<p>Does my son need a rug for his room in Sutherland? Any other helpful big ticket items that you suggest? </p>
<p>Sutherland dorm rooms are carpeted. </p>
<p>Sounds like a vacuum would come in handy! Thanks for the info @TedsMom . I didn’t remember that from my brief tour. Less than 3 weeks to move-in!</p>
<p>My daughter will be moving into Sutherland too. I’m wondering if they may have vacuums the students can sign out. My older daughter’s university offers that option. Seems like it would be easier than having to find space to store a vacuum in their dorm. Anyone know?</p>
<p>Walmart has 2 options under $20. I think I will be picking one up. I don’t know if my son will use it. It will probably go unused like the other cleaning supplies I will send.</p>
<p>I sent one of those little recharging vacuums Freshman year. Son was in a six person “suite” in Sutherland. The vacuum lasted a few months only. When he moved out we were forced to use a broom to sweep the carpet and it was gross. 
I think you may be able to borrow a vacuum from the guard in the lobby but I wouldn’t count it. The girls across the hall from my son’s suite had a good vacuum and I think my son borrowed that once. I purchased a fairly nice vacuum for sophomore year (he was in Brackenridge) and that worked out well and he did use it so the place was pretty clean at the end of the year. </p>
<p>My daughter’s assigned to an 8 person suite this Fall. I think maybe I’ll pick up one of those Dirt Devil stick vacs I’ve seen at a Target. Might be easy to store in her closet.</p>
<p>My son tells me there are vacuums they can use but I may still pick one up. While we are on the subject of suites, I know the kids have to clean their bathrooms but do they need to supply toilet paper? I hadn’t really thought of that until recently. </p>
<p>My daughter said they don’t need their own toilet paper. Found out on the Facebook page for her floor. </p>
<p>You are correct - toilet paper is available. Cleaning supplies are not. I know girls are generally cleaner than the boys. My son’s bathroom was beyond gross. It all depends on who is sharing the bathroom. In my son’s case his roommate and he NEVER left anything in the bathroom - no soaps, toothpaste, toothbrushes, towels. They brought everything in and took it out when they left as some (or at least one) other bathroom-mate was a slob and left stuff everywhere and wouldn’t hesitate to use others towels, soap, etc. They tried in the beginning to clean and when they realized no one else was cleaning they gave up. </p>
<p>Essential item - flip flops - even in these suite shared bathrooms. </p>
<p>I would make sure there is a supply of hand soap that stays in the bathroom. I also supplied cleaning wipes and my son said he’d wipe down faucets and seat once in awhile. The rest of the bathroom was never cleaned. 
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<p>It’s too bad the university doesn’t have employees who could give the bathrooms a good cleaning once a week. I understand the students need to take some responsibility. As TedsMom stated above, some people are sloppy and don’t clean up after themselves. That makes it rough on the others assigned to a bathroom. Yikes, I can only imagine what kind of viruses and bacteria thriving in a cruddy bathroom. You would think the university would want to help cut back on illnesses etc… :(</p>
<p>Yes, it would be nice to have them cleaned. I had to crack up at sink in my son’s kitchen in Bouquet Gardens last year. It was absolutely disgusting. He lived with all science majors so I joked it was a science experiment and encouraged him to extract bacteria from it and see what was there under a microscope! He didn’t think I was funny… :/</p>
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<p>Hahahah that’s a shame. But also, that’s an apartment of boys for you.</p>
<p>In regards to cleaning supplies and vacuums- my parents have a Costco membership and bought me a great Bissel vacuum there for about $80 I think. It’s been going strong for 3-4 years now, definitely worth the investment!</p>
<p>Also- Target has pump hand soap bottles for $1, I tend to stock up on 3-4 each time I go. They also have a plethora of cheaply priced cleaning supplies (I imagine Walmart would be the same, but Target is much closer to campus). </p>
<p>Since guys are bad at cleaning the bathroom, I’d suggest one of those “stick on the toilet bowl to clean every flush” things (like this: <a href=“http://www.scrubbingbubbles.com/Products/Pages/toilet-cleaning-gel.aspx”>http://www.scrubbingbubbles.com/Products/Pages/toilet-cleaning-gel.aspx</a>) to help keep things cleaner. I really like the idea that @TitanMom16 had of keeping some wipes in the bathroom (I really like the chlorox wipes that come in the cylindrical containers). </p>
<p>Some other things that are great: Febreeze, Air freshener, Resolve (for carpet stains), Windex (you’d be surprised how quickly things get dusty in a dorm room)</p>
<p>If I think of anything else I’ll add it to the list.</p>