<p>^Not nessicarily. You need to check on that. They might just deliever it to the main mail area.</p>
<p>@icedragon - thanks for raising that point. I just checked and of the few places that sell and deliver to the college, one states on its website that it delivers to the dorm and sets the futon up. I’m feeling really lucky!!</p>
<p>@hanaliy - that’s unfortunate, but just make sure you check the school website about move in day. Some parents arrived at my D’s school without knowing about the help and they had not labeled things properly so not everything made it to the right rooms. Others parked close by and schlepped everything themselves, not realizing that they would not have had to pick up a thing.</p>
<p>Nevermind then, that is good.</p>
<p>Regarding the advice for bringing long extension cords… </p>
<p>My kid is attending a college where regular extension cords are not allowed and only the surge protector style is allowed. Be sure you’re aware of all the dorm room restrictions for the college you’re doing the move-in for.</p>
<p>There are surge protectors with long cords. I get mine at Home Depot.</p>
<p>The best way to make move in day easier…PACK LIGHT. The more stuff you schlep the harder the day will be.</p>
<p>Hanaliy,
Bless you-you have a lot of things to think about with a husband recovering from heart surgery and DD going to school. Have not read all the pages of posts, but many schools have upperclassmen waiting at the curb to unload your S/D things from the car to their room. We had this great experience at 2500+ LAC and friends had the same at LARGE state schools. If you have a “nand truck” or can borrow one, it makes stacking large boxes, plastic crates much easier up the stairs. We moved twins in to the same college and looked like the Beverly Hilbillies, pulling up to the dorms. In retrospect, we would have been better off to wait and purchase some things once we arrived. Remember you will need plenty of fluids, and if you can, bring a small fan-it gets hot with a room full of people designed for just two. I hope your husband’s recovery continues to progress and that your DD will enjoy her freshman year. Time truly will fly-we moved out twins to school 4 years ago this fall, and they graduated May 5. Good luck and safe travels!</p>
<p>I wish we’d stuck around another day after moving our first kid into college. I would recommend doing that. His roommates’ parents stayed around for all the parent orientation stuff and we hurried back to work. </p>
<p>In terms of the physical stuff, I’d get it all packed up. Go take a break for at least several hours to a whole day. Then come back and prune. Just take out every third item. The worst thing for a kid is not to get there and need something (hey, it’s the 21st century and they can get whatever they need in a flash if necessary). The main precious resource in their room is going to be space. Less is more. Don’t pack the fall or winter stuff yet. You can ship it later. They don’t need a year’s supply of toothpaste. Really. There’s going to be a CVS right there on campus. Trust me.</p>
<p>Plus nothing is more mortifying and uncool to a kid than arriving at college with a huge ton of stuff.</p>
<p>Don’t wait until you get there to go to Target and BBB! We made four trips, which added to the stress. And, all four were out of the twinxl mattress pads. So we made the bed without it, ugh! A couple of friends who have daughters going off to school are having their dorm bedding shipped to school by a service called American Made Dorm. They got everything they needed and shipped it to their school address. Wish we had done that. We ended up mailing things after we left and flew back home.</p>
<p>Two towels for guys so there is one to use before the first one is dry, but only one set of sheets. You don’t sleep while you do the laundry and storage is very limited. Two weeks worth of underwear, socks and shirts is good. BE SURE THE STUDENT KNOWS WHAT S/HE IS TAKING- in other words- if you pack it they may first notice it in May. READ THE COLLEGE WHAT TO BRING/NOT BRING INFO and other rules/suggestions for moving in.</p>
<h1>56 “Anyone have any opinions on the “slim line hangers” sold by BBB? Are those really preferable over the regular plastic ones?”</h1>
<p>For boys who wear mostly t-shirts, the slim line hangers with the velvet like fabric are a pain. You can’t quickly pull a shirt off of them and they are even worse when trying to hang things up because the velvet sticks to the fabric on the shirt. They are really good for items like zip up hoodies and jackets that always fall off plastic hangers.</p>
<p>Ech 252 - if you plan to travel by plane or long distance, go to your local Bed Bath Beyond NOW. take your coupons - you can use as many as you have. Take their little scanner, and pick as many of the items on your list as possible. If you aren’t sure you want something, scan it anyway. Unlike every other store we found, BBB sends that list to your BBB that night. They pull the items from the store that night, and put them in a big box with your name on them in a temp trailer behind the store. When you arrive, you hand them your registry number, and they pull out the boxes and bring them to a banquet table. You go through the items, returning some to the clerks, adding others, and making sure everything is still what you want. In our case, we did not rent a car for movein in Boston - simply took the T to the store, and hired two taxis to return to the condo. We were in and out in under an hour, and 85% of the items we needed were in the condo ready to be unpackaged. (Take one of those tough scissors to break through the hard plastic!)
