<p>D just got a mailing today from HSA Cleaners offering their products. In the first paragraph, the HSA Manager states "Please know that we do have specially sized beds on campus, but we have a practical and convenient solution that provides reasonably priced bedding and bath products. ......... providing brand new, first quality, custom sheets..... Students like it because they are certain to have properly-sized sheets......". </p>
<p>Aren't the beds standard XL Twin beds? This letter is implying that sheets that I purchase elsewhere will not be "custom" and not fit the mattress. The prices are actually not bad but I want to know what options I have. Can I buy XL Twin sheets and have them fit?</p>
<p>This is what I got from Target last year:
Extra long twin bed sheets Fitted 39X80 (38x80 works too I heard)
Mattress Topper 38X80 foam (memory foam 39X75 was too expensive)
(the HSA prices were not conducive to my budget ;))</p>
<p>Also, the windows tend to be very drafty, especially in the upper floors in the older
buildings. You might consider crafting/buying a ‘window draft blocker’. These
will not appear on your list and can be very nice to have.</p>
<p>The blocker is simply a tube filled with beans/beads and a nice cotton cover-
like a lay-flat cotton cylinder that can be put on the inside of the window sill
and run about $5-$10 if you buy them (got to find them first) or about 50 cents
if you make them with instructions you can find online.</p>
<p>I appreciate the pointers. As for the blockers, I’ll probably go for the making them once I know what her room situation is like and of course I will have to make them coordinate. :)</p>
<p>I never bought a topper for my son during his 4 years. Do you all find that it really makes a difference?</p>
<p>My son was largely uninvolved with the bedding decisions. We did the Bed, Bath & Beyond thing with him here and it is delivered to a store there. (Guitars may have a better idea with Overstock.) Going through BB&B after picking up the order from here I suggested one of the memory cell toppers. He was reluctant, but within weeks said it was the best thing that we bought. Loved it.</p>
<p>Comforters can seem like a waste. They are large and bulky and can be expensive. Our son did not want one, deeming a blanket to be sufficient, until sometime in October(?) when it was cold, but the heat was not turned on in the dorms. We ordered a comforter to be delivered and by the time it got there the heat was on and it was too hot to use a comforter. It was used mostly if a guest stayed overnight on the futon.</p>
<p>My kids have gone through every top of topper since going to camp years ago … the cell ones, the featherbed (and non-featherbed) and one even bought a memory-foam clone through overstock.com during college. I guess they (particularly one of my kids) like their beds just right! </p>
<p>I would suggest something inexpensive as the beds are not all that comfy without it.</p>
<p>EDIT: Also, be sure to buy/bring pillows. Harvard used to provide one, but I think they stopped this past year. Even if there is a pillow, it’s going to be really scrawny + not at all soft.</p>
<p>You all have convinced me on the topper. Hope that my son does not find out that he got gyped for 4 years. :)</p>
<p>Pillows. Good advice and warning. I would have assumed that a student was responsible for providing their own but it is good to include this in thread for others who would not.</p>
<p>On the microfridge, current plans are to check out the room and it’s space but brother is done with his minifridge so we will be trying that first.</p>
<p>Would definitely get a set of bed lifts as well to make under bed storage useful. FWIW I built my son platform blocks w/lumber to accept the lifts and gain enough additional height to fit a trunk under the bed.</p>
<p>A standard twin comforter worked just fine for my DD’s twin XL bed. As poster above warned, the coldest weeks in the dorms can be before the heat is turned on. Once on, conditions vary widely, dorm to dorm, room to room.</p>