Did you buy a dorm kit and from where?

[Anonymous]

Check that school list first to see if ethernet cable is on there. Every school and dorm is different. Food - He will probably have to sneak it out. You probably will find yourself sending care packages with after hours snacks. It'll help your emptier nest feelings and the kids love getting them. No worries though if you don't have it all, Amazon prime saves all. Oh....two most popular things to have for move in is a tool box (hardware stores have decent sets for $19) and a good pair of scissors. Paper towels, Windex and 409 also came in handy. I think my kid knew everyone on the floor within an hour, no one had what they needed to open packaging, loft the beds, put together microwave carts, etc... Everything listed was cheap except for the massive personalized first aid kit which he didn't want and then was so thankful for later! We also provided some nice to haves like a small keurig, personal Brita, laundry starter kit of detergent and stain remover and went to the grocery store to stock some snacks and bottled water for the athletic bag.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there is a Target or equivalent in town wait to buy a lot of stuff until then. And kids make heavy use of Amazon Prime, especially in the beginning. You don't need everything before move in. Do get sheets, towels, pillows, mattress pad, thick foam pad, desk stuff, some snacks, power strips, stuff for the walls, command hooks and strips, etc. We also got 2 rolling underbed boxes for storage, and one kid had stacking plastic drawers for extra clothes.

Everyone has an expensive laptop. They need to be careful with them, but a safe shouldn't be necessary. Both my DCs locked their dorm doors though.

Thank you for the advice. I will get the basics first, and take it from there. There is a Target, but I am trying not to pay the premium as I think prices in college town will be more than here. Maybe I am wrong? DS will be sharing a room with another student, so hopefully both will use common sense when it comes to safety.

I don't think there's a premium because of the college town location. You may run into shortages though of the popular items like hooks and command strips.. If they have a buy and hold program like BBB, you can order what you want locally, pick it up there and immediately return anything you find not needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there is a Target or equivalent in town wait to buy a lot of stuff until then. And kids make heavy use of Amazon Prime, especially in the beginning. You don't need everything before move in. Do get sheets, towels, pillows, mattress pad, thick foam pad, desk stuff, some snacks, power strips, stuff for the walls, command hooks and strips, etc. We also got 2 rolling underbed boxes for storage, and one kid had stacking plastic drawers for extra clothes.

Everyone has an expensive laptop. They need to be careful with them, but a safe shouldn't be necessary. Both my DCs locked their dorm doors though.

Thank you for the advice. I will get the basics first, and take it from there. There is a Target, but I am trying not to pay the premium as I think prices in college town will be more than here. Maybe I am wrong? DS will be sharing a room with another student, so hopefully both will use common sense when it comes to safety.

We didn't find Target prices any different in 2 different college towns. And in college towns they tend to be very well stocked with dorm stuff - usually have a big section of it at move in time.

We did tons of pre shopping for a girl. The boy was much less interested or worried about it so we got a lot more at target on move in day.

[Anonymous]

Dorm kits instead of putting it together yourself? Sad!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take note of the cabling recommendations. Ethernet cable may be necessary. The wireless in dorms can be pretty bad.
If you're buying towels , I would get some that differentiate hers from others. Athletes run through a lot of towels - 3 bath and 6 hand towel size for the sports bag.
Net laundry bag for socks in washer/dryer.
Command Hooks
Over the door hooks in normal and commercial widths
Full length mirror that hangs over a door.
Rented a fridge/microwave so included some microwave safe containers for reheating and storage along with some utensils
Lots of thin storage efficient hangers (Huggies from container store) plus some plastic ones for hanging wet laundry
Clothes steamer
Collapsible laundry basket (bed, bath and beyond) and dirty laundry bins (bought the thin net ones from Container Store)
Outfitted a first aid kit that included cold meds and injury related stuff plus the enzyme packets. Put a copy of the prescription card in that too. The kids never think about this until something happens then tey feel to bad to get to the CVS.
Temperpedic mattress pad, mattress cover for bed bugs and then top mattress pad. Dorm mattresses are about 3" thick
I also got a European size pillow as a backrest for the bed.

What we didn't initially buy but should have is a laptop cover that is shatter and waterproof. The kids tend to loft the beds for storage and big OOPs when they fall asleep with their computers in bed.

Clothes steamer? Really?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take note of the cabling recommendations. Ethernet cable may be necessary. The wireless in dorms can be pretty bad.
If you're buying towels , I would get some that differentiate hers from others. Athletes run through a lot of towels - 3 bath and 6 hand towel size for the sports bag.
Net laundry bag for socks in washer/dryer.
Command Hooks
Over the door hooks in normal and commercial widths
Full length mirror that hangs over a door.
Rented a fridge/microwave so included some microwave safe containers for reheating and storage along with some utensils
Lots of thin storage efficient hangers (Huggies from container store) plus some plastic ones for hanging wet laundry
Clothes steamer
Collapsible laundry basket (bed, bath and beyond) and dirty laundry bins (bought the thin net ones from Container Store)
Outfitted a first aid kit that included cold meds and injury related stuff plus the enzyme packets. Put a copy of the prescription card in that too. The kids never think about this until something happens then tey feel to bad to get to the CVS.
Temperpedic mattress pad, mattress cover for bed bugs and then top mattress pad. Dorm mattresses are about 3" thick
I also got a European size pillow as a backrest for the bed.

What we didn't initially buy but should have is a laptop cover that is shatter and waterproof. The kids tend to loft the beds for storage and big OOPs when they fall asleep with their computers in bed.

great list!

[Anonymous]

My DC ordered the basics from BBB, went to pick it up in CA on move in day, and half the kit was "back ordered"
Frantic rush over to Target solved the problem, but I don't rely on preorders
According to the BBB store, they don't actually pull the requested items till 48 hrs before the pickup date for space reasons

[Anonymous]

I called them a week before pick up. I think that helped. But also, we did pack the little things we were told tend to run out like the hooks.
And the linens and towels we washed at home first. Yes , I know the steamer sounds funny but it was used a lot. Some of the clubs require coat and tie in addition to team events.

[Anonymous]

I would NEVER buy a set.

[Anonymous]

It wouldn't be my choice either but it's not like it's a terrible thing to do. For the kids who need to figure it all out on their own, it's easy.

[Anonymous]

Two things I didn't see on lists above depending on you freshman's habits: 1) a night light that attaches to a bedpost (or at least to a books) for reading at night; 2) unless you are sure the dorm is well air conditioned or the school is far north, a portable Fan that attaches to the bed post or headboard.

[Anonymous]

The Vornado fans are the best smallest one will do. Would get one regardless of AC as the schools don't flip b/w ac and heat if the weather is all over the place. Those are powerful enough they can stand anywhere in the room just in case. After lofting, there was no headboard or footboard!

[Anonymous]

Highly suggest that max, Ross, marshals, kohls, Amazon and overstock. I used BBB for collapsible items that are hard to find and Walmart once I got to college town.

[Anonymous]

TJ Maxx

[Anonymous]

I bought a reasonably priced safe at BJs, and got a cable from amazon to secure it to the bed. Useful for prescriptions and checks/debit cards etc.