<p>I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of sending my daughter halfway across the country--in a plane--without the benefit of packing up a big ol' van full of her stuff. I have a few questions for those who have been there/done that.</p>
<p>Should we even bother with luggage or should we just pack everything in duffle bags? I doubt my D will have room to store luggage and we certainly don't want to pay baggage fees for empty luggage on the return trip. Her luggage may make a handy storage vessel, but will it even fit under the bed? What works best? (I will probably send a follow-up box of clothes USPS and also shop BBB, etc.)</p>
<p>My D will be in either Stanford or Hecht. I was planning on getting risers so she could do under-bed storage, but I heard risers will not work. How can that be? Are the beds secured to the walls?</p>
<p>Also...you're going to think I am a germ-a-phobe but I am not. I am just a bit grossed out about the mattress situation. Do some families swap out the well-used, university-issued mattress for their own new, fresh one? Or, do you just wrap it up in a mattress cover and hope for the best?</p>
<p>I nearly fainted when I learned it is $250 per year to RENT a mini fridge-microwave. Are there any restrictions on using your own or are you required to rent theirs? Even if we bought a mini-fridge locally and tossed it at the end of the year, we would be ahead financially. I think she could manage without a microwave.</p>
<p>Given that space is at a premium, I am wondering whether it's even worth it for an acting major to have a printer/ink for the room. How convenient are the dorm computers/printers?</p>
<p>Thank you! I really appreciate your help!!!</p>
<p>We purchased our own refrigerator and microwave. You can always have her sell them at the end of the year or store them over the summer for the next. It is cheaper to buy than rent. Perhaps her roommate will be from Florida and it will be easier for the roomie to bring the large stuff. </p>
<p>As for space, there is little to no space for luggage. Under the bed, my DD had plastic storage boxes full of her clothing and other random items. Risers will not work, not because the bed is attached to the wall, but a storage bolster is attached and the bed nestles in under it. (hard to explain, but suffice it to say, risers don’t really work) </p>
<p>The mattresses are plastic covered, so they aren’t really gross at all. My DD loved her bed and once she put a nice foam pad on it, she slept beautifully. The mattresses are all new within the last few years and are firm and nice. </p>
<p>My DD brought the printer in the fall, never used it and we brought it home to stay. The printing lab is very convenient and most kids use that, as long as they plan ahead, as it is not open 24/7. </p>
<p>Rugs are sold on campus or you can go to Walmart (that’s what we did) to purchase. We also did a good Target trip for lamps, etc. DD brought her desk chair (on casters) and thought that was necessary, as the chair that comes with the desk is an older wooden straightback chair. </p>
<p>DDs roommate came from Chicago and they supplied the TV (purchased on campus at he Best Buy station) and we did the rest of the large items. It seemed to work well. They shipped large boxes to a UPS place and the hotel where they were staying for orientation and the boxes were waiting for them upon movein. I’m sure she they will chime in here and can give more details. </p>
<p>With planning, the movein can work out well. Welcome to the U Family!</p>
<p>Regarding appliances, you don’t have to plan to throw them away at the end of the year. You can buy nice new ones at the beginning of the year (in Miami), and then next summer rent a small storage unit (there are plenty of options geared towards UM students), the cost of which can be split with roommates/friends, so you can use them in future years.</p>
<p>In regards to the bed risers situation, it’s doable to have bed risers. You just wouldn’t really be able to access that storage space that the bed would be backed to. Although, if you were to go that route, I’d just go ahead and loft the bed. Gives you tons of extra space. Me and my roommate both had our beds lofted; we had futon under one, TV/fridge/stereo system under the other. Worked absolutely beautifully.</p>
<p>Regarding risers, my D did not want her bed lofted, so we bought the extra tall plastic bed risers. She used them the past 2 years with no problems. For bedding, she has one of those bed bug free covers that zips around the mattress, then a memory foam pad and plush mattress pad. She likes her bed at school better than home. Welcome to the U!</p>
<p>My D doesn’t want to loft her bed either because she doesn’t want to have to use a ladder to climb into bed. But if you use plastic bed risers then don’t you block the built in storage area beside the bed?</p>
Yeah, using bed risers would block access to the storage that’s to the side of the bed, but I honestly don’t really know anybody that used/uses that space.</p>
<p>Funny storage about that storage space - we were there for accepted students day and when we took the tour they showed us an occupied room. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon and one of girls who live din the room was sitting at her desk working on Physics, she looked so studious and intense. As the tour guide was pointing out the built in storage, she whispered to my husband “that’s where we hide our alcohal”. Too funny!</p>
<p>Thank you everyone! I think I will try to find the extra tall bed risers. My D could probably use the extra storage more than the floor space. Plus, she is a very heavy sleeper so the loft scares me a bit. (There was an awful fatal accident at one of our state universities this year due to a fall from a lofted bed.) I hope her roomie is agreeable because I heard she would like to loft her bed. Certainly my D could share the under-the-bed storage area.</p>
<p>Oh my gosh, this is really happening, isn’t it!?!?</p>
<p>Although, I probably won’t even know she’s gone. I don’t know about your kids, but I have barely seen my daughter since her high school graduation! She’s busy working and socializing…the stuff you’re supposed to do the summer after senior year!</p>
<p>Moved son into Hecht last year. Had same issues as we are from NJ, Brought only clothes from home and pre-ordered from both BBB and Container Store. BBB delivered to the dorm. Quick pick up at the Container Store. I bought one extra set of sheets at home and washed those prior to arriving. Bought the bed bug cover too and a really nice pad for the bed. Was actually very comfortable that way. Also did a Costco run to get the microwave and fridge, plus stock up on necessities. In storage for the summer and using it again next year. Risers DO work, but then you do not have access to the storage. A worthy tradeoff as it was not very nice space. Full sized luggage did fit under the bed. We brought 2 extra pieces down for move in and brought the empty luggage home with us. The big bags comforters come in are great for additional storage under the bed. Also a bit of a neat freak and I brought wipes with me to clean everything before we moved anything in. Room was somewhat clean but I figured this was the best it would ever be for two boys! Biggest issue in the room is outlets. There are barely any so buy strips- lot of them! Best of luck to you and your daughter!</p>
