Parents of the HS Class of 2008 - Page 23

DeniseC · 03-08-2012, 02:36 PM

Toledo, I think it is common that they like to linger. It's the end of a certain era.

We only get 2 tickets for the smaller school graduation, unlimited for the university graduation in the stadium. But both are simulcast in other locations on campus.

Flights, check. Hotel, check. Dinner plans, tentative check. Now I need to figure out flying the stuff back. Family is booked on Southwest with 2 free checked bags. Do I go with empty bags? I don't think I have enough of the right size. We tend to travel with carryon. Do I buy duffles there? Suggestions welcome!

CountingDown · 03-08-2012, 02:53 PM

My kids both have a big, heavyweight canvas duffle in addition to the wheeled bag. Got them at a military surplus store. They hold all the off-size stuff and Southwest will take them.

S1 ships stuff back via UPS -- his dorm always has someone from UPS in the lobby at the end of the year who sells boxes and will do all the postage and stuff on-site. It's a LOT more convenient than having to schlep 50 lb boxes elsewhere to ship, esp. when one does not have a car!

tx5athome · 03-08-2012, 03:06 PM

After the grads pick up the tickets they need (at Gradfest) the remaining tickets are sold and you can buy 2 at a time. So if she can't find any extras from friends, she will buy 2 more. I don't anticapate a problem. We are only 80 miles away which is why the grandparents can attend.

shellfell · 03-08-2012, 03:37 PM

There will be 4 of us at graduation. I know we'll have no problem with the all-school ceremony since they give graduates 6 tickets for that. For Arts & Sciences ceremony, they split the class by major & have 2 ceremonies to accomodate everyone, so I can't imagine that 4 tickets would be problematic.

toledo · 03-08-2012, 04:24 PM

DeniseC, here are the Southwest baggage allowances:

Checked Baggage

50 lbs and 62" are the limits before being charged. You may be able to find boxes that would work.

DeniseC · 03-08-2012, 04:33 PM

Thanks! I called SW on the advice of 'Good Buy of the Day' folks and SW is happy to accept boxes with the limits toledo has listed. So will probably bring the empty luggage we do have and supplement with boxes. Thanks!!

thumper1 · 03-08-2012, 06:04 PM

Congrats to you all as you plan your graduation festivities. SO exciting.

Denise...I posted this to you elsewhere...we borrowed suitcases from friends...and took those with us for DD to fill up and bring back from 3000 miles away. Each of us just used our carryon bags...DD filled SIX suitcases. We were very clear...if it didn't fit, she needed to find a new home for it in her college town.

DeniseC · 03-08-2012, 10:00 PM

Thank you Thumper! Our grad will be limited to 6 boxes or suitcases, or maybe 8 if she flies home on southwest too. Doesn't have reservations yet, may want to linger

toledo · 03-09-2012, 07:56 AM

Does anyone have to dispose of furniture? I don't know if much could be sold in May, as everyone is leaving campus. Son has some pieces from his ex-girlfriend's family that he thinks he can just "give back". I doubt that they'll want it. He's also mentioned putting it out on the curb, thinking someone will pick it up, or just leaving it in the apartment. He's acquired a few things that were left behind when he moved in. The only downside is that he risks losing his security deposit. Maybe I can find some charity that picks up furniture donations. There are 5 guys moving out of this apartment, so it will be a mess.

bookworm · 03-09-2012, 08:35 AM

Toledo,
The worm was too busy/lazy to try to sell his furniture online, so I scheduled a pick-up from Salvation Army. I could do that online, and they showed up on schedule. They had a printed receipt to use as charitable donation for taxes.

jym626 · 03-09-2012, 08:43 AM

Try freecycle. You can donate/give away the stuff.

DeniseC · 03-09-2012, 09:44 AM

We ran into the getting rid of furniture dilemma with my older kid. I encouraged him to put up Craigslists ads - this worked well for some things and one responder offered to take stuff free at the end. He also posted on Facebook - I don't remember if this helped but it could have if the timing had been better.

It would have been great to contact the next people coming into the apartment ahead of time. They would have taken the stuff. The landlord would have given the information out.

He did get some of his security deposit taken for putting recycling in the trash. Very hard to prove the negative of that.

shellfell · 03-09-2012, 09:56 AM

I'd either go with Craiglist or leaving stuff at the curb. These days items left at the curb get picked up pretty quickly, especially if they're in decent condition.

geezermom · 03-09-2012, 11:36 AM

S is taking stuff to Goodwill, which is right up the street from his apartment. I hate seeing the dumpsters full of plastic on move-out day. Luckily, his apartment is furnished, but he does have a bookcase, lamp, closet stuff, etc. He says he's going to ship his winter clothes home soon. Yikes! I need to clean out attic space.

We sound like we did four years ago on one of those "How do we take stuff to college?" threads.

toledo · 03-09-2012, 02:30 PM

Thanks for all the good ideas. If he can't sell everything, calling Salvation Army would be easy.