Help set up room - storage ideas

<p>My son has a suite in Hinton James (his choice). He has one roommate and there are three other rooms in his suite. I was wondering how much room is under his bed for storage if he does not loft the bed (is it big enough for those storage boxes they sell?) Also, how much room in the closet - should we buy one of those items that changes one rod into two (top and bottom)? Hang something on the closet door like an over-the door shoe rack? What about a hamper - enough floor space for a hamper or better off with a hanging laundry bag? Any other tips and tricks? </p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

<p>1.) you can elevate your bed enough for storage, even if you don't loft it. however, most people in the big south campus dorms definitely loft their beds.
2.) i think the "closets" in hinton james are like the ones in ehringhaus, which actually are more like wardrobes, and i thought they were pretty tiny, but i have a ton of clothes. my roommate didn't have as much of a problem fitting everything in the closet. they have sliding doors so you can't hang anything over the back. also, he'll probably have to share a dresser with his roommate.
3.) i definitely had enough room for a free-standing hamper.
4.) i bought most of my organizational/storage stuff AFTER i got to school and got to scope out my room's layout with all of our furniture where it was going to be. it's kind of hard to predict how much space you'll have and where, so it's easier to buy things once you find out what exactly you have space for. there's a supertarget close by at the south point mall shopping center, and one or two nights during the first week there's a shuttle bus that goes back and forth from the target for freshmen, which stays open late just for this purpose.</p>

<p>Hinton</a> James Community - Floorplans</p>

<p>Hinton</a> James Community
^There's pics of model rooms on this website.</p>

<p>Same here. I planning on having a barren room until I get a feel of how much furniture I can fit in before my roommate complains.</p>

<p>Wow - thanks for all the suggestions. Phonyreal - that floor plan link was great. Seems that one closet in the room is considerably smaller than the other. My son moves in second - less storage room for him. How much do they really monitor the move-in times?</p>

<p>well i just bought some of my college stuff, so i'm not speaking from experience, but they do sell pop-up laundry hampers/bags that can be stored much more neatly when they're not in use. just a suggestion. :) and also, if hojo is like my dorm, ehaus, there should be some storage space over the wardrobe/dresser/desk area on one of the walls, which is actually pretty nice. i kind of like the set up of hojo/ehaus/craige!</p>

<p>Do we need to buy a desk lamp or does that come with the room?</p>

<p>you'll have to buy one. there are only overhead flourescent lights.</p>

<p>Def buy a desk lamp!</p>

<p>ho jo has 3 huge storage areas on the top of the built in wall. you won't have any problems for storage there.....you also have as much room as you want under your bed. My d put her fridge (tall kind) under her bed, and we took a sheet and made a skirt to cover the other area....would have held ton. under the bed but she had a single so didn't need all that space.....</p>

<p>yes get a desk lamp. some of this stuff is very cheap at the bookstore, we got the lamp for 5-6 dollars, also alarm clocks support the student store when you can and you will be surprised the deals they have....they also have this shelf that clips on the bed for your alarm clock, glasses, etc. A must!!! 11-12 dollars.</p>

<p>If you go on the move in days, they monitor by giving you a timed piece of paper so you can unload and move your stuff up to the room, bring a cart and if you can grab some of the frat boys around helping.....they were so helpful installing carpet....took 2 minutes. You get 45 minutes to unload.
best is to come real early or real late after everyone else is gone! dump it and then go back later to set up. Send your son in let him do paperwork and get keys while you all unpack a load.....then before you put anything in the room, loft or don't loft your bed and put carpet down if any...then bring all that other stuff in....</p>

<p>Altmom - you mentioned coming really early or really late. They gave us a set move-in time - are we held to that time?</p>

<p>im so excited. :)</p>

<p>hey, anyone know if there are people around to help kids on the earlier move in days? like august 13th for kickoff & the service learning initiative?</p>

<p>Hey NewJerseyMom,</p>

<p>Where'd you see that set move-in time?? We are moving DS into HoJo (a suite) and I don't recall seeing a move-in time but REALLY don't want to foul this up, since we're coming off a long drive!</p>