<p>Regarding underbed storage, I highly recommend the extra long underbed drawers from the Container Store. You can use them as drawers and stack them vs. having to open the top. They also go deep under the bed for lots of storage. The Container Store has a college day in July, and you can order at your local store (or online) and pick up at the one by the U. I think College Day is 20% off total purchase. D has a single, so we actually carpeted the room (no pad) with a plush carpet. It makes a huge difference covering up the floor. Also love wall decals! You can get them in any color/shape/design, and they come off very easily.</p>
<p>Fantastic information!!! Thanks for taking the time to help out the newbies! Didn’t know BBB delivers! Will definitely be watching for the Container Store coupon, too. Thank you!</p>
<p>Thanks for the info about the Container Store - will check that out online. Assuming the beds are the usual college dorm size - XL Twin (is that what it’s called?).</p>
<p>Stopped by Container Store yesterday. You have to register online to get 20% coupon for College Night. Clerk suggested we “pre-shop” because that night is a madhouse. Evidently you cannot use coupon online unless you live far from a Container Store.</p>
<p>Also…big help at BBB. Tell the clerk your college and she will provide a checklist of things they allow/don’t allow in the dorms as well as a layout with room dimensions.</p>
<p>I am going to have to pace myself because I could go nuts buying room organizational stuff! (Meanwhile my D is completely not ready to talk about this stuff.)</p>
<p>Linymom, beds are xlong twin. If you can get to The Container Store for college night, it is really fun. At our local store, they had a big map with push pins, and the kids put a pin where they were attending college. Most kids wore their college tshirt, so my kids even met kids attending their same schools. They have lots of drawings for free stuff too. It is crazy and lines are long, but we go every year. FYI, they had me put everything we wanted in a cart, they scanned it all, but put in register for a pickup at the Coral Gables store. So we walked out without a thing, but we got the 20% off.</p>
<p>Sorry for the very late reply - finally checking back in here. August is here and I’m finally starting to think about the logistics involved in moving D back in a few weeks - how quickly the summer has gone! </p>
<p>We did a combination of several things last August :</p>
<ol>
<li><p>We ordered bulky things from Amazon (love the two-day free shipping with Amazon Student Prime) like a memory foam mattress topper, etc and had them shipped to our hotel where they held them for us. Since it was Prime we knew when they’d arrive and timed it so that they made it there a day or two before we did. I’d asked our hotel, the Coconut Grove Hampton about this in advance and they’d asked me to include my reservation confirmation # on the label so I added that as part of the address on the second line when ordering with Amazon. That way the Hampton knew when we were arriving when the packages got there before we did so could decide how far back in the storage area to put them : ) Lots of people apparently did this - we saw lots of boxes in the package holding area when we checked in. </p></li>
<li><p>As others have mentioned we picked out lots of stuff at our local BBB using a handheld scanner like a bridal registry deal, went to see what we actually wanted to purchase after we arrived in Miami and only paid for what we wanted. They allowed us to use as many coupons as we had - one per item if you’ve got that many : ) D got sick the night of the local Container Store’s college night last summer so she missed that unfortunately. She ended up making do with rolling underbed bins we found at either WMT or TGT in August - can’t remember which. We left her a fabric duffel bag and a carry-on which she stored under her bed (no risers) along with the rolling underbed bins.</p></li>
<li><p>We shipped three HUGE and HEAVY boxes via Fedex Ground from our local Fedex Office to one there. It’s called “Hold at Fedex Location” and I was able to print the label from home as I normally do (with a discount for having an account and printing my own labels) and select the pickup location at that time. There’s no extra charge for this service and in my experience Fedex ground tells you exactly which day the packages will arrive. We have a Fedex Office nearby so this was very convenient. There are three local Fedex Office locations not far from campus - right across from Dadeland, in downtown Coral Gables, and in Coconut Grove. I chose the 24 hour location in downtown Coral Gables - Dadeland was open until 11pm so that probably would have been fine too - I just wanted to make sure we made it there that first night - didn’t want to drive up to a “closed” sign if our flight was delayed. I wanted to get an early start in the morning and didn’t want to have to start a long day of moving by picking up massive boxes so getting them the night before spread it out a bit. This time - which is coming up fast! - I’ll select the Dadeland location since we ended up spending a lot of time there at BBB and TGT. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>The only drawback was having to drag the heavy boxes to our local Fedex Office before we left. If you can get UPS to pick up at your home that’s a real advantage! Fedex Ground is generally a bit less expensive in my experience but you can check both websites with your package weights and dimensions to get exact prices. I have an account registered at Fedex.com (meaning they store my credit card and shipping history which saves time when shipping to the same address again) and that gives you a discount from the standard pay at the store rate, plus printing your own labels means no without waiting in line when dropping boxes off.</p>
<p>At the end of the school year we put lots of things in storage but still had three huge and heavy boxes shipped back home again via Fedex Ground which arrived a few days after we flew back, right on schedule. Since we stored a ton of stuff at a self-storage place down there for the summer I wasn’t sure why so much stuff had to come home… but apparently a girl needs to keep her wardrobe options open and every single pair of shoes made the cut…</p>