<p>My son is too tall for a twin bed, so we ordered a scrunched up queen mattress that magically expands, and this great bed frame from Walmart ([Slumber</a> 1 Steel Queen/King Bed Frame, Smart Base - Walmart.com](<a href=“http://www.walmart.com/ip/Smart-Base-Bed-Frame-Queen-King/10924588]Slumber”>http://www.walmart.com/ip/Smart-Base-Bed-Frame-Queen-King/10924588)) It has about a foot of storage space underneath, and is supportive enough that you don’t need a box spring. Everyone in his house was envious when they saw his fabulous bed Walmart puts much of this stuff on free shipping during back-to-school shopping season.</p>
<p>For other furniture, they scooped up a bunch from the landlord’s vast pile of left behind stuff, and bought a couch from a graduating student.</p>
<p>Yep, S1 got a chest of drawers (huge one that had come from a dorm room) from a thrift store and sofa/loveseat from Craig’s List.
S2 and housemates grabbed a sofa and chair that neighborhood students left on the curb.</p>
<p>I’m 100% for scavenging furniture, except for bedding where I like to know the provenance of the mattress. When bought student-to-student, moved from bedroom to bedroom, no problem. Retrieved from the curb, I’m concerned about bugs and rain. </p>
<p>Of my 3 kids, nobody owns any new furniture. Retail is the “R” word and we don’t cotton to that in our homes. For mattresses, however, they took care only to buy directly on campus from another student and not from unknown sellers via Craigslist. If bedding has been stored in a family’s garage, then sold…watch out.</p>
<p>I’m told that on move-out, move-in days in college towns, the furniture doesn’t sit curbside more than a few hours. So it’s usually okay in actual fact.</p>
<p>When DD and six others moved into a rented house at the end of her sophomore year, I suggested they go and talk to the seven folks who were currently renting the house AND try to buy the furniture…all of it. That is exactly what they did. Each of them paid $250 and they got beds, dresssers, desks, chairs, kitchen set, several couches (which had slipcovers that they replaced) a futon or two (again, they replaced the covers), an extra almost new fridge (as the previous tenants found that ONE fridge for 7 kids just wasn’t enough space), stools for their kitchen island…just about everything.</p>
<p>I would suggest that your kiddo and his future roomies talk to the current tenants. If they are moving out, (and especially if they are graduating), the probably do NOT want to move that furniture. It’s a win/win…they don’t have to move it out and you don’t have to move stuff in either.</p>
<p>Oh…and when DD and her six roommates graduated last June…they sold the WHOLE SAME LOT OF STUFF…all of it…to the incoming renters. Each of the roomies got $200 back. Not bad.</p>
<p>My S and his room mate got their bedding from IKEA. The mattress lasted about two years and then he got rid of it on Craigslist rather than carting it across country for his new job on the East Coast. He said the mattress just barely lasted the 2 years he needed. His room mates’ parents rented a van to help them move into their apartment (it hadn’t occurred to me as I didn’t know his apartment was unfurnished).</p>
<p>Sounds like Thumper1 has a great idea–I also bought a table, chairs and curtains from the tenants when I moved into my apartment (gave them a token $50). It would not have worked for my D, since they are the 1st tenants in their new place (no one to buy from) & it is mostly furnished. S added some things from his apartment to her new place but it couldn’t hold that much, so he has put other things at my cousin’s house nearby.</p>
<p>I ended up buying frame and mattress in the college town. Tried the futon for a while, but didn’t sleep well for him (big guy, 6’ 3" and 230lbs). He got much of his furniture on the curb at frat houses (desk, kitchen table, 2 chest of drawers and bookcase).</p>
<p>We spent the summer before S moved into a house from the dorms searching Craigslist–S was VERY particular about what he wanted and was willing to wait for just the right things. Ended up with a kitchen table and 4 chairs, the perfect dresser, desk and an over sized chair and ottoman. We went to Costco and bought a new mattress, box spring, and bed frame (good quality, good price).We rented a u-haul that we pulled over 500 miles (it was no problem and was not very expensive). </p>
<p>About curb-side “recycling”–S found a surround sound system out on trash day (very affluent neighborhood around his university) and had to rewire all the speakers (he did it himself) but now has premium sound hooked up to a flat screen brought by another roomie–we’re kind of jealous!</p>
<p>Emaheevul07, I don’t know how many types and qualities IKEA carries, but my one experience was not good. I recently visited my d. and slept in her roommate’s room. She had an IKEA bed and mattress and it was…well, horrible. After tossing and turning for several hours I moved to the sofa in living room to sleep. The second night my d. switched with me and she didn’t like it any better.</p>
<p>i am sure this varies by where you are, but in ny we’re hearing a lot about bed bugs these days. i would think that’d be a reason to be very careful about taking used mattresses and upholstered items. i also recall hearing that in boston – where MANY apartments turn over on 9/1 – they were going around at that time of the year spray painting furniture left on the street to keep people from picking them up as a way to minimize bed bugs spreading.</p>
<p>re futons – i was recently looking into them for one of my kids – they have changed a lot since i was young and knew people who used them – the mattresses can be more substantial – no longer just a casing full of wadded up cotton.</p>
<p>re buying a mattress – we found that there were some chain stores (eg. sleepy’s, bob’s) where we could shop locally where we lived and have them deliver to where the kids would be.</p>
<p>Terrific suggestions but I’m not sure what he’ll find to scavenge when he arrives in the fall since the mass exodus is typically in May/June. I think we will give him his old twin mattress and a daybed frame we have at home if it fits in the truck. Otherwise we’ll probably go with a foam bed-in-a-box and a folding frame. Other than that, a folding table and chairs should tide him over until he finds other stuff locally. Fortunately, he’ll be moving in a few weeks before classes so he will have time to get organized. Thanks all.</p>
<p>I second the free/passed-along/cheaply bought/used furniture ideas, HOWEVER, be very careful with bedbugs.</p>
<p>My friend’s daughter and her roommates found out about this the hard way.</p>
<p>If he picks up a mattress (and/or any furniture item, actually) be sure to inspect it for any signs of bed bug infestation. If it’s something for sale - and it’s not the end of the school year, the person isn’t a student, and/or the person isn’t moving, ask why they’re selling/giving away the item (big warning sign: people not moving who are selling/giving away all of their upholstered furniture/mattresses!) Buy and use a protective mattress cover (these aren’t foolproof, but can help) and never buy/use used bedding and pillows. </p>
<p>This past summer Boston inspectional people were all over town sticking giant yellow “Warning Could Contain Bedbugs” signs on anything left on the sidewalk when the BU/Northeastern/Berklee (etc) kids were moving out.</p>
<p>We just got two “foam bed in a box with folding frames” last week. Our sons (21 and 23) slept on them over Christmas. They said they were comfortable. We got ours from Sam’s Club. Set up was very easy. It was fun to see the squished flat foam mattresses poof up when released from the plastic covering.</p>
<p>Have you tried craigslist? We live in a college town and that seems to be the main channel for the migration of furniture from one student apartment to the other.</p>
Walmart puts much of this stuff on free shipping during back-to-school shopping season.</p>