<p>My oldest daughter is leaving home in three weeks. At orientation her school showed a model dorm room complete with all the items that they would happily sell us for an exorbitant fee. She will be sharing a room with one other girl. The room comes with a desk, light, chair, wardrobe, trash can and bed. No a/c. We’ve bought a box fan, laundry basket, bath robe and sandals for the shower. Is there anything else she REALLY needs that she wouldn’t already have at home? Ps. This is a two year high school - jr and sr year - on a college campus.</p>
<p>Give her empty containers of things like small spray bottles, tupperware, canvas bags, excess plastic bags for the trash, etc. I find that it’s always difficult to transport things without containers, but it’s not enough of a big deal to travel home for, so it becomes a struggle. </p>
<p>I also suggest Stain Remover Spray, because sometimes the most innocuous stains from food, etc, just end up on your clothes anyway.</p>
<p>She might need extra long sheets. If the bathroom is down the hall she might want something to carry toiletries if she doesn’t have something already. Something to drag laundry around. (I used a backpack and a rolling suitcase for a while when I had to use a laundromat.) She might need pencil sharpener, stapler, tape of her own if she normally uses a house set. Otherwise, you are right, there’s very little that one actually needs.</p>
<p>D was not happy with the lighting in her room, and ended up buying another lamp once she got to school. But I would wait until she is in the room to see about that. She and her roomie might decide to spring for a small fridge, too, but again it is probably better to wait.</p>
<p>pop-up hamper, desk lamp, a surge protector (limited to what is allowed at the individual school), cell phone, a couple of extra pillows because the bed is also used as a couch, a mattress pad, a couple of containers to store random stuff, and a first aid kit with bandaids, cold medicines, antibiotic cream, etc.</p>
<p>I would say a small microwave and fridge were essential for me. good thing is, they should last your through the rest of high school, college and even later. My dorm microwave stayed with me for 15 years!</p>
<p>get another lamp.</p>
<p>Broom of some sort</p>
<p>Cleaning supplies</p>
<p>rugs</p>
<p>some sort of shower caddy</p>
<p>medications for colds and such</p>
<p>sunscreen and aloevera</p>
<p>bug spray</p>
<p>Power strip, personal LED flashlight, electric toothbrush if that’s what she is used to. Computer headset. Micro-USB cable if her cell phone takes one for charging. Nail clippers, band-aids, dry munchies (if permitted). Hangers if needed for clothes.</p>
<p>A sense of humor, a little flexibility, and a good set of cleaning supplies.</p>
<p>You might want to go dig up one of the “what not to bring to college” threads that pop up every year (and I found more useful than the “what to bring” threads). You know your child best, but many kids would not touch stain remover, sunscreen, or bug spray. And I guess it depends on the school, but community bathrooms will get cleaned by the staff and I’m not sure how much dorm room cleaning gets done in a year (I’ve never sent any cleaning supplies with DS). Most dorm rooms will have a fridge but you should coordinate that with the roommate. Many dorms do not allow microwaves. One suggestion I liked was a <preferably old=“”> comforter/sleeping bag/fleece blanket. Good for snuggling up, lying on outside, using to visit a neighbor.</preferably></p>
<p>I think most who have been through it would suggest going minimal until she’s moved in and lived there a week or two. Easy to order/ship stuff later.</p>
<p>LED flashlight</p>
<p>storage ottoman in fun color</p>
<p>a girl cannot have too many mirrors</p>
<p>Home. Things to make the room feel like home.</p>
<p>This past weekend I spent a night at orientation in a dorm room - stark white. Felt like I was in a prison! So I will put my two cents in that in addition to how much or little stuff they actually NEED (like stuff mentioned above) - they might appreciate “things” that make the room a home - after all, it is their home for many weeks each year. </p>
<p>A rug on the floor. Posters on the wall. Their favorite coffee mug. A fleece blanket to throw on the futon for nights (or days) when they don’t feel the best or when they just want to sack out on “the couch” - like home. :)</p>
<p>I think that a pop-up hamper works better than a laundry basket.</p>
<p>Don’t forget hangers.</p>
<p>Some girls use cleaning supplies. Most boys don’t touch them.</p>
<p>If she will have a community bathroom, a decent makeup mirror on a stand will probably come in handy.</p>
<p>Does she have some kind of desk organizer? Some desks have small drawers so she may not need one, but other just have one big drawer or no drawers.</p>
<p>Many dorms have restrictions on nails etc on walls. PBdorm has an assortment of wall decals that are designed specifically to protect dorm walls. They have some really cute things as well as dry erase message boards & calendars. My kids actually use them in their rooms at home. Not inexpensive, but they do last well.</p>
<p>[Wall</a> Decals | PBdorm](<a href=“http://www.pbteen.com/shop/pbdorm-decorate/wall-decals-dorm/?cm_type=lnav]Wall”>http://www.pbteen.com/shop/pbdorm-decorate/wall-decals-dorm/?cm_type=lnav)</p>
<p>-She also might enjoy a towel wrap in addition to a robe. It wraps around under her arms like a towel and stays put with velcro. Much better when it’s hot out. You can usually find them at TJMaxx or Marshalls.
-Canvas shoe racks that go over the back of the door hold all kinds of small things.
-Coordinate with her roommate. They may want one fan for a corner of the room that is on a stand and ossicilates.</p>
<p>A good medical kit, complete with Band-aids (my son fell last year and busted open his chin. His girlfriend stopped the bleeding and did the bandage him). Make sure you include a pain reliever, cold medicine and something for an upset stomach.</p>
<p>A thermometer.</p>
<p>A thick skin…</p>
<p>Some may find it extravagant, but we’re buying a new mattress and leaving the plastic covered dorm-issue in the hallway. A good night’s sleep - or at least a comfortable night’s sleep - is priceless.</p>
<p>Best to check ahead with the university’s housing department on whether it’s allowed to leave unwanted furnishings in the hallway.</p>
<p>If you remove a mattress from the room in favor of your own… come the end of the year that mattress had better be back in the room otherwise you will be charged for it’s replacement.</p>