<p>This is bad, really really bad! I decided to iron every piece of clothing that DD wanted to take with her. I figured that way it would be easier to pack, and I didn't want her to have to worry about wanting to wear something and have to pull out the ironing board, at least for the first few weeks of school. I'm sure she will have enough on her mind as far as getting used to campus, etc.
Well, I have been going at this for days, meticulously ironing, folding, hanging as necessary. Upon completion, I just counted tops alone, and there are OVER 100! She then proceeds to tell me that they are all necessary. DD is not a "clothes horse", I just think she is afraid of not having something that she might "need!"
I am going to go along with this, but have a gut feeling that I will be returning home with alot of it. :(</p>
<p>GA2012: Didn't know my daughter moved to your house!! LOL....we had to use Space Bags to get all of her shirts/pants/sweatshirts to fit into our car with all the other stuff....we will DEFINITELY be bringing a TON of clothes home; she really does not have a clue, but IMO this is their way of dealing with all of this so I'm okay with it as long as we don't have to take two cars....I also think that this is their way of saying "no more decisions"......</p>
<p>I will come on CC on Friday and let you know how much we had to bring home...My early estimation is 75% of the stuff we packed into the car......</p>
<p>ps: My husband thinks that my daughter is seriously insane and has OCD to have to take all of this stuff...Hmmmmm</p>
<p>Rodney, I'm laughing because we have just about finished packing our D for driving to college tomorrow, Space Bags and all. We also are laying bets on how much we will have to bring home--and regarding your husband's comments; our D DOES have OCD--so THERE's something to blame it on!!!</p>
<p>The University of Chicago is on the quarter system, so my son's orientation week doesn't begin until September 20. My educated guess is that if I don't prod him (and perhaps even if I do), he will begin seriously "thinking" about packing on approximately September 15, and will begin actually packing on approximately September 18. Right now, his plans seem to consist of: some blue jeans, his T-shirts, a couple of button-down shirts, a few hooded sweatshirts, socks, underwear, two pairs of shoes, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, stereo system, MP-3 player, laptop, some books. With sheets, pillowcases, towels, refrigerator, and electric fan to be purchased in Chicago. That should be enough, right?</p>
<p>Got S to make a real list Sunday night. It was still missing socks and underwear, but he remembered a couple of things I didn't, so I was pleased he was thinking. Bought the fridge yesterday. </p>
<p>In the meantime, a large puddle of items are collecting in the living room.</p>
<p>Nothing packed yet. 30 hours to blast off!</p>
<p>From the other side...we took him this weekend- so different than his sister. We had bought two packages of hangers and I bought another pack- remembering her assortment of clothes. We went through one and half packs -including hanging up pants. To unpack his sister, for two years it took most of the day to hang up, assemble storage things, place stuff ,hook stuff up- we were done with his in a bit over two hours including unloading the car. He wanted to pack himself and the night before I went up there- do you have...oops a few times. Unloading his stuff I asked where his towels were- he had only packed one big one...oops- they went in the mail yesterday. It was so much smoother that the huge stuff from the sister to the minimalist of the brother! and it's done! (he sent us a text that night that he can already tell he's going to love it there!)</p>
<p>Mine never really did. I designated a room where he could stock pile stuff, but I ended up packing it all and filling in gaps. He left with two big suitcases (one did not make weight but they let it through anyways, whew).</p>
<p>well we made it! S did better thaan expected,car was packed very methodically,everythingfit! Seems to only have forgotten some pants but he's in the South so pants not an issue for awhile.
Off campus apt has lots of closet space and bathroom counter and cabinet space and even a linen closet!! s has more storage space than he knows what to do with!!
