<p>Re: Alarm Clock - One of my son’s roommate used his cell phone alarm, but found that he was capable of waking up, turning it off, and promptly going back to sleep. So, he started wrapping it in packing tape and by the time he had it unwrapped he was actually awake.</p>
<p>For storage, my son and his roommates (2) used a futon they bought. Whenever they needed to “clean up for company”, all of the miscellaneous stuff was pushed under the futon. When they were moving out of the room at the end of the year, they discovered an unopened FedEx box (good thing it was sent FedEx!)</p>
<p>At some colleges, students will be given a T shirt every time they turn around - for opening a bank account, participating in an activity, going to an event, belonging to something, etc. It makes sense to find out if this happens at your college, and choose the number of T shirts you bring accordingly.</p>
<p>As I recall that was a good list of what not to bring. My older son likes having an alarm clock. I think the second set of sheets is a good insurance policy. You never know if someone will get sick or spill something. I think it’s nice to have two weeks of clothes in case you run into a busy weekend, but not more than that.</p>
<p>The rolling underbed bins from the Container Store were great both to pack stuff in the car and to use all year round under the lofted bed. Extra sheets and an I pod dock (both for music and to wake up) were a must. S actually did change his sheets. Purex seemed like a good idea but using the laundry detergent that lined the shelves of the laundry room seemed even easier to my S. There was a lifetime supply of detergent there, really! The one big thing we purchased when we got there, that I smiled about for every vid/chat session was a very cumfy but not too costly desk from chair Office Depot. We received a 15% off cupon just before the start of the school year and put it to good use. S’s survival food was instant oatmeals in little packets. I learned to use this instead of packing foam when sending those one price boxes from the post office to mail necessities. From what I hear packages didn’t arrive covered in oatmeal so it seemed to work!</p>
<p>** UNDERBED BINS ** - In our case (long distance) we won’t do anything fancy since may need to toss at year end. But I like the concept and will encourage suitcase choices that allow conversion to under bed storage. Also will encouage him to cut down boxes for similar purpose.</p>
<p>** UNDERWEAR and SOCKS** - Yes, extra underwear and socks is probably the most efficient way to stretch between laundry days. (I may need to say more socks. And fewer bulky hoodies… a think one and a thick one ought to be enough.)</p>
<p>** SWIM SUIT ** - Seems small enough to pack, even if not sure if it will be used. I do remember some of the guys at college wearubg theirs to the laundry room when they were down to zero underwear;) .</p>
<p>I just did a “bump” on the what-not-to-bring thread recommended above.</p>
<p>colorado-mom: If your S is a distance away, as mine is, there is an excellent chance he won’t be carting things back home for the summer but rather putting them in storage. You may want to consider that when you consider the durability of what you buy. Two of his came from under his bed at home, so it was an easy choice!</p>
<p>I thought I was one of the only people left who still uses an alarm clock Personally I’m just paranoid of change, and I don’t want to risk not getting used to hearing my phone alarm. Plus I like my alarm clock! </p>
<p>I don’t think TVs are really necessary anymore, since so many TVs and movies can be watched on a computer. That will save a lot of room if there’s not many shows you absolutely have to watch live. </p>
<p>I think what I’m going to do is just try not to bring a lot of stuff with me on the first trip. Then, as the weeks go by I’ll see what I actually need or miss. When I moved out the first time I took WAY too much with me! I actually laughed at myself when I was packing my car again. So this time I’ll wait until trips home (campus=2.5 hours away) and bring stuff back then.</p>
<p>More than likely I’ll forget that I was ever going to need that stuff…or I’ll just be too lazy to bring it back with me, lol!</p>
<p>Let’s just see how well this plan goes when I try to put it in action…I’m such a pack rat!</p>
<p>My older D’s roommate had a alarm clock - she’d hit the snooze & go back to sleep. Worst thing was that she had it set for 7am, she didn’t often get in before 3am, and really didn’t have to be up til at least 9. The only person it woke up (and irritated) was my D. If S or D isn’t used to an alarm now, they might not get it once they get to school. </p>
<p>Her bed lofted to 32" and she put the plastic drawers on wheels under it along with the empy rubbermaid bins (filled w/space bags & garbage bags & out of season clothes), sleeping bag, her duffle for the train home and her laundry basket and all other misc stuff.</p>
<p>I think she has two bags for lingerie - one for dirty and one for clean. No chance of leaving strays in the washer. They hung from hooks on the end of the bed. One set of sheets which she washed ‘as needed’ (snort)</p>
<p>She did buy a folding papasan-type chair at target. It fit in the common room with the other 3 just fine - comfy and it made an ok sleeping spot when her roomie’s snoring/lights/alarm got to be too much ;)</p>
<p>It is too easy to take too much. A part of me would have them live in the dorm for a week before buying anything just to have them find out what they really need.</p>
<p>Back in the day
beds were lofted with 2x4s etc–frames the dads made…It was an amazing process.
And a sofa /fridge etc fit underneath–yet it put you pretty high–</p>
<p>Some created lofts that spaned the whole room–and used the desk chair, desk as part of the ladder…yikes!</p>
<p>I used large cinder blacks on end to lift the metal frame high enough for great storage yet not as high as a loft.
All this to say</p>
<p>How/What are they using to loft beds now?</p>
<p>I took a couple of Tupperware types of canisters (to avoid bugs) </p>
<p>An over the door shoe bag held lots of odds/end.</p>
<p>fogfog: Beds in S’s dorm were built to be lofted. All kids had to do was request that maintenance adjust the bed and eventually the job was done. I assumed that this was the way all dorms are now.</p>
<p>“I don’t think TVs are really necessary anymore…”
I never thought TV was appropriate for dorm room. DD had a roommate freshman year that was very neat and nice, but she had the TV on all of the time. Even needed it on to go to sleep. Yikes. (DD didn’t complain much because her own fault was extreme messiness. </p>
<p>DS will likely store much of his stuff at college, but not on campus (dorm space is used all year). Method is still TBD, but the less stuff the better.</p>
<p>Our furniture is made to be lofted, the bed can be stacked on top of the desk/dresser to loft it. However, you have to put it up and take it down yourself, staff are actually instructed not to help you. There is another configuration which is sort of a half loft, with just the bookcase and dresser underneath. My dad made me custom bed risers to give me 8 inches or so and I do that instead of lofting to make use of under the bed storage. Though, my room next year is half the size of last years so we’ll see. I do not physically wake up right away and sometimes have to haul myself out of bed before I am really awake, and I am afraid I’ll hurt myself going down a ladder like that. :</p>
<p>At S’s school kids get together and rent storage off campus. There are also some companies that drop off and deliver a unit to be packed and and locked up. They haul it off to be stored and deliver it back to school in the fall. These services are more expensive but do simplify things for students if they don’t have a vehicle.</p>
Personally I’m just paranoid of change, and I don’t want to risk not getting used to hearing my phone alarm. Plus I like my alarm clock! </p>