<p>I will be sending my first child to college in August, and I am trying to figure out how to get the "stuff" there if you can't drive across the country. What do most people do with the "heavy stuff"? Some people tell me just to buy everything there, but I am also wondering if, since "there" is New York City, everything is substantially more expensive.</p>
<p>If you add the shipping charges, the stuff may not be as expensive.</p>
<p>Many Universities do hold the stuff till a student arrives.</p>
<p>You can buy the stuff online and have it delivered to your child.</p>
<p>You can buy the stuff online and have it picked up at the local store.</p>
<p>Your child can go bit earlier with just enough stuff. Once the dorm address is known, you can ship the stuff.</p>
<p>My son was totally on his own in the states when he left for college. Earlier in the summer, I helped him pack up items like sheets and pillows that he had on hand from summer programs he attended during high school. Shopped locally for more things. Packed them up to be shipped from the local Fed ex office or maybe it was UPS. I don't remember. I then flew home and left him on his own to sort things out. He actually shipped the prepared boxes off several weeks before he arrived on campus. They were waiting for him. He travelled with 1 large duffle suitcase, carryon and backpack. Later at Christmas when he came home, we shopped online for things that he really wanted for the room. When he arrived back on campus, the loot was waiting for him to unpack in January. Recently, he went to the local mall and bought a few more items for next year. Slowly, slowly.</p>
<p>don't forget most domestic airlines have a weight limit of 50 # and # of pieces you can check in.</p>
<p>It also may be a good idea to learn to live with minimum stuff...Nine months later, you have to do something to the stuff for the summer.</p>
<p>Our S is flying with a few clothes in his carryon and a laptop. He has to take a couple buses and I can't picture him handling multiple large pieces of luggage without help/without losing something. School is somewhat isolated--no shopping unless he mooches rides from students with cars. . .We're going to ship bulky items--books, bedding, heavier clothes--ahead of time. As far as "extras" that a lot of kids bring to college (fridge, TV, furniture, decorative items, etc.) he'll do without--or hope he gets a "local" roommate who will share!<br>
He'll be eating in the dining hall. The dorm room has a bed, desk and chair. I'm asking myself--besides clothes, books and bedding, what else does he need? Alarm clock? toiletries? Picture of Mom? If he really needs something, we'll mail it to him. Otherwise, he can wait until Xmas break--it's only 4 months, right? (I think the less I emphasize the "permanent moving away" and the more I say "one semester at a time," the easier the transition will be for this kid--and the whole family). I thought of giving him our thinnest worn sheets and towels--then he can throw them away at the end of the year. (Not sure if they use those odd-size sheets. . .)</p>
<p>"what else does he need?"</p>
<p>alarm clock (with battery backup), table lamps (couple), detergent, land line phone, two week supply of under wears and socks, office supplies.</p>
<p>(We should have listened to the advice of NE parents - no snow shoes)</p>
<p>Moms picture will be burried under the mess.</p>
<p>Okay, not everything has to go at once. They sell things like sheets and towels everywhere so don't send those. Most schools have some summer storage so don't worry too much about it all coming back and forth.</p>
<p>Winter clothes and heavy coats can go back after Christmas or get bought there.</p>
<p>First, what airline? What are their charges for overweight and additional bags? </p>
<p>When my son went cross-country (WA to MA), he took two 50 pound duffles (the airline's limit, and yes, we weighed them to check the weight) and his overstuffed backpack. We'd sent a duffle full of bedding/towels ahead with a friend who'd been visiting (I'd have had him buy it there otherwise.) That was it. </p>
<p>What did he take? Clothes, a few books, laptop (which also serves as alarm clock and DVD player), mom-made quilt (in backpack, I wouldn't let him check it!). Toiletries we ordered from drugstore.com and had shipped there. </p>
<p>When he moved all the stuff back 2 1/2 years later--he took a semester off and couldn't store anything--it was still two duffles and a backpack, plus two 50-pound boxes of books he shipped back UPS.</p>
<p>DD is also going across country to college. To be honest, we are not taking any heavy "stuff". I will be flying with her. Between the two of us, we'll have four suitcases each holding up to 50 pounds. One fill be for towels, sheets, blanket, toiletries, etc. The other three will be for clothes and her personal items (shoes, purses, etc). Fortunately, she is going to a warm climate so she doesn't need any bulky clothing. She will carry her computer on the plane, and I'll carry her musical instruments in a case. Both of us will carry backpacks as well. That is it. When we get where we are going, we will buy a very inexpensive printer, a rug, and any school supplies we don't squeeze into the suitcases (e.g. notebooks etc). DD feels very confident that everything she wants to take will fit into her three suitcase allotment (she gets to fill three..I'll be doing the linens and toileties one). Her music will go on her computer. Oh...the towels and sheets will likely be taking a one way trip...to the school. We have so many sets of extra long twin sheets, that she can take two sets, use them and leave them. Ditto for towels. DS says...put all the "stuff" you think you need in one room...then take 1/2 of that with you. I think that is outstanding advice. Dorm rooms are not huge, and the storage is not plentiful. "Less is More" should become your motto. DD, as someone else noted, will not be the one to bring the fridge, TV, microwave, bookshelf stereo or anything else heavy or big. Hopefully her roommate(s) will understand...and she is very willing to chip in on the rental of a fridge for the year.</p>
<p>We did make the 18 hours drive with my daughter the first year with the car packed. She was afraid to leave anything at home! I think because she was in a more remote area, she felt like she wouldn't be able to purchase what she would need. Both Bed, Bath and Beyond, and Linens N Things have a way for you to go to your local store and order everything you need and they will have your order ready at the closest store to school. You just go in and pick it up. </p>
