<p>CountingDown, tell me about the safe. How big? What “anchors” it to the room so nobody can run off with it?</p>
<p>Great list Kerrbo! Thanks. It looks exactly how I would pack. I may print it and show it to my DH and S to prove I am not the only one who does this 
</p>
<p>I admit that I have started to buy some things that I know are “generic” like towels on sale, toothbrushes and such. I am going, thanks to CC, to keep an eye out around the holidays for a small toolkit. I have a feeling Christmas is going to be college oriented at our house :-)</p>
<p>I realize I’m on the high end, but unlike others, there is nothing I can take from home (I am literally only bringing my calculator from home). My comforter has no stuffing, my towels are ancient, my pillows are (literally) older than I am, etc. Not including my laptop or any accrued expenses (travel, shipping) I think I’ll end up spending $2000. That includes, however, a new wardrobe from top to bottom - I haven’t bought clothes in over three years and I’m not even the same size anymore, much less the same style. So if you were buying from scratch, it’s going to be a lot more costly than taking half the things from home (obviously).</p>
<p>We’ve spent around $500 on D’s room, but after seeing the lists on this thread I realize we’re not done. . .</p>
<p>Thanks for the list Kerrbo. See everyone at the store:)</p>
<p>Duct tape
screw driver with different heads or a compact tool kit</p>
<p>No way will Axe spray be on either S’s list!!! ;)</p>
<p>Home Depot/Lowe’s has a screwdriver w/6 different heads for $3. Flashlight!!! Duct tape!!! Headphones were not on our original list with S1, but he asked for some later and S2 is including them on his list. Two pairs of sneakers. S1 found that duct tape to hold his shoes together did not work so well in the snow. (Did he say he needed new shoes when he was home on winter break? NAH!)</p>
<p>S1’s safe did not attach to anything; it’s the size of a shoebox. We looked at it as more for keeping important items accessible than for protection from theft.</p>
<p>Most colleges provide a trash can for each student. We saw many people taking cans home!</p>
<p>Kerrbo, I sent a lot of stuff off with S1 and it never got used. Esp. office supplies. We still have tons of school supplies here, so that is one thing I don’t need to buy.</p>
<p>I have spent about $400 and am not done. Girl, only child, not fussy, but we are starting from scratch and had to buy everything. I have all the main items - bedding, bath, laundry, etc. but still need to buy some back to school office supplies, toiletries, and some storage containers (but holding off until actual move in day since we don’t really know what is needed/what will fit.</p>
<p>that does not include the laptop and printer that were her graduation gifts.</p>
<p>Great thread!</p>
<p>We purchased one set of bedding and towels at BBY and one desk lamp. Our daughter made a collage using photographs and took some artwork of her own to put up, so altogether, we definitely spent no more than $200.</p>
<p>I’m not counting the laptop, which was a graduation present.</p>
<p>Our son starts as a freshman this fall, and he’s planning to take his comforter from home and his desklamp. We’ll purchase sheets, a mattress foam pad, a set of towels, and a cover for his comforter. He wants to buy a couple of posters, but this should cost no more than $200.</p>
<p>Things we found you don’t really need:</p>
<p>New bedding - we raided the home linen closet, and needed only x-long fitted sheets and mattress pad.
Refrigerator - child has full meal plan - 21 meals/week. What do they need a room frig for?
Microwave - see above.
Tools, vacuums, brooms, mops, iron, etc. - they can borrow these items as required from the house office, or RA, or somebody.</p>
<p>kerrbo, I like your list much better than the one I was using. I’m making a switch!</p>
<p>Thanks for everyone’s feedback. These estimates show we have plenty in the budget.</p>
<p>Now, can someone do the shopping for me? I’m one of those women born without the mall gene.</p>
<p>We got XL sheets/comforter/mesh laundry bag/etc as a package from a place for which we got an ad in the mail. Maybe $60.</p>
<p>The school gave him a towel during orientation. He only wanted one. (Yes, unfussy male).</p>
<p>Bought him a fridge at some large store (Walmart?) maybe $60.</p>
<p>Had to buy a 25’ network cable on move-in day because the one I brought wasn’t long enough - the port was on the other side of the room, and no wireless in the dorms. $30, a total ripoff, but I needed it right away.</p>
<p>DW wanted desperately to buy him an area rug, but S was having no part of that.</p>
<p>I got him a small tool set for around $15, he grabbed one of my rolls of duct tape.</p>
<p>Pretty much everything else he brought from home.</p>
<p>
I have to laugh at this list. This is for a boy??? No way. Not my S anyway. :)</p>
<p>I’m a female on a strict budget.