<p>Also, for those of you who have gotten the carpet from that company that will deliver it -- is it good quality and worth it? Or is a nice area rug a better choice??</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Legalpeach,</p>

<p>We received a pamphlet in the mail that gave the move-in days based on dorm, room number (odd vs. even) and finally last name! It is probably on the website as well. We have the last move-in for HoJo and really would prefer an earlier time since we are coming from NJ and staying at a hotel. Don't want to twiddle our thumbs until 1:30 pm! My son is in a suite in HoJo as well. </p>

<p>I visited Home Depot considering a remnant for the room. The salesperson said I should buy the one from the school (although board members said it as not great quality it was convenient) and why would we want to carry one from NJ. However, when my son contacted his roommate, he had already bought a rug for his half of the room, so we did likewise.</p>

<p>You can neglect the time for move in ....it is pretty much organized chaos.</p>

<p>Earlier the better. Drop your kid off and tell them to go do the paperwork while you unload. They have to inspect the room and fillout a form. </p>

<p>YOu might want to clean a little, loft the bed or whatever before totally filling the rooms up.....and put down carpet also. There will be frat guys in groups out helping, accept it...they are great. They have never enforced times at the dorms in the 4 years I have done this at any of the dorms.<br>
Bring a cart if you hve one.....seriously people bring way way too much stuff...i especially dont' like the whole futon thing....make your bed and sit on it...with lots of pillows....the futons and frames are left for the landfill at the end of the year.</p>

<p>Carpet.
I went to a carpet remnant place and got a great piece much nicer and much cheaper than the dorm ones $30. Also ikea has some.... There are some larger nice bathroom rugs that are nice for dorms (you can fold them up for transport, you can wash them if someone throws up on them.....)</p>

<p>Hi all,
Glad to see NewJerseyMom sending son to UNC. I remember all the angst we all had earlier.</p>

<p>A blue pamphlet called "Moving to Carolina" has a parking pass card in it -- it's blank, and my daughter told me the time she was assigned -- I assume she saw it in an email or logged on to UNC.</p>

<p>Hate to be a rules stickler, but if everyone just ignores the move-in times, then it WILL be uncontrolled chaos right?</p>

<p>I'm guess the parking is limited so that's why folks are encouraged to use different times and take only 45 minutes to unload? I'm sure they don't turn people away who are early, but if I end up having to wait a couple of hours to even unload in the August heat when we show up at assigned time, it's going to be a miserable day.</p>

<p>Greetings from Chicago. We are in the final days of preparing our daughter for her move to Carolina - Eringhaus - non-air-conditioned room. What type of fan/fans could anyone suggest...Single window, twin window, tower? She is not terribly concerned, however has never experienced life without air-conditioning. We are moving her in on Aug. 13th as she will be in the Marching Tarheels Drumline and needs to move in early...Go Tarheels!!!</p>

<p>The secret to not having a really ugly dorm room is buying as much lighting as possible to avoid using your overhead light. Lamps, lamps, lamps!</p>

<p>Way back when S was a freshman in what was then Morrison South (now Hardin I believe), he and roommate lofted their beds on opposite ends of the room, put their futon on one wall and TV, video games etc on the other wall that had door to bathroom. This made the room huge. </p>

<p>We bought some rope lights at Target that we installed under their beds along the rails and it gave them the ability to really control lighting to the extent that once could go to sleep and there was still enough light for the other to come home and navigate the room. </p>

<p>You will be amazed at what you see being carried into dorms......sofas, recliners,etc....</p>

<p>One other hint....bring or buy locally a disposable cooler that you can fill with ice, water, soft drinks, gatorade whatever....move in days are usually warm and having access to cold drinks without having to walk to the lounge etc, makes things go much more smoothly.</p>

<p>We just (last week) moved to a new home and I am sore in places I didn't know I could hurt....plus we have to move S into his apartment for Med School this weekend.....</p>

<p>Good luck to all...</p>