<p>With 3 other roomates, the girls decided who would bring what as far as fridge, microwave, tv, stereo, etc. My daughter wanted to bring a tv as my entire family is addicted to tv. She used her graduation money and we checked the wholesale clubs nearby for a good deal and picked up the tv near school. </p>
<p>I can tell you that with girls, many of my friends and I have become frequent visitors to the local UPS store. I love the calls from school saying daughter "needs" her black shoes for a party or her heavier jacket (she took 3 others!) They is always something she needed that was here at home. Once they see what everyone else is wearing, sometimes they just want to fit in.</p>
<p>Depending on locations, Fed Ex ground might be the cheapest. For best rates, go to company stores rather than 're-sellars'</p>
<p>Our D will be across the country. I plan to select things like bedding at our local Bed Bath and beyond, and have them transfer them to a local store. We will pick them up on the other end, and they carry all the things you need for a dorm room.</p>
<p>I will probably ship her bulky heavy winter clothes after she moves in.</p>
<p>A lot depends on expectations. I've been through a bunch of move-in days (and a roughly equivalent number of move-out days), some of those in NYC. It's always fun to watch other students/families. Some arrive with a super-size SUV loaded with stereo, computer, refrigerator, TV, carpet, game machine, lava lamp, sports gear... everything except a 40" dual-fuel commercial-grade range. Other kids show up with a suitcase and a duffle bag, and don't seem any less happy.</p>
<p>NYC is a bit of a pain for dorm-stuff shopping. You can't just drive over to the closest WalMart and fill up your car with bookcases & stuff. You may have to settle for smaller stores, and you'll probably have to carry the stuff back to the dorm. For the first trip, if you don't drive, you may want to rent a car so you can drive out to the big box stores in NJ. It's a hassle dealing with a car in NYC (the main annoyance is paying a ton of money to park it someplace inconvenient when you aren't actually driving, though I often got fairly lucky with street parking), but a vehicle might be handy if you expect to do a lot of shopping.</p>
<p>There are summer storage places that will pick up stuff in the spring, store it, and redeliver it in the fall.</p>
<p>As a person who believes in traveling as light as possible, I did a combination of simba's suggestions when moving D's stuff on campus. You can go to UPS online, put in your information and they will come to your house, pick up your boxes and trunk (provided) it is locked and will deliver it to the school. You can track your package on line. Cost was inexpensive.</p>
<p>Check with your school as at D's school they will hold packages up to 2 weeks, so we started sending stuff before leaving. In addition we did do some on line shopping and got free shipping. This along with no tax in NH was a cost savings when you think about 8.65% sales tax in NYC and the cost of shipping.</p>
<p>I agree everything does not have to go at once, when D came home for thanksgiving, she took a lot of her winter stuff back to school with her. When visiting during parents weekend since ours is in the spring, winter stuff comes back home when I come home.</p>
<p>D., has 2 giant LL bean duffels one with wheels. At the end of the year, there are a variety of storage options from trunk rooms that cost $10, some free storage on campus to off campus storage where they will come and pick up your stuff from your room, store it and bring it back in the fall. The only thing she brings home at the end of the year is her computer and clothes.</p>
<p>Here's what worked for us (2000 mile trip):<br>
-Freshman Sept.: drive the kid there
-From then on, buy round trip air tickets Dec/Jan, then May/Sept, etc.</p>
<p>Also, for shipping, you can get a big box at U-Haul (less than 70" w+h+l) and fill it up to max 70 pounds. It will cost about $25 USPS. Then you can insure it for about $5-10 more, so that if it gets lost, the kid will get a bonus $1000 instead of a box of stuff.</p>
<p>Someone mentioned land-line phone - the majority of students don't bother with them any more - they just use their cell phones. With free cell to cell calling and free long distance, it's the cheapest and most convenient method. The trick is making sure cell coverage is okay at the particular location for the particular cell company.</p>
<p>I agree with not overdoing it with 'stuff'. Let them go in minimalist mode and bring more stuff as needed during breaks. </p>
<p>If they go to school in California, they can just skip the winter stuff:).</p>
<p>My daughter is flying out on her own to NYC, and I don't think she'll take all that much stuff. She plans to go out a few days early and shop for bedding out there. I think at this point she has traveled enough to figure out that it's best to travel light -- various items can be shipped later, or taken after winter break.</p>
<p>My son is a bigger problem -- he's a transfer student going in state, about 300 miles away, where he plans to live off campus -- and he seems to be wanting to take the furniture from his current apartment with him. That makes a little bit of sense, though I think it would be easier for him to just replace stuff when he gets there -- I'm sure in a student community there is plenty of used furniture being sold pretty cheaply.</p>
<p>As a neurotic mother, I'll have to buy sheets and towels for S and wash them first.</p>
<p>We live overseas so before my son started at a rural Northeast college we spent a few days in New York and bought everything you could possibly imagine. </p>
<p>If I had to do it over again I would start with way less and buy on line for delivery right to the school. This is especially good for linens and small appliances and furnishings.</p>
<p>The good thing about on-line retail is that you (the parent) can do the pre-editing, the student can approve then the parent can finalize the transaction. Everything can be delivered within days. You can't make them change the sheets but you can at least be confident they have two sets. :)</p>
<p>I'm with you Smiles; everything gets washed and fabric softener added!! I have turned my kids into also wanting everything washed first, especially linens and towels.</p>
<p>My daughter had a roomate last year that took her sheets straight from the package and put them on her bed. My daughter was horrified; you could smell the dye in them across the room. When we arrived for parents weekend in October and again for an event in February, my daughter informed me that the sheets on her roomates bed had yet to be changed. My daughter on the other hand really tried to change her sheets every week, but every so often it was two weeks between washings. My son on the other hand-I don't want to know how often his sheets get changed!!</p>