I’m going to guess I spent in the neighborhood of 150 to 200 dollars. I didn’t buy a THIRD of what college lists tell you to bring. I found most of it very unncessary.</p>
<p>notrich, I see my ds taking those clothes listed, but I had to add baseball caps. It will be a challenge to limit the number of those.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I understand the logic of that question. I really do. But when dealing with a tall skinny man child who needs to eat frequently and copiously just to maintain his weight (and keep the crabbies at bay), the refrigerator and microwave make more sense than fast food.</p>
<p>My sons would agree with you, rocketlouise.There’s no reason to overload a tiny dorm room! S2’s sophomore room was 25% smaller than his freshman room - he was downsizing every chance he could. There is always mail order for items that a kid needs, and if he/she decides that an item is needed, it is much more likely to be used. If mom buys it and sticks it in a drawer, it’s going to stay there.
Even with thrifty kids, moving S1 out of his apartment after graduation was a strain on the minivan. Books, warm bedding and clothes (for a northern school) take up a considerable amount of room. I didn’t want to throw things out as S3 was starting college the next year, but the amount of stuff that was dumped by others was appalling.</p>
<p>
My S decided he would take enough clothes for one week, and do laundry every week. His list was something like:</p>
<p>2 pairs of jeans
2 pairs of shorts
2 gym shorts
8 underwear
8 pairs of socks
8 or so tee shirts
1 belt
1 pair of sneakers
1 windbreaker
1 winter coat
1 pair of gloves</p>
<p>He later picked up 1 pair of black pants and a black jacket, a white dress shirt and tie, and dress shoes, because he joined the school’s concert band and needed concert clothes. He wore them once.</p>
<p>Over Christmas he grudgingly let DW buy him a pair of waterproof boots, mostly because DW refused to take no for an answer. He wore them twice. (He goes to school in western MA).</p>
<p>I think people pretty much just buy what they need (which is WAY less than on the long list a few posts back) or they buy what they want. Where you fall on the spectrum depends on the family’s ability to buy all that stuff, the student’s desire (or not) to have it all, and what the family/student is used to having and expects to have. Truthfully, though, you don’t really need much.</p>
<p>I can see I’m in the minority B)</p>
<p>I am afraid to add up the receipts. My son two years ago was cheap. He even got his fridge for free (from a friend) and his roommate had a microwave. Picked up a simple XL Twin bed set from Target in blue. The next year he went into an apartment and I got him some dishes and a small vacuum. (We had an old set of pots and pans for him to use.) </p>
<p>Now my daughter… everything has to match. She will have her own bedroom and share a bathroom with one roommate and a common living area with three. All of the girls have been online discussing colors, shower curtain patterns and who is going to bring what. My daughter ordered her bedspread and sheets online and when the bedspread comes in she and I will buy fabric to make a curtain and a closet curtain door. She will also pick out a 2x6 floor rug at this time. We are also waiting on the shower curtain because she will then pick out the bathroom mats and towels based on the colors of the curtain. My husband is making her a hutch for her dorm desk. As expensive as it sounds, it really hasn’t been as she has shopped around for great prices. Probably the most expensive thing was two folding bookcases, but I found a great deal online. We also got a George Foreman grill and she will take the same dishes, pots and pans my son had because he is now out of school. I say we will be close to the $750.00 range. We are okay with it as she earned enough scholarships to cover her UG.</p>