<p>Hi..how do we know what kind of stuff they need for their dorms if we cant see it before they move in, such as containers for under bed(if they loft their bed) or will they have closets to hang clothes with room at the bottom for containers. Are any desk drawers lockable or do they need some kind of lock box for valuables? Will there be room for a trunk?</p>
<p>I wish orientation was earlier than move in day></p>
<p>Go to the college’s website and look at anything you can find about the dorms. Hopefully you can find pictures of an acutal dorm room in your child’s building. There is usually a section of FAQ or a “what to bring, what NOT to bring” list. Pay attention to what they say about lofting beds (the rules vary a great dear, some places allow it, others don’t, some places students can do the lofting themselves, others they need to have maintenance do it for them). Most schools also have regulations about what kind of small appliances they allow (no coffee makers, no toasters) and about mini fridges (you have to rent them from the school, they have to be a certain size). There only seem to be a couple of styles of dorm furniture but I have never seen any with a locking drawer. There are a few threads going with lists of things to pack and how to do it. Do a few searches and you will have plenty of reading. My attitude is to purchase just the essentials and then plan on a trip to target or some such on move in day when you know what is actually needed. And remember, what you move in in August will have to go somewhere come May! Good luck!</p>
<p>Do you know your child’s dorm yet? If it is Dravo I can certainly tell you.</p>
<p>Also, there are detailed floor plans on the housing site you can take a look at once you know the dorm and room your child is in.</p>
<p>Underbed storage is a must and in fact, the housing site tells you the inches under the beds in each dorm - unlofted. Also, in Dravo they had a small closet with a wonderful closet organizer system and he and his room mate had plenty of room. Now the girls are another story ! :)</p>