband pillow)
Shelf that attached to bed
fan(we had air conditioning, but still needed fans!)
lamp
lamp that attaches to bed
TV
stand for TV
DVD players
DVDs (you may think there won't be time for movies, but a movie night is a great stress reliever, and it can be nice to have something playing in the background while doing work. It's also great for meeting new people- my roommate and I would leave the door open at the beginning of the year when we were watching movies, and invite people in if they wanted to watch it with us)
shelving unit
chair
storage ottomon
Refridgerator
various microwave meals
shower caddy
daily essentials (shampoo, deoderant, etc. My mom bought these as she saw them on sale throughout the summer, and I had enough to last me the entire year, which was really nice!)
4 towels
washcloths
an extra set of sheets
an under the bed storage container (I had bunkbeds, but my roommate and I split the space underneath the bottom bunk)
small shoe rack in the bottom of the closet
hanging shelves for the closet
hamper
laundry basket
purex 3-in-one sheets
rug
curtains
blinds (my room didn't have any, and the school wouldn't give us new ones, so my parents bought me some)
hangers
plastic plates
plastic utensils
dish soap
plastic bowls
vacuum
printer(my school offers free printing in various computer labs and the library, but when working on papers late the night before it's due, the labs sometimes close, and there isn't time to get to one before class the next day)
printer paper
spare ink cartridges
laptop
storage cubes for food
power strip
over the door towel rack
extension cords
paper towels
wipes
a medical box
Posters to decorate the walls
command hooks to hang things up
command squares to hang other things
poster putty
a clock
a dry erase board for the door

You may want to wait until you get there to decide if you need some things- my family and I had to go out and buy more hangers, get blinds, etc. because we didn't think we'd need them or have the space.
We also ended up buying a chair for me on a seperate, because my desk wasn't in my room, and was in a shared study with 3 other people, who weren't always considerate.

 

[LMCT88]

I have 2 kids currently in college, and I have to agree, don't buy the sheets from the companies, they are horrible. I would also add to that list the 3M Sticky Hooks, they don't leave marks on the walls. Also make sure you have a long enough cable cord for the televisons (every dorm room is different, my son had to have one that went around the room), and also a flash light (came in handy when he lost power). I have learned not to over buy or pack. I would also suggest a lock box that can be tossed in the closet to lock up any valuables or medications. Maybe a cable lock for a laptop (although my kids didn't use them), I basically tell my kids to leave anything valuable at home. My son unfortunately had his room broken into so he learned the hard way. Hope that helps.

 

[bzkds]

My ds doesn't require much, but this is what we send with him:

Bed: twin XL mattress pad and sheets, pillow, comforter, extra blanket, backrest pillow (he requests the twin XL bed.. others are normal length)

Desk: printer/paper/ink, lamp, power strip, box with basic school supplies: tape, scissors, paper clips, erasers, pens, pencils and notebooks, laptop, backpack

Medical box: Tylenol, Dramamine, cold pills, allergy pills, bandaids, thermometer, tissues, sunscreen, hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes

Shower caddy: deoderant, shampoo, shaving supplies, body soap, fingernail clippers, comb, toothpaste and toothbrush, shower flip-flops

Laundry: mesh hamper, Purex sheets, hangers, 2 towels/handtowels/washcloths. He only takes ONE suitcase of clothing, but he goes to school in Southern California and doesn't need much for weather variations

Snacks: I replenish whenever he comes home or we go to visit, or in care packages

Entertainment: Xbox, games and a small, used monitor he bought from another student. One year he requested I send his piano music books, but the lounge was always crowded with kids watching movies when he wanted to play, so he hasn't taken it back with him since that year

Freshman year he also had an umbrella, sleeping bag and beach towel. I don't think he used the umbrella and his sleeping bag got borrowed by other kids more than he used it, so now he just leaves them home!

 

[edk35]

I don't know if anyone else said to get this, but buy one of those egg crate mattress toppers too. We bought a mattress cover that encased the mattress ( one for allergies that you zip all around the mattress. So we put that on first), followed by egg crate, then mattress pad, fitted sheet and so on.

 

[herdtoDisney]

I don't know if anyone else said to get this, but buy one of those egg crate mattress toppers too. We bought a mattress cover that encased the mattress ( one for allergies that you zip all around the mattress. So we put that on first), followed by egg crate, then mattress pad, fitted sheet and so on.

Yes, we did that too. The mattress is like a thin vinyl mat My ds is a freshman (bringing him home in 2 weeks, yeah ) and we got most of his stuff at Bed, BAth and Beyond (that was where we found the mattress cover in XL). But I actually got his sheet set at Walmart-they put out a college section and it had a XL sheet set that had a microfiber comforter too for a reasonable price.

Each school varies on what is in/you can put in, the dorm room. They'll probably send you or kiddo a list. For example, my ds's allows fridges of a certain size, but no microwaves. It has a white board already there so we didnt' need to buy that.

We decided to buy minimally before going up there (to school) and got the bedding, laundry stuff (hangers, ect) and stuff like that here. Then after we got there and he unpacked, we hit Walmart and got a few other things. Dorm rooms are so small, you really want to go minimal. We also went to HOme Depot and got pieces of wood cut to put in the window tracks so they could leave them open (no AC) but not enough so someone could get in (first floor). His roomate parents thought we were nuts but hey, my kid's not getting his stuff stolen!

Remember, whatever you buy, you have to get home at the end of the year