So… now that DD2 has finished her freshman year at CC, I thought that I would provide some tips for incoming students on move in and out while it is fresh in my mind. Every family is different, so this is what worked for US.
1 - In terms of move-in, there are no “major stores” near CC. There is a small cluster in South Colorado Springs including a Bed Bath Beyond, Walmart, etc. and a much larger cluster in Northern Colorado Springs (BBB, Target, Pier One, etc). There is an excellent thrift store called ARC that seems to get a lot of donations from CC, meaning you can find some great stuff for move-in. D2 bought a great chair for her room, and visited periodically during the year.
2 We live in California, and followed the model of D1. In the Spring/Summer, we went to the local BBB and scanned all the items that she thought that she liked for Fall. We held on to that 20% off whole purchase coupon like it was gold. The three of us each took two suitcases (free on Southwest) filled with clothes, electronics, art supplies, etc. Nearly everything else was purchased when we got there at BBB, Target, or ARC. We also got a Southwest credit card as soon as she was admitted, and most of her flights have been free thanks to groceries, etc.
3. We rented a VRBO for three days before movein. Our older daughter came in from Boston. We had fun picking up all the items, visiting Garden of the Gods (go as early as possible - definitely before the visitor’s center opens for the maximum magic in this cathedral-like setting), exploring Colorado Springs, etc. We also washed all the towels, etc and repacked items more efficiently for movein. On the day of movein, things were done very efficiently: daughter was in Bridge so arrived early. All store returns were done that day or the next morning before we flew home. Useful stores are about 15 minutes north, so definitely an Uber ride away and orientation is busy.
4. We did not ship anything to Worner. Generally, you can’t get packages on the weekends, although they likely have a different system during movein weekend. She ordered a few more things from Amazon in the first month, but not a lot.
5. We are HUGE fans of the Samsonite Tote a Ton bags. These are about $20 each, and hold a gigantic amount. D1 has 3 of these, and they are in perfect condition after 8 years. They come in extremely handy for a variety of things and are PERFECT for years of moving in and out of dorms and apartments. For this daughter, we also bought 4 of the cheaper Ikea duffel bags. The jury is out on these - they look great but I’m not sure they will be as durable. For $35 for four, we thought they were a good investment. They were fabulous on moveout.
5. In terms of move out, we let our kids manage this themselves. Some CC students paid gigantic sums to have boxes delivered, picked up, and then redelivered to the dorm. Others had parents that came and moved them out. In our case, daughter rented a 5 x 5 storage unit close to campus. She had planned to share with a friend, but the group got too big and unwieldy so we told her to get her own. Retrospectively, she said that she could have shared with a friend or two, but that they would have had to stack things really high and coordinate their pickup. It was daunting for her to do this all on her own, but her sister told her to “suck it up” and she did great. Ordered the spot two weeks before, packed from 1PM - 1AM with lots of breaks for fun and relaxation, and then got up in the morning, went out for breakfast, and then took one trip in an Uber XL to storage. I don’t have the total cost yet, but I’m guessing it is significantly cheaper than the other options. She brought one Tote a Ton with 75 pounds of stuff in it, one carry on, and one suitcase home. She said that most of one suitcase won’t be returning to CC. CC also had a series of donation boxes in the lobby of the dorms, which got a lot of use. .