We are trying to determine what to bring from IL when we move out twins into the dorms in August. THey will be Freshman and living in the Honors Suites.
Maybe a couple of questions would help:
- Are the beds extra long?
- Do students bring lamps and other desk items?
- Do students bring lounging chairs for their rooms
- Do students bring mirrors for their rooms?
- What other items are needed?
Considering we will be coming from IL and do not plan on renting a trailer (heard cannot use a trailer at move-in), can many items be purchased at a local Target or Wal-Mart?
Thanks for any help you can give!
- Are the beds extra long?
Yes. We bought Twin XL sheets, but I think her comforter and mattress topper were regular twin size, and they worked.
- Do students bring lamps and other desk items?
Yes
- Do students bring lounging chairs for their rooms
Mine did not.
- Do students bring mirrors for their rooms?
Mine got the one you hang on the back of a door.
- What other items are needed?
My daughter bought plastic drawers and containers in various sizes, one of those shelving units you get from Target that has slots for fabric bins, and a small bookshelf that she used as a hutch on the desk (from Container Store). She also brought a long CAT5 cord (the plug for her internet was at the opposite end of the room from where she put her desk). She brought the thin hangers with the fabric on them so clothes don’t fall off, a pop-up laundry container, a small toolkit, a small medical kit (bandaids, cold medicine, tweezers, Benedryl, pain reliever, neosporin, etc. remember that the age of majority in Alabama is 19, so younger students may not be able to buy some OTC cold medicines), over-the-door hooks for hanging towels, jackets, etc., some microwave cookware, dishes, cups, silverware and utensils (coordinate with the roommates for kitchen stuff), small trash can. We also got her a foam topper for her mattress. Of course, all of this wasn’t absolutely necessary, but she used it.
We bought the big, bulky stuff (like the plastic drawers and containers, mirror, shelving unit with bins and the like) at Walmart or Target in TTown or Northport. We did ship-to-store to the Walmart in Northport for the mattress topper and picked it up there. My daughter did the early move-in, and most but not all of what she was looking for was available locally. Some sections of Target were really picked over. She did find everything she needed within the first couple weeks, as the stores re-stocked. I believe a Bed Bath & Beyond has now opened in Tuscaloosa, so you may be able to do your shopping at your local BB&B and pick it all up in Tuscaloosa. This wasn’t an option when my daughter was a freshman. We used space bags for her clothes and bedding, which helped with fitting things into the car. She had a Ford Escape and with the back seat folded down, fit everything (including her golf clubs) with a little room to spare. If we’d had another person’s stuff plus another person, we wouldn’t have fit!
One thing you shouldn’t forget to bring (or buy in Tuscaloosa) if you are in a suite dorm is toilet paper and cleaning supplies. Someone in the suite should also bring a cheap vacuum and a kitchen garbage can (with bags).
Holy Moly! You’re moving twins? ~X(
One was bad enough…
- Do students bring lamps and other desk items?
YES! The overhead lighting is poor (the ceilings are really high in the suite dorms), so you will need a desk lamp and maybe some other lighting options for the living areas to make it ‘warmer’.
Most kids bring room-darkening blinds and hang these via a small suspension rod (i.e., shower variety). The suite hallway can get dark. I sent son w/ 2 plug-in nightlights for the hallway and for the bathroom which were light-activated so kids didn’t have to turn on the overhead lights during the night in order to see in the darkness.
We had driven down to UA for Bama Bound late June. No one wanted to make that drive in August, 15 hours, so we purchased everything on line and had it shipped for free.
However, we kept it simple. No furniture of any kind, couldn’t even talk him into a desk lamp. No bins or storage items other than the boxes the stuff came in. Collapsed a few larger boxes, under mattress, for packing up at end of year.
Took most of his clothes in checked bag when we flew in.
Few things we needed we bought while there, but it was only toiletries and cleaners, etc. Stores had plenty.
My sons both got a bookcase type piece of furniture (open on both sides/kind of like a ladder) that they placed next to their beds so they could put their alarm clock, phone and lamp on the top of it and be able to study (their beds were lofted somewhat so a traditional nightstand wouldn’t work.) They used the other shelves to hold other items they wanted near their beds.
CyclonesGrad: Are you on the UA parents facebook page(s)? We have many files to reference, including an exhaustive list re: what to bring! Please message me if you want the information on how to join the group.
All depends on which dorm. Check out the UA housing web site. You select the dorm building and look for the link to “Preparing to move into name of dorm”
A floor lamp can be VERY useful! Also a floor or desk fan.
A fan is great as “white” noise, as well as for air circulation Don’t forget an air cleaner and a desk lamp.
^ And/or Febreeze.
I highly recommend 1 person in the suite purchase a small canister vacuum - NOT the Dust Devils or any cordless ‘stick’ kind - but get a proper vacuum that has bags (not a bagless canister either - yuck). Dirt Devils are absolutely useless on carpet, and run out of charge in under 5 minutes. Your student will have a nice vacuum for MANY years to come and it is a wise purchase. There are Kenmore ones from Sears for ~$140, but you can get it cheaper than this on sale. Similar to this: http://www.sears.com/kenmore-canister-vacuum-cleaner-lime/p-02029229000P?sid=IDx01192011x000001&gclid=CILW8ozPkcwCFVglgQoddysN-A&gclsrc=aw.ds Canister vacuums are considered a little old fashioned, but they do a nice job on all kinds of surfaces.
Editing to add: if you don’t purchase a vacuum for your student, consider bringing your own from home in order to give the suite/dorm a good cleaning (and then take it back with you, of course). Despite it being ‘clean’ from the summer…I doubt you will find it to a standard of ‘clean’ that you moms would tolerate. I thought the dorms had vacuums to borrow, but my S told me (I think wrongly) that there aren’t any.
Consider getting bedding in full/queen/king size, most kids move off campus after the first year and will not have any further use for twin size.
Also don’t go to heavy on clothes, they will probably buy a lot of new stuff over the year.