I’m going to redo my kids’ bedroom (they share a bedroom) once D26 is in sophomore year of college. And I already have plans for the bedroom. 
It’s going to be a Tomorrowland theme (our guest bedroom is Jungle Cruise/Adventureland) with a pair of twin beds and midcentury-reminiscent bedside tables & dresser. Plus a Tomorrowland Peoplemover sign on the wall. 
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2 years and the college kid’s bedroom is the same. Considering we don’t need the space, it will remain theirs and have the decor they want. We have discussed downsizing to a smaller place, in which case of course things will change. But haven’t found a smaller place that won’t cost an arm and a leg over the price of our current house.
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After a two years of college, the eldest was clearly already moving on mentally from living at home. She had a major clearout of stuff in the summer of her sophomore year. Then came the pandemic, so that was all on hold.
The younger kid was lazier because he lives nearby and was home more often. By the summer of his junior year, I told him to start getting rid of stuff because moving was on the horizon. It took us actually finding a new home to buy (and letting him know that stuff was going in the trash otherwise) to finally get his stuff out.
It could be just our experience, but closer proximity to home made it too easy for him to ignore all his things. So perhaps letting a kid know that a move is coming, or some big change to the house, is a good motivator.
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We redid both bedrooms while the younger one was in college. Her room became a guest room. She was a bit unhappy until all her friends told her how gorgeous the room was. The older daughters room became a den but it has a day bed that converts to a double so the one to two times a year shes been here with her boyfriend ( now husband) they could stay in there. Each kid has one box only of their things from growing up. After college I told them that’s all they got. For the rest, take it with them or it’s gone. I am very indulgent in many ways. Not on this one though.
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I think that’s very smart. My elderly parents are moving into a retirement home and calling me to ask if I want my soccer trophies from middle school. No, I do not 
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We kept my daughter’s room pretty much how she left it when she went off to college in 2012. After freshman year she was only back for thanksgiving and Christmas. We didn’t need the room (no guests) so I didn’t mind.
I did slowly clean some of her stuff out and fill the closets and dressers with my stuff. I also updated the comforter and curtains at one point. But it still had the purple carpet and the fun wallpaper. She did feel that the decor in that room was no longer her style and the decor in her dorm room and then apartment was more to her liking.
Then last year we downsized and really cleaned it out for the first time. Our new 2 bedroom apartment has a second bedroom that serves as office and guest room. This is her “space” when she stays with us.
My in-laws never cleared out my husband’s room. It was exactly as he had left it when we got married. It was only emptied when they sold the house about 30 years later!
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I am going to start packing up my college junior’s room and minorly redecorating to a more nice + neutral look over the next few months. My daughter was living in our guest house which we just started renting out, so I want her to feel like she’s not sleeping in her brother’s room when she comes back to visit.
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Our children’s rooms remain guest bedrooms, but are also used by us in various ways. We re-purposed, but no major redecorating needed (except for linens). Each has the same furniture in a different arrangement, and a few remnants of their childhood (a poster, some books, a few memory items). One room once doubled as a sewing space. Another room serves as an office space which we can easily vacate if there are guests.
Any childhood memorabilia and room linens are stored in ½ the room dressers or closets. Guests can use the other half. We also have an unfinished basement that can store any larger childhood items, but we have very few of those.
This has all morphed over time, however. While in college, the rooms remained as they were when the child left.
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Our kids are 34 and 30, and their bedrooms are still intact, like shrines. I did just clean the dust out of them and organized their junk a bit. I realized it was a bit excessive still seeing their T-ball participation trophies and kindergarten chess tournament trophies displayed.
So I put those away
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My son would absolutely bust a gasket if I redecorated his room while he was in college. I would never even consider it. He’s redecorated/reorganized it himself a few times over the years- I respect it as his safe space. Our plan is to leave everything be until he graduates in 2 years.
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Mine, too. Their rooms are deeply personal and comforting to them. But I was curious about what other families do.
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I was very indulgent of my kids in many ways. I packed them up for college…. Unpacked them at the dorm and then did the whole thing in reverse. Every year. We got them nice cars, nice college apartments and pretty much an unlimited budget for meals and clothes. It was our pleasure to do this for our grateful hard working kids. I had no desire for them to do any cooking, laundry or other chores at home. (“How will they ever learn?” Very easily it turns out). My one completely non indulgent thing. Decisions about when their rooms were redecorated and what I’d keep for them once that happened ( very little).
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My wife won’t let me touch any of the kids’ rooms, or consider downsizing. Oldest is 4 years out of college, youngest is in college. But she wants the rooms to remain untouched so they are inviting to the kids to return any time. So no converting to an office or room for our stuff, or a regular guest room, let along maybe getting a house that doesn’t cost a massive amount to heat in the winter because its so big. Sigh. I mean, it kind of works. They all come back for a while (benefits of remote work) at least 4-6 times a year.
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So much the vibe I am trying to do - but with some budget considerations! And my kid was required to have skin in the game with scholarships to bring the COA down to a manageable level without loans. I hope that my kid can refine things when home for a visit over time with regards to their stuff.
With regards to @citivas says aboue a smaller home and heating - if they come back now, hopefully they will visit with grandkids and the extra space can be useful again!
My kids both had single beds in their rooms when they left for college so not touching their room have been VERY uninviting when they got older and wanted to come home with boyfriend/ husband. lol. Getting the queen beds in their that was inviting meant all their childhood furniture had to go.
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Replaced one twin with a standard in one room with crafts added, and one twin with making bunkbeds for grandkids in another room. Guest room has a standard bed.
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