All of my daughter’s friends have already moved in to their dorms. My D moves in next Saturday (Labor Day Weekend :/)
My living room and her room is scattered with stuff. We are up to 2 Vera bags, 1 rolling luggage, 1 backpack, headboard, 3 large garbage bags filled with her pillows, towels, & blankets, 6 lg plastic bins, plus all of her clothing which she will be keeping on hangers and covering with garbage bags for transportation. I am afraid to show up to her school where the upper -classmen who help empty the car will be giving us dirty looks.
How big is her dorm room? Rope off an area that is 1/2 that size, and ribbon off a twin size bed. See how much fits into the remaining area.
Headboard? Unless she’s one of those Ole Miss decorating freshmen (see that thread), there is zero need for a headboard.
IMO, it should all fit into a regular size passenger car, or maybe ship a box of winter clothing later on. These spaces are small.
If you are even asking the question, the answer is yes.
No internet where she’s going so she can buy an extra set of towels from Walmart if she doesn’t bring enough?
She won’t have “storage”- i.e. a linen closet, a coat closet, a junk drawer, a vanity in the bathroom for her hair/toiletries. It all ends up under the bed or jammed into a closet which contains clothes, shoes, extra blanket,her suitcases and tote bags, laundry detergent, etc.
Something to think about as you prune. Where’s it all going when she unpacks? She won’t want to sleep on a bed which is stacked with 20 sweaters.
@thumper1 her room is a box - 14x15. That’s a great idea! I tried using the 3d room makers online but didn’t look right.
@Pizzagirl I am def going to check out the Ole a kiss thread but she does like to match and is hoping to warm up the un-warm dorm room with certain frills…like the headboard. I mean technically - it only takes room for the move 
Fit into a passenger car??? Ummmmm… I’m in trouble! We are taking a truck with a bed that has a locked cover. Not certain it’s all going to fit in there. But I wouldn’t even know where to begin to reduce all this stuff
No one will give you dirty looks, but you will gaze, with envy, at the kids who got everything up to the ninth floor in one trip, with the help of just a parent and sibling.
Even worse is the move-out, because things have magically multiplied during the school year, and it will not all fit back in your car. Thus the dumpsters full of lamps, rugs an chairs outside every dorm.
What’s in the plastic bins if not her clothes and bedding?
IMO, she should only be taking one set of bedding.
@Pizzagirl hahah! you mean ole miz! yes i saw that in my facebook feed! I loved that room but a bit much!!
My D had a reasonable amount of clothes laid out on her brothers bed (in grad school) she proudly showed me the reasonable amount. Last night I looked and it was like the tribbles had multiplied out of control (Star Trek reference). I’m not worried about getting her up there we are flying with her but my S came home by himself each semester I see her being more of an issue.
My answer simply is YES, she has too much stuff. Good Luck
@blossom I suppose that is my fault. I like to be thorough and began purchasing stuff before she even knew which school she would be attending. Also - there would have been NO WAY that I could afford everything she needed at one time.
I haven’t seen a room that would hold 6 large plastic bins (not unless she’s willing to alienate her roommate/s). Maybe if she can loft her bed and large isn’t as large as I’m thinking . . . maybe. By the way, I’ve done freshman move-in at my institution, the upperclassmen may laugh at your daughter, but they won’t give her dirty looks unless any of those items is super-heavy (very few, very small elevators in three-story buildings, so stuff gets carried up stairs – you may want to consider that aspect if your dorms are similar). Now the parents in the car behind you waiting for those kids to finish so they can help their kid? They’ll give you dirty looks. Good luck.
@eastcoascrazy I heard that the dumpsters are a bargain shopper’s dream at the end of the year!!
@higheredrocks luckily she will be lofting her bed. She is on the 3rd floor and I am TRYING to keep the bins as light as possible.
It sure sounds like I will be bringing some stuff home with me
There might be room for ONE big plastic tub that could double as a nightstand. (In our day we had trunks which served the same purpose.) Six? No way.
Things not to bring: Books. She’ll be getting her new books soon enough. Multiple purses - try to skinny down to very few. Lots of towels - keep it to maybe 4, tops.
What’s in there?!
Those of us who moved via plane had to made sure our luggage fit in the regular size passenger car we rented at the other end to get to the school. A truck seems really excessive to me.
Last year (when my kid was a freshman), two girls (who knew each other beforehand) brought about the amount you’re talking about…they were surprisingly able to fit about 70% to 80% of it into the room…but their parents did have to haul back about 20% to the car…so get emotionally ready now
The biggest issue are those 6 plastic bins…are big are they? That’s going to be tough even with a lofted bed.
Way too much. Six bins of what? Vera bags of what?
My daughter took a lot of stuff her first year, a lot of blankets and pillows and of course a few stuffed animals. Her hockey stuff. Way too many t-shirts and pants and dresses. When I moved her out (she’d packed, so not a good job) it filled the entire back of a CRV. Second year? Lived in a double at the sorority house, and had about 3 big duffels and a few boxes. And her hockey gear.
Just went back last week. She wanted to ride with a friend so was limited to his trunk (very small). Took 2 duffels, a backpack with her computer and one other bag with bedding. One blanket, one pillow, no stuffed animals. Her hockey stuff needs to go up later since they don’t even have ice until Nov 1. I think she took 2 dresses not the 50 (I’m not kidding) she took her first year. I think she’s down to 3-4 pairs of shoes.
Lofting is key in most dorm rooms; having that option really helps. I mentioned weight because people love to fill up roller bags and it’s easy to get them over 50 pounds and not think about having to carry them up stairs.
I used to love move-in – so much excitement and joy (I no longer work in student affairs). It was always fun to help the families and welcome them to campus. And don’t take me too seriously, she won’t be the only over-packed girl and the laughing is always good-natured (and by the time you get back downstairs no one will remember how much stuff she brought). My most important task was to make sure that no one got taken out of turn (it’s a high stress day; some parents are less than rational when there is accidental line cutting). It’s a really special time (I look forward to doing it with my minimalist son next year); I hope everything goes smoothly for her.
@bouders the bins are filled with desk lamp, sm.fan, tea kettle, school supplies, … All the stuff on school check lists.
@SouthernHope the bins are going to get emptied (hopefully) and then stored in a storage area.