<p>Interior designers for dorm rooms??? Shades of Willy Wonka.
[quote]
Veruca Salt: Hey, Daddy, I want an Oompa Loompa! I want you to get me an Oompa Loompa right away!
Mr. Salt: All right, Veruca, all right. I’ll get you one before the day is out.
Veruca Salt: [whining] I want an Oompa Loompa now!
[quote]
</p>
<p>Being a Mom that is an interior decorator, it is very hard for me not to want to step in and make it homey. I know i could get the best use of limited space. I am NOT allowed to decorate the room!!! I might have to tie my hands behind my back. </p>
<p>I don’t know if a safe or lock box is really necessary…First they have to use it and second if you can’t trust your roommate to not steal your stuff then a roommate change is in order… </p>
<p>Yes, a lock box or safe isn’t necessary. </p>
<p>I enjoyed mine, though. I had things I needed to keep confidential and protected. I locked my keys and electronics up at night and when out of the room. I was able to keep commonly abused medication that I would be liable if it were to be mishandled locked up and out of the way, too. Will be using the lock box again this year!</p>
<p>(Adopt me, @PERplexD. You can decorate my room!)</p>
<p>We spent around $700-$800 total. She’s taking pretty much everything brand new save her wardrobe and some personal things. We probably went overboard, but this is my first going to college and it’s difficult not to indulge her excitement. She’s normally a pretty frugal kid, so it was fun shopping with her and hearing her reasoning for certain items and her plans for the dorm room (she’s been coordinating with her roommate).</p>
<p>I’m sure we are not going to spend anywhere near what a lot of people are spending. </p>
<p>Also, a good chunk of what DS is earning this summer is his to use for personal needs. We’ll buy bedding and such but not a lot of new clothes.</p>
<p>ShawnW is a spam poster. Those who are able to, please report. </p>
<p>We have spent about $500 and that doesn’t include the fridge/microwave/floorlamp/rug/TV (things that need to be coordinated with a roommate) but expect another $250 or so to split those things. </p>
<p>Since you’re planning a year in advance though, you can pick up things like clothes slowly over the course of the year and ask relatives to give Bed, Bath, and Beyond or Target gift cards for birthday or holiday gifts. </p>
<p>Gilmore Girl’s warning about what could happen if you buy a new mattress: <a href=“Gilmore Girls: The Mattress That Wouldnt Leave - YouTube”>Gilmore Girls: The Mattress That Wouldnt Leave - YouTube;
<p>Some of these things you will have for a very long time… The mini-fridge I bought for older d’s freshman year in the summer of 2003 is still going strong as she uses in her art studio. The plastic trash can that I picked up in Target for older d’s summer art program in 2002 is in use in younger d’s bathroom in her apartment today.</p>
<p>Some things don’t last long. I never had a full-length mirror that was purchased seemingly every year make it through summer storage. No matter how many times we bought hangers, they always needed to buy more.</p>
<p>For those who plan not to invest in new pillows… do you plan to have your students bring those pillows home with them for holiday breaks like Thanksgiving and Christmas or what about a weekend home-could be long weekend or could be to attend a performance at home, go to a family wedding or event and so on? </p>
<p>I was telling my 13 year old that we need to move his older brother out of the dorm and into an on campus apartment on Saturday. The 13 year is slightly worried that there won’t be enough money left by the time he goes to college. So he asked me “How much did you spend on stuff for his dorm room?”…lol. I said well probably too much.</p>
<p>For us:
home - have one set of pillows,blankets etc .
Dorm & or apartment - have one set.
So those items stay there. </p>
<p>^Same here. I just happened to have a few extra pillows at home. Everything else was purchased specifically for the dorm. </p>