My d insists she wants a futon in her 10x15 dorm room. Although the college has a site to order futons and other things at a reasonable price, and it will be in room the day she moves in I am trying to explain that using the room under a lofted bed would be of better use to put dressers, fridge or smaller chairs. Anybody with experience how to make a small dorm have more space even with a futon and one lofted bed?
A futon can seat two people watching tv, two people studying side by side, sleep an overnight friend, provide a place other than your bed to lay down and chill, etc. So, can be much more useful than a chair(s). Will she have a roommate? If so, she should check with the roommate before making that decision.
When I visited son a few months in to school year, he wanted a couch too. I got him a love seat. It fit under window, with lofted beds on sides. I suspect son studied on that. I also got the guys an a/c, and the roommate helped me put it in.
I never asked if these 2 items got moved when they changed rooms.
Assuming they aren’t in a suite that already has a living room area, I don’t think it’s a bad idea if it isn’t cost prohibitive. Desk chairs are awful. Imagine having no place comfortable to sit other than your bed, ALL THE TIME. I remember taking some old furniture to my dorm room–also 10x15. We didn’t loft and were still able to fit it.
I dunno. Back in the day, I lived in a dorm in undergrad that just had a stiff wooden desk chair and my bed. I survived fine. In my grad dorm, it was a similar situation. There was simply no room to add any furniture if you wanted to be able to walk in either dorm. I was fine with my bed being used for seating by me and my friends. Only when we moved off campus into furnished places did we have “real furniture.” We managed.
I’d suggest he hold off purchasing anything until he actually SEES this place and chats with his room mate about where things will fit.
While visiting URI recently I saw dorm rooms with futons. I had not seen that before despite visiting so many college dorms. Maybe at some schools it is more popular.
We will be 3 for 3 in buying our own desk chair and punting the provided desk chair - my kids all liked to work at a desk a fair amount of the time - I think it was a valued, used purchase.
Let me rephrase the futon question: the collge my d is going to actually has a site to but a futon at. They will have the futon in her dorm the day of move in. The futon will be placed under a lofted bed. Has anybody done this and later wised they used the space under the lofted bed for dressers, fridge etc. How common is it to have a futon in a double dorm room.
In all three of my kids dorm rooms (#3 is headed to college this fall), having a futon was very common. And used ALOT. Sometimes it was used under a lofted bed, sometimes there was room out in the open.
If there is room, why not? I think a futon is more useful than just bringing excessive clothes, etc. But my kids dorm rooms also had decent space for the refrig, tv, etc. - microwave on top of the refrig, coffee pot on top of something else - it all works out!
It’s their only living space? Why not make it comfortable to LIVE in? It’s not just for sleeping!
Agree with abaaket. The worst thing that could happen is that she will end up piling her clothes and stuff on the futon. Which she will most likely do… 
D and roomie both lofted their beds. Under one was a futon and storage under other. They used it daily never as a place to throw clothes. They kept it for next year.
I think if they want to loft their beds, it’s a great idea. My DS doesn’t want to do that, so I hope his roommate, whoever he is, will be OK with that.
Is it possible to move a put together futon frame into dorm, if room is on 3rd floor without elevators. I would like advice someone who has done this without too many problems, or vice versa.
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My d insists she wants a futon in her 10x15 dorm room.
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Is that her room alone? If so, that’s a good size private dorm room.
Mom, NO ONE is going to be able to tell you for sure - we don’t know the size of your futon, the stairs, hallways, your child’s room position, etc.
The ONLY person who might be able to tell you is to call student housing and tell them your daughter’s dorm - they MAY give you an idea.
Many kids have futons overall at many colleges. Many futons are not brand new and if used are already put together. So maybe yes,. But maybe no depending on the situation.
Does your D’s college or dorm have a FB page for incoming freshman? Have her ask there. My D’s school has a page just for new freshmen in her dorm. They will post stuff as helpful as how many inches are under the bed for storage if you use the highest level on the bed frame.
If that room is for her alone, and her bed is an Xtra Long Twin, and the futon would fit below it without sticking out, then it sounds like there would be enough room for her desk, chair, drawers, etc, to be placed elsewhere.
If that is a shared room with no built-ins, then she may have more trouble.
Does her dorm have an online floorplan with furniture placement? Many housing offices provide this online. That may help you decide.
The latest question @mom2collegekids is (#12) is if the futon will fit up the stairs to the 3rd floor, no elevator, put together.
Things to consider: does the dorm have common areas w/ couches for relaxing and watching tv or to study? Does she plan on getting very involved on campus in a student organization? If so, she may not use the futon much. Also if you loft the bed to accommodate a futon underneath it may mean she can’t sit up in bed.
Suggestion: do an “image” search online for your daughter’s school/dorm. Also at my daughter’s school (UIUC) they have a fab pad contest and post pics, which helped my daughter ‘design’ her room prior to move -in. Your school might do something similar. Good luck!
@abasket thanks. Missed that.
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Is it possible to move a put together futon frame into dorm, if room is on 3rd floor without elevators. I would like advice someone who has done this without too many problems, or vice versa.
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We have no idea how wide anything is, nor do we know if the stairs go straight up or if there is a U-Turn, or whether the door from the stairwell to the hallway will accommodate a futon.
Does the Futon have some parts that are easy to remove and re-install (like the legs)? If you got to the dorm and found that you couldn’t get it up the stairs in one piece, can you easily disassemble some of it and then put it back together? If that is likely, then be sure to bring necessary tools and have them EASILY located for use.
I can’t believe you got a futon with no idea whether this would work.