Since she brought a small drawer set, we were able to (for example) put all cooking items in one drawer, “open first” items such as cleaning spray and extension cords in another, etc. We simply sealed the drawers with painters tape, and it was easy to move into the dorm. The only other items we needed were at Target. In Boston, the Target is not convenient to public transportation, and they don’t store away items that you register for, so there is not much point in picking ahead. Yes, Target items were cheaper, but when you add in taxi and/or car, and consider your time, they were actually far more expensive. Don’t forget Amazon Prime is free for students for the first year - ship items straight to the dorm!</p>
<p>The free student version of Amazon Prime is only good for 6 months now. The renewal price is then $39 per year.</p>
<p>Pack your patience! With the waits/lines/crowds and with your students!</p>
<p>My sons each were more concerned with meeting all the new faces on their floor than in getting their socks put in their drawers.</p>
<p>That said, we packed so as to have as little as possible to put away. We packed the towels and sheets in one of the shallow plastic boxes to fit under the bed. We packed socks/boxers/tshirts in a plastic three-drawer chest, with the drawers taped shut, so we could just place it in the closet. Transported the shirts on hangars covered by a garbage bag tied at the bottom, so they could go straight to the closet. We packed three plastic shoeboxes…school supplies, tools, and medical stuff.</p>
<p>We were in, unpacked, bed made up within 45 minutes.</p>
<p>Our son never used those under bed plastic boxes. You should not do your son’s unpacking, bedmaking. He’ll get around to it before too long and own the process, after all he will be needing to wash his sheets sometime during the semester (we hope). Let him own his space without you choosing what goes where.</p>
<p>Trying not to pack too much! Just a question about towels. Do most dorm bathrooms have paper towels available, or do students also need to pack small hand towels for when they use the bathroom or just wash their face?</p>
<p>Pack lightly-Your student does not need everything they ever owned.</p>
<p>Prewash sheets etc so they can go on the bed and be out of the way.</p>
<p>They do not need 4 seasons of clothes the first day.</p>
<p>Leave family home–this is not time for grandparents tours etc…If the sibling is old enough to help and they are close, that can work…</p>
<p>It will be hot- bring a fan and leave it there.</p>
<p>Bring a Door stop.</p>
<p>Bring tools --for futons etc that need assembly…</p>
<p>Snacks/drinks are a great idea.</p>
<p>Patience–this is your student’s move-in – not yours.</p>
<p>It is a nice idea to let the roommmates work out details- dividing beds, dressers etc…It is rude to try and “get the best” without considering the roommates–you will live together for a year. Start off with thoughtfulness. Our elder student’s U (the freshman advisiors) insisted upon this. Just today I heard this is not typical. How sad to think people rush to pick the “choice” stuff and leave the roommate/s with the less “preferred”</p>
<p>Parents- don’t hang/hover around - once the job is done–GO Home. We left right after the parent/student convocation and lunch-- I was shocked to hear about parents who “hover” in a nearby hotel “in case” their student “needs them”…Your student will figure it out and work out the kinks–as they all do. That is part of the growing and bonding. Don’t overstay. </p>
<p>Enjoy this right of passage 
You are launching your young adult. Share their Joy and let them fly.</p>
<p>/\ /\ /\ /
Great advice fogfog… love the patience advice especially and the “don’t hang around” note… I am one of those parents who worry and might be prone to stay.</p>
<p>@boysx3 - KUDOS - 45 minutes? That has to be a record! We have the plastic drawers too and will definitely prepack those, although I wouldn’t thought of that before.</p>
<p>@GeorgiaTwins - thanks.</p>
<p>Gonna go start my list making…;)</p>
<p>I have no idea who posted it, but I really liked these ideas:
- Have S pack his stuff. That way he will know what he has!
- Step back Mom (me) and let him put his stuff away. It is HIS stuff and HIS room.
- Label all of the boxes-I never would have thought of that and I try to think of everything. This is a huge day and they do have helpers bring everything to the room. Of course they need to know what room.
- Set up the electronics first and that way you will know if you need to run out for cables, etc… early on and not at the end of the day.
- Pack the bedding so it comes out in the order it goes on the bed.</p>
<p>My plan is to get his bedding on while he is doing everything else. Hopefully that way I will be out of the way and he can get acquainted with the roommates and they can figure out who gets what storage space. </p>
<p>Will try to pry myself away within a reasonable timeframe. He may actually be surprised. :-)</p>
<p>I do wonder though-there are 4 in the room. I know they get a “window” for when they are supposed to move in, but are they all 4 at the same time or 2 early and 2 late. We will find out in about 3 1/2 weeks. Eeeekkk!!!</p>