kschmidt..last year S and 3 friends went off their food plans and decided to cook and food shop jointly (on campus apts had tiny kitchens).I thought they would starve, that it wouldnt work.They did great,ate more healthfully and saved money.Some of it had to do with controlling their own money and realizing what things..like bread and eggs..actually cost.All 4 can now cook to some degree.</p>
<p>I woke up this morning (no, this is not a blues) and discovered that son had stayed up late and gotten 90% of his packing done, with everything piled neatly in the living room. We have to run out tonight to pick up a few odds and ends, but he is mostly ready. It even looks as though we will have no problem fitting everything in the minivan.</p>
<p>15 hours until we leave for the airport. Nothing packed yet. And Son is...where???? Not home...</p>
<p>Please, please, please let this be my son, too:
[quote]
last year S and 3 friends went off their food plans and decided to cook and food shop jointly (on campus apts had tiny kitchens).I thought they would starve, that it wouldnt work.They did great,ate more healthfully and saved money.Some of it had to do with controlling their own money and realizing what things..like bread and eggs..actually cost.All 4 can now cook to some degree.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Update: 5pm and he just came home from visiting his grandparents (what a thoughtful guy!) (I'm sure a cash gift was involved). And when I offered to do a load of laundry, he said he already did all his laundry this morning. Wow.</p>
<p>And he has no plans to go out tonight...because he says there's only about 1 gallon of gas in his car (which does not travel to school with him).</p>
<p>Now, the actual packing...</p>
<p>The packing has finally begun here. We are 17 hours to departure. I have abandoned my hopes for the dreck of son's life to be cleared from his room prior to departing. At least I can see his floor, which is more than I can say for the older son, who is leaving on Saturday. He has big bags of trash and heaps of clothing on his floor. Subtle weeping and nostalgia has begun.</p>
<p>DS is leaving tomorrow at 8AM to drive to Michigan - a 9 hour drive from our home. I've gotten over the anxiety of that drive - only to be replaced by the anxiety of having to pack. He's going into sophomore year, so we've done this once already. Everytime I leave his room to get something, he also disappears, usually to the basement to play Madden with his brother!. I've had to re-focus him numerous times. We are about 75% packed. The interesting situation will be when he gets to Ann Arbor - he won't have mom to unpack him. I wonder how many weeks it will take the clothes to find their way to the closet!</p>
<p>I'm wasting time here so I don't bug son anymore (the book being read in the living room, the game seen on the computer screen, sigh). This year - apartment. Leaving tomorrow- am? pm? I will do the suv loading as I know how to utilize every square inch, but I can't until I know what is going- stuff that won't fit will go with the roommate going later, or with us in a visit next week. Know a dorm room's worth fits, can't pack some in suv until other stuff... I'm also dreading the college town shopping trip, I made lists for him, but know it will take a lot of patience to sit and wait for him to wander the aisles. I should be happy he wants to do his own shopping (we're transportation) but I could be done in half the time. I don't think kids realize how much of other people's time they use (he can sleep while I or H drive- since I get carsick when I try to read I'll do the 2 1/2 drive). My book is ready to go (as are any maps to stores et al). This may be the last major move parents are involved in. I do hear packing noises. Think I'll destress by reading. Less than 24 hours...</p>
<p>Funny story. Son had silly hat that he was wearing as we were packing car. Really irritated me, but I grit my teeth and kept mouth shut. Good thing I did. Hat vanished as we were about to leave. Looked everywhere and got off later than H was comfortable looking for the danged thing but it was nowhere to be found. I was so glad I did not comment on thing because I am sure he would have suspected I hid it. So I was able to help look for it without getting any remarks or insinuations. Still, it was a mystery where the thing went.<br>
The next day, we found the hat on the roof of the car. We drove that thing from MIL's house on Eastern Shore of MD to BWI, left hatless S at BWI after hugs, farewells, good lucks, drove from BWI to Baltimore, had dinner, drove home to NY, going through NYC. The hat wedged itself on the roof rack so it did not fly away. Guess I may send it, may not. Glad it was the hat he left there and not his computer, (or his head!).</p>
<p>Well, we're back home after successfully getting D to NC last Friday. She didn't get a lot of sleep, but all was packed by departure time that morning. H decided we HAD to take his new sports car -- better mileage, more fun to drive, etc. All I can say is NEVER underestimate the packing power of an engineer!!! It's amazing what he put in that car, leaving room for the 3 of us. (S wisely decided to pass on the 12 hour drive, and stayed w/ his cousins.) Of course there is a pile of stuff on the guest room bed that I need to send D tomorrow -- it didn't quite all fit in the car. At any rate, D called this afternoon and all is going well in the freshman pre-orientation program -- she's a group leader. Meanwhile H & I took several days to sightsee before driving back. Spent time in Asheville, NC (Biltmore Estate) and drove part of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Loads of fun, but have spent more than enough time in the car for a while! Already missing D -- can't wait for Family Weekend at the end of September.</p>
<p>LOL cptofthehouse!! Too funny! And congrats cbbblinker! I ws looking at DHs small convertible today and musing what it would be liek to try to take ds's stuff in that thing-- totally impossible! I am not so sure we'll fit everything in our crossover (thats doublespeak for "its really a small suv-minivan-type thing but we dont want to admit it and it only has 2 rows of seats). But...
WE HAVE MOVEMENT!! DS has slowly begun to pick out the pillow he wants to take, and put his sleeping bag in a cinchsak in the duffle. I'll take it. Its a start.</p>
<p>Well, he's "done" packing. Taking a carry-on backpack with his electronics. And checking his juggling equipment duffle: with juggling equipment, Wii and peripherals and about 5 days of clothes tucked in among. We offered to pay the $25 for an additional bag, but he insists that he doesn't need anything else. How can that be enough?? Well he's an optimistic 19 yr old.</p>
<p>Once he finds housing, we'll send the rest -- those boxes are packed and sealed. I'm off to bed.</p>
<p>I love these stories.
Nothing my kids have done (or not done) has passed my own stupid story. My dad drove 5 hours to pick me up at the end of the year. I had the clothes that fit packed in my suitcases. Nothing else packed up or anything to pack it in. Closet full of clothes on hangers. Did I mention that Dad drove a pickup and it was raining? He ran all over town trying to find boxes... this was long before the cheap rubbermaid tub era. I ended up with all my hanging clothes piled on my lap.
The funny thing - I remember it as a fun trip. It was one of the very few times I got to talk to him on my own for 5 hours.</p>