My son is most likely going to be attending Arizona State University in the Fall. We live in Chicago-land area and are planning to fly out for College Move-in.
Any advise on shipping boxes inexpensively from other college students/ parents that have children going to college across the country???
Trying to figure out the most economical way to do this.
Thank you!
Fly Southwest (each passenger gets 2 free checked bags); buy toiletries at destination; Amazon Prime is free for college students for 6 months
Agree with flying Southwest and maximizing luggage. Mom and Dad can probably get away with a carry on which leaves six bags for son. Shop when you get out there for towels and bedding.
Bed Bath and Beyond college services. Choose your stuff in Chicago Land and pick them up in the land of the sun
What do you do in May with all the stuff that accumulates during the year??? I may be in the same boat …
It depends on the school. One of my kid’s schools provided on campus storage for the summer. The other didn’t; my kid rented a storage unit with some other OOS students for the summer near campus. It was pretty cheap when they split it 5 ways.
First - STOP. No one living in a dorm needs all that much stuff. In a warm climate, even less. My daughter who is in florida stored all her stuff in 3 rubbermaid containers for the summer, and some friends who owned a house let her store them for the summer. She also had a duffle bag full of clothes that she brought home for the summer.
My other daughter took way too much stuff with her and lugged it all home the following May. She is in a very cold climate and took multiple blankets which she didn’t need because they kept the dorms at about 1000 degrees. She took way too many sundresses which she couldn’t wear because they keep the outside at about 10 below.
Pack less. Buy less.
A lot of time the kids can find someone local or with an apartment willing to store some stuff over the summer. Even though we are not far my son always found someone willing to keep the mini fridge and few boxes for him over the summer.
Or there is a u-store-it type place you could rent.
IDK, I was going to say UPS or Fed Ex.
I wouldn’t lug a bunch of luggage around. Chances are there are a bunch of kids making the AZ trek via auto. If the kid knows anyone, maybe there is some room for some stuff. But like others said, pack light. You can USP/Fed Ex anything he may need after he gets settled in.
Although, bring one set of “winter” stuff – a reasonable jacket, hat and maybe light gloves. When I was there, it decided to snow for the first time in like 20 years. 
But also, there is snow up in the mountains by Flagstaff – he may road trip up there one day.
I know there were at least 2 storage companies at my son’s college that dropped off boxes and picked them up and then redelivered then the following semester. If she can, take the bare minimum and pick up things as she needs them locally. Bed and bath college is great too.
There is very little that a student needs to bring to college. Virtually everything, even furniture, can be bought online. The bookstore and other shops are available. Waiting allows a student an opportunity for joint purchases for the dorm. Some things like space heaters and other electric devices may not be allowed in the dorm. There is precious little room in dorms and campus apartments.
Very few schools are located in the wilderness. Pack more like you are going on vacation.
Critical! Get medications transferred to a local pharmacy and ready for pickup when you arrive.
I didn’t fly out (mostly due to concerns about instrument safety), but our 2-door Honda could only pack so much, so we sent a 40-pound box to the dorm through UPS about a week before move-in of stuff I would only need in my dorm (like twin XL sheets).
I moved across the country recently and shipped all my non-valuables by FedEx ground. IIRC, it came out around 80 cents per lb. I sent my books via Media Mail through USPS, which is very cheap, but is restricted to ‘media’ items. I lost one box of books though, and media mail is not insured. All my stuff arrived in about 5 days.
If you want to travel by AmTrak, the luggage limit is pretty high… Also, check the checked luggage limit/fees for Virgin Air. My friend moved across the country and just checked in 8 boxes. That was 4 years ago now though. You can also send stuff pretty cheaply by Greyhound, but you have to pick it up at a Greyhound station. Same with AmTrak.
I agree with flying Southwest and every passenger bring 2 bags (if you are flying out with him). We actually did this over the summer (Arizona to Texas) when we went for the orientation and got a very small storage unit for just one month and put the contents in there (and we did a little shopping on that trip). When she flew out for move-in, we took another bunch of suitcases. In the end, like others mentioned, she kinda had too much stuff and she has sent some back home with us when we fly back. Tempe Marketplace is very close to the ASU campus - it is a huge shopping center with just about every major retail store you could imagine.