<p>I expect my S will end up in one of the freshman dorms. I remember the closets as being pretty big, as college closets go. Are they set up such that a double rod is feasible? I am thinking of the kind you can buy and install pretty easily. Any other storage ideas are most welcome. </p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>I keep checking this thread to find the answer, but I guess no one else knows either! I'm glad to hear from Wish that the closets seem "big" as I had no significant memory of the room layout from our tour (other than the guide telling us about the number of times they evacuated to the lower floors for the hurricanes!) I looked up the dimensions on the website under the residence hall booklet and they seem decent size.
Double rods in the closet is a great idea.</p>
<p>wish-
I dont know about Miami's dorms but at D's it always seemed there was lots of room above the rod and only one shelf.We used the heavy particleboard (or could use wire ones) shoeracks you would normally put on the floor to build "up" from that one shelf.Theres probably other products as well that would work. You always seem to need to be able to maximize vertical space in dorm rooms,like a hutch over a desk,or over the dresser and those lovely rubbermaid (or other brands) plastic storage dressers with drawers (can be stacked up to meet the height of a raised bed to provide a convenient spot for the alarm clock!)</p>
<p>Just called the housing office at UM. They said that some kids do do double rods, but it was a decision to be made with roommates, and she suggested waiting until orientation. I worry that the double rods will be sold out, and might look around a bit to see how adjustable they are - perhaps we can get something and then return it if it doesn't work. She also referred me to <a href="http://www.miami.edu/residence%5B/url%5D">www.miami.edu/residence</a> to look at various brochures they have available online. She was nice but as we don't know the housing assignment or roommate yet she couldn't be too helpful or specific.</p>
<p>at the risk of asking a silly question, why would it matter to the roommate? Or am I wrong in presuming that they each get their own closet?</p>
<p>You know, you are right! When I spoke with her, I was envisioning kids sharing two sides of a big closet, but if I remember correctly, the rooms at Stanford/Hecht provided a bed, desk and closet for each kid. Perhaps that is just their generic answer whenever people call to ask about setting up rooms. I did look at some of the floorplans they have online but they didn't indicate exact closet dimensions. Any current students/UM parents out there who can help?</p>
<p>I'm not particularly computer literate... so I can't put the exact link in this email, but go to p. 6 of the "Living on Campus Booklet" on the <a href="http://www.umiami.edu/residence/%5B/url%5D">http://www.umiami.edu/residence/</a> website. It says the dimensions for the Hecht/Stanford doubles are 10'8" by 18'7" - pretty good sized!</p>
<p>I'm sorry...I just now found this thread. :( If I remember correctly I'd say you could use a double rod in Standford/Hecht. I would question whether you will need it however; because the closets are pretty large. And to be honest, they don't need THAT much clothing. LOL You will find that floor space is at a premium (especially if you don't loft the beds...s didn't freshman year) so alot of the space at the bottom of the closets will be taken up. The rooms in S/H are long and narrow and other than between the beds under the window or out in the middle of the room, the closet is the only floor space.......</p>
<p>Yes, 1ctm, I remember the closets as pretty big and the rooms as long and narrow.</p>
<p>How hard is it to make those lofts? What are they made of? Is it something that H and S could do pretty easily during move-in? As they are flying in from the west coast, bringing serious tools like saws and electric drills is not possible. I am hoping that perhaps the roommate's family will be driving to UM from somewhere closer and that the S, dad or mom is a carpenter LOL!</p>
<p>Lofts......hahaha, subject that son and I hashed over a long time this past year. Most lofts are built of wood and most can be put together with a few hand tools. The best option here of course is to have a "loft kit" delivered to Miami and do it yourself. You can buy these over the internet. Just do a "bed loft" search. And also, don't forget to send a small hand tool set with your son anyway. He will need it and will inevitably become one of the most popular students on his floor by having it. LOL We got a small set at Home Depot for a very reasonable price and your guys should be able to buy down there. Another way to loft is by hiring one of the engineering students to build. There will be flyers up around campus offering this service. Another route, and this is where son and I got into it, is by using concrete blocks. He and his suitemates did this the past year. They went, once again to Home Depot or Lowes and bought the large foundation concrete blocks which apparently locked together someway. I was freaked, thinking they wouldn't be solid but was told that they worked great, never moved at all, and that the "holes" in the block also made great "cubby holes" in which to store things. LOL....if I were you.....I'd look into the kits! :)</p>
<p>Wow! I had no idea is was a whole small industry! Thank you for the explanation.</p>