<p>I buy all identical white socks. Ditto dark ones.<br>
BrownAlumParent, S2 has had the same LLBean messenger bag since freshman year of HS (is now soph in college). It zippers closed plus has the overflap. Has not had a problem with rain.</p>
<p>Mompod - I can pretty much guarantee that your son will wear his jeans more than twice before washing them. I think 8 pair is too many. S1 went with 6 pair last year and this year he plans on taking 3 or 4.</p>
<p>Countingdown - too funny! This is just one of those topics I cannot visualize myself and my son discussing in the “condom aisle” of the pharmacy.</p>
<p>I want to thank the poster who suggested using a rolling trash can to haul stuff. We moved DS in yesterday and it worked quite nicely, especially for soft stuff like clothing, linens, etc. Much better than filling up boxes or making multiple trips hand-carrying.</p>
<p>Bought a 45-gallon one at Home Depot for less than $30. DD will use it at her first apartment, so the $$ wasn’t wasted.</p>
<p>Love the gray sock idea! I have two sons and one husband. Years ago I decided to only buy one brand for each guy and I now count that as one of my smartest decisions. Hanes, Champion and Gold toe. No matter what style, they only get those brands. I don’t match socks anymore either and I’ve noticed my son’s wearing ones of varying lengths at the same time but I don’t say a word. :)</p>
<p>My son has done his own laundry for several years now, so I’m confident that he <em>can</em> do his own laundry when he goes to school. I’m not at all confident that he <em>will</em> do his laundry, at least not on any schedule that would be acceptable to me. I guess if being rumpled and slightly ripe ends up being a negative for him he’ll learn to love clean clothes and what it takes to get them.</p>
<p>When he was little and I sent him off to week-long science camps I was so careful to send plenty of jeans and socks and underwear. Sometimes they came back at the end of the week, still folded up in his duffel bag…sometimes they didn’t come back at all (“How did you <em>lose</em> four pairs of jeans in ONE WEEK?!?”)…and inevitably, he got off the bus in the same clothes he was wearing when he left. Sigh. My sweet little pig.</p>
<p>CHS2011mom</p>
<p>Our 5th grade teacher told the kids to ‘rumple up the clothing in your suitcase so your parents think you changed your clothes’</p>
<p>I miss her</p>
<p>Not sure how many pages back this tip is, but DOOR STOPPERS. Pick a few of those up before you go. DS’s roommates girlfriend moved into her dorm on Sunday and said they were a must because the newer dorms all have self-closing doors. Door stoppers made moving in much easier. No one had to hold the door open. Everyone could be moving.</p>
<p>Plus it left the door open so you could meet and greet new neighbors.</p>
<p>I have put ours in my purse so I will know where they are tomorrow morning!</p>
<p>Most important of all, pack one roll of toilet paper, just in case, it will tie you over until you can go to the store</p>
<p>I don’t get it - if you’re moving into a dorm, shouldn’t the bathroom be stocked with toilet paper?</p>
<p>I agree, Pizzagirl. I think the hint applies to students in apartments or suites where they are responsible for cleaning and stocking their own bathrooms?</p>
<p>I’ve been told by a few moms to get drawer liners for the chest of drawers- been looking on Amazon etc…</p>
<p>Comments regarding camp/clothes: I used to sneak in extra clothes into my DSs pack for boy scout camp. I knew he probably didn’t want/need/use them, but it made me feel better. He was fine with lots of extra socks/underwear…same shorts and shirt were usually ok.</p>
<p>Drawer liners…something I would want/need…not on sons list at all.</p>
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<p>ROFL…won’t be taking my DS to bulk store.</p>
<p>I was wondering about drawer liners. But the stuff seems pretty expensive for small quantities, so I think we’ll wait and see if the drawers are yucky or not. ;-)</p>
<p>It never hurts to put an air freshener in the back of the closet. Just make sure to pick a milder scent.</p>
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<p>^ OMGosh, thought I’d bought everything possible, but this is actually a great idea. I’d love something like the baking soda stick up in the fridge!</p>
<p>I just threw my tape measure into the “move-in day bag” so that if DS wants additional storage in a particular space, we can measure the space!</p>
<p>Oh yes, measuring tape is indispensible!! (measure spaces before moving that heavy bed/closet etc, measure for getting curtains, width of doors for over door hooks etc. !
Extra roll of paper towels, or box of kleenex also helpful.
I love the idea for baking soda fridge sticky for the closet!!
My D has conned us into springing for a double bed for her dorm room this year (don’t ask , don’t tell ;o !) Any ideas on whether bed risers will work still, or other ways to raise up a frame for under bed storage without expensive bed frame? Have to buy mattress there, won’t fit into our van, 2 day drive. have 2 days there to shop/construct etc. (dad is handy).</p>
<p>For anyone moving into apartment, suite-style dorms, it may be important to put detailed information on the room check-in form. When my son and his 3 roommates moved into their apartment dorm, the place was pretty filthy - no damages per se, but just all-around dirty. (There was even a dirty, wadded-up t-shirt under my son’s bed!) One set of parents couldn’t stand it, especially the bathroom and kitchen, so while we did a Costco run, they cleaned, and cleaned, and cleaned. </p>
<p>When it came time to move out, they received a check out list that indicated they should make sure they did a thorough cleaning - ceiling light fixtures, windows, screens, sliding glass door. Somewhat disbelieving, I called campus housing and when I explained how dirty the apartment was when they moved in the response I got was “Well, you should have written it all down!” When I pointed out that the form only asked for damage and didn’t have a cleaning checklist for check-in, she said we should have still written down that the apartment was not clean.</p>
<p>The guys had every intention of leaving a vacuumed and mopped apartment, but not window washing, screen cleaning, and ceiling light fixtures, which all of the parents told them to skip. They ended up leaving the apartment much cleaner than they found it, so no charges, but I wonder what would have happened if they hadn’t cleaned so thoroughly.</p>
<p>This year they are planning to write down everything, just in case.</p>
<p>Emotions will be running high on Move-In Day. It’s based upon the attachment theory. I say, embrace the anxiousness. The best years of your life await you this fall.</p>
<p>Good Luck.</p>
<p>^sfmomof2 – tried the link – said it was under construction. Perhaps you can repost – it sounds like it would be interesting to read!</p>
<p>Now that I’ve done move-in, this is what I wished I’d brought: a small cooler filled with water, Diet Coke, and snacks (like fruit, energy bars, trail mix). You’re hauling all this heavy stuff and the cafeteria isn’t right next door or it’s not open and there are no vending machines. Especially if you’re on a tight schedule. We both get a lot testier a lot faster when we’re hungry and thirsty.</p>