<p>Anybody moving in from far away - where only a plane flight will get you there? What is the least expensive way to ship things? Is there storage in the dorms for things like large suitcases? Most importantly what do we need to bring that we can't buy in the Claremont area? What are the must haves to make dorm life comfortable? Is there a Bed, Bath and Beyond store close by?</p>
<p>Also, how much in the way of winter clothes should we pack? I'm assuming my D can leave her down coat at home.</p>
<p>I think a warm jacket (like a lightweight ski jacket) for the coldest days and a few sweatshirts should work for winter. That is our plan, anyway. S is a skier and will try to go if he can get the time away, so he will need ski pants and jacket, helmet, gloves, etc.</p>
<p>There must be a BB&B nearby, although I haven’t seen one yet. There is a large outlet/shopping area just to the east that H explored a bit, and quite a bit of shopping between Claremont and the airport.</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure that you can ship things to the college within about 2 weeks of when the kids check in. I need to reconfirm this on the website, but I think that’s what it was. I would think that UPS Ground might be the least expensive way to ship. I’m not sure about storage for large suitcases in the dorms, that may depend on the dorm. Many people have suggested using very large duffel bags, such as from Land’s End, to take on the flight, as they can be flattened and take up little space for storage.</p>
<p>My D discovered that the best thing she had in her room was an extra chair. We got her a folding soft sling type chair (on an aluminum frame) from BB&B which she loved because many people would come in and visit her if her door was open and sit down for a bit. It was like an invitation if she felt like company.</p>
<p>We live about 800 miles and will rent a large SUV and drive.</p>
<p>Also, a light fleece jacket for dry/cold days would be good.</p>
<p>D found that the ceiling light plus her desk lamp was just not enough light in the room, so we bought her (also at BB&B) a pole lamp with 5 lights (with different colored shades) that could be swiveled or bent up or down, depending on what she needed them for. She could also turn on just a couple of them, and point them down, which was handy when she or her roommate were trying to sleep.</p>
<p>D spoke with her freshman roommate over the summer and decided that one of them would buy a frige, and the other a microwave.</p>
<p>I just checked the BB&B site, and there is a store in Upland, the town next to Claremont (5 miles), and several more in the area. You can order anything you need in your local store, and pick it up at the Upland store when you arrive. I have never used this service, but have heard that it works very well.</p>
<p>Pomona’s mail room will start accepting boxes about two weeks before move in. She sent a lot of stuff via UPS and then came with suitcases. We had a rental car which we used for a trip to Target for shampoo,etc.</p>
<p>On move in day there is a large yard sale on campus where you can pick up second hand fans, fridges, lamps. The stuff is refreshed through out the morning. If you find something doesn’t work, you can carry it back the same morning and they will return your money.</p>
<p>My daughter’s room had really high ceilings and plenty of room for storage. There is also room under the bed.</p>
<p>Don’t forget the ant bait!!</p>
<p>Wow, yard sale sounds great. I guess we will wait to buy big items until we see what’s there. Just another way that Pomona seems to put students first :)</p>
<p>Should we buy risers to lift up the bed for storage underneath, or does that vary from dorm to dorm?</p>
<p>Ant bait??? Are these the little “sugar ants”, or something larger?</p>
<p>I don’t know about the risers - my daughter didn’t want her bed raised.</p>
<p>The ants are the teeny tiny ants but they get everywhere. We found the liquid Terro worked the best. Make sure all food ends up in ziplock bags or tupperware. Even if no food is accessible they may use your room to cross somewhere else. My daughter came home from winter break one year to find them all over her bed. Yuck! She called the exterminating service from buildings and ground and they came to treat her room, but not right away.
[What’s</a> Eating Your Empanadas? It Could Be An Argentine Ant | The Student Life](<a href=“Anti Film-Bro: Can Greta Gerwig save Barbie? - The Student Life”>Anti Film-Bro: Can Greta Gerwig save Barbie? - The Student Life)</p>
<p>When D moved in, we shipped boxes several weeks ahead. Books went media mail; large boxes went FedEx Ground. When comparing rates across all the major carriers, we found FedEx Ground to be the cheapest.</p>
<p>We purchased certain things, e.g., computer, sheets (she was picky), ahead of time. Other things, e.g., lamp, were purchased at Target in Montclair, right next to Claremont. When we went there, other families were there as well, stocking up on everything. You may want to order everything ahead of time on-line and pick it up when you get to Cali to save you time and sanity. Target and BB&B will do that for you.</p>
<p>H and I rented a minivan so that we could easily move the boxes from Smith Campus Center to her dorm.</p>
<p>In terms of clothing, D brought clothing she could layer for when the temps dipped in the evening. We did bring a heavy coat for her to wear home when we picked her up at the airport for winter break. And she did bring a heavy (but not Boston-heavy) coat back to school for when she might go camping in the desert where it can get cold.</p>
<p>H and I also were able to check in stuff for her that she wanted to bring on the plane. (This was in 2005 before the airlines started charging for baggage.)</p>
<p>When my son moved into the dorm at Pomona, they had a bunch of risers available for kids who wanted to loft their beds. He decided to loft his just high enough to fit a small fridge, his clothes hamper, and the dresser they provided under the bed. Some kids lofted their beds higher. He put his desk next to his bed and had a goose-neck floor lamp (cheap from Ikea --was perfect) that could provide lighting for desk or swivel for reading in bed. Everyone seemed to be making runs to the nearby Target. Good time to pick up laundry supplies kids will need. A couple of items to bring along or buy – ethernet cable for computer (so he was up and running before wireless was set up), dry erase board for outside of door, putty for hanging posters, small kit of tools (mini-hammer, tacks, etc). He liked having a little area rug for in front of his bed. Kids also like having a cozy throw or blanket (in addition to quilt or duvet on bed). In terms of clothes, he never needed more than a sweatshirt or fleece jacket. But, a rain jacket was used. And he loved having a bike there. He graduates on Sunday! It has been a FANTASTIC four years and he has made true friends for life. Couldn’t have been better. Gearing up for son #2 to head off to a different school in the fall.</p>
<p>@hopingforaid: excellent post… this list will come handy when D heads off to Pomona this fall.</p>