<p>Trying to round out Holiday gifts for my niece. Got her some movie gift cards, etc, but want to add some low cost items she can use next year in college.</p>
<p>What are some useful, inexpensive items you found useful for dorm living?</p>
<p>My friends parents bought me a laundry bag with my last name embroidered on it. It was one of the best…</p>
<p>An electric toothbrush and 50 cartons of ramen noodles</p>
<p>I was thinking about this too. I can’t think of anything for my mom to get me. The most expensive things I can think of that I should bring to college I already have. I have a pretty decent laptop and my dad is going to get me a bike to bring to college.</p>
<p>Anything else? I don’t plan on bringing a TV.</p>
<p>Hmm… trying to think of what sorts of little things I use…maybe a travel mug or a new water bottle? A laynard for her keys? A pretty laptop sleeve? A cute tote for class? Is she going somewhere cold, maybe mittens or hand warmers? Maybe a flag from the college she’s going to? I got a coffee cup warmer in my stocking last year which seems a little silly but it’s nice. I also needed some of my own coffee cups for school, my family had some made for me on snapfish.com with pictures of my dog on it and stuff. Slippers? I like slippers with a good rubber sole because I wear them when I am out and about in the lounges in my residence hall, like house shoes. You could put together a little box with some school supplies in it, sticky notes, highlighters, etc. Might she wear a robe? I like to and I see them a lot in the dorms when it gets cold, but some kids don’t like them. A big box of ramen isn’t a bad idea if she likes ramen, I don’t so I like to get those cambpells soup-to-go things. Or easy mac. </p>
<p>My laundry hamper is of the plastic variety and it has wheels and a pull out handle like those wheely suitcases. After nearly killing myself trying to haul heavy loads of laundry down the stairs in those stupid flimsy pop-up hampers which always break, this was a serious upward adjustment in my quality of life.</p>
<p>One thing I wish someone would do for me is check out what the popular restaurants are in my college town and get gift cards for them, a few parents in the parents forum have mentioned that and my roommate’s mom did that last year. I never have any money to go out, and my roommate got to try all kinds of cool new places when she moved in last year-- helped her feel at home. Even cheap places like the subway thats around the corner or the local pizza delivery place is cool.</p>
<p>Emaheevul mentioned a lot of great ideas. I second the idea of a robe; it was hard finding a nice, not-too-expensive one the summer before college but there are probably a good number out in the winter. </p>
<p>A water filter/pitcher is an idea, perhaps along with a steel water bottle. Nearly my entire floor didn’t think to get one until the night of move-in, when we realized that the nearest water source was a fountain on the next floor that tasted salty anyway.</p>
<p>A twin-sized mattress pad, perhaps? Egg-crate or memory-foam or a simply nice and plush one. Makes the bed more comfortable and puts some distance between your niece and the students who used the bed before her. Might be pricey, maybe for a graduation gift.</p>
<p>An erasable calendar she can hang on her wall or lay on her desk? Useful for organization, and harder to hide from than a planner.</p>
<p>A coffee mug/thermos? Perhaps with the associated cleaning utensils? My roommates are always borrowing my bottle scrubber.</p>
<p>Sturdy U-bar bike lock?</p>
<p>Laptop lock?</p>
<p>Laptop mouse? </p>
<p>An iPod armband for the gym?</p>
<p>A cute decorative pillow?</p>
<p>One of the best things my freshman son got before going to college was one of those folding camp chairs - the kind that fold and slip into a nylon bag. It’s great because it can fold up and be out of the way, but easy to pull out if someone comes to your room or you want a comfortable chair to sit in for yourself.</p>