<p>Woody- </p>
<p>You never know…which is why it’s needed!</p>
<p>~mafool</p>
<p>Regarding lighting (posts 25-29), does the bright light/natural light (?full spectrum?) thing apply to any lamp? Is it as simple as buying new bulbs for old lamps? Are these bulbs available at Lowe’s/Home Depot? Obviously not familiar with the terms…</p>
<p>My son is moving from red and white to red and black. He always resisted wearing the colors of his HS but I’m guessing college could be different. Might he want to make duct tape underwear to wear to the Underwear Ball? On second thought, ouch, but he’ll use it for something. And weenie, I just said we had no fashion we were aware of.</p>
<p>Beil: we bought full spectrum light bulbs in Boston at a Target. I think they are readily available (tho less so out west where we really don’t need them).</p>
<p>go online to Office Depot or one of those big office supply stores. Most offer free shipping with minimum order of $50 or $75. Ship directly to school…computer paper, ink cartridge, post its, etc. I let D go online and make a preliminary shopping list. Most of the items were basics (staples, tape, ink pens, file folders and a hanging file/box) She ended up getting a big discount (I think we had rec’d some coupon in the mail, but often those are also available online). When we arrived in Boston, everything for the desk was in one or two boxes shipped from the store and it was easy to set up her desk.</p>
<p>After scouring local stores, we purchased DS a Honeywell fan at LNT for $15. Moves a lot of air and DD’s friend had one last year, so we know the noise level isn’t bad.
In addition, DD’s school requires that posters/pics hung be done so with painter’s tape - easier on the walls and paint jobs. So we picked up a roll for each kid today.</p>
<p>I’m thinking a shopping list for Walmart/Target on the other end that includes basic school/office supplies and Febreze.</p>
<p>A helpful thing for us was to take the campus tour again this summer. Found out that all the dorms have a fiber board wall, so push pins are the way to go to hang posters. Also that there are sinks in all the rooms. Plus some other info that will help when shopping. Things that we didn’t catch when we were touring colleges last summer.</p>
<p>3M makes hooks and stick-um products perfect for dorm room walls. It comes off completely without ruining the paint or wall. We found it at Target, Home Depot and Lowes.</p>
<p>Must haves:
ANYTHING that makes the computer/printer immediately workable. Don’t forget the longer ethernet cords, surge protectors, one pkg paper, print cartridges. This, for both kids, was the #1 thing to get right, quickly.</p>
<p>A COMFORTABLE BED. Few dorms have decent mattresses.It may seem excessive, but the eggcrate and mattress pad, along with a cozy set of sheets & good pillows & comforter are key. D couldn’t have survived without her fleecy throw.
We learned anything more than 1 set of linens is a waste, both with D & S. (2 sets of towels though)</p>
<p>MINIMUM OFFICE SUPPLIES-just enough to get by until they know what they really need. One exception…make sure you have a way to adhere things to the walls. Kids usually want to put up their posters 1st thing…so Sticky Tack became a “critical” item. Extra notebooks, pens, staplers, etc usually easy to find on campus or close by and easy enough to get by without for awhile.</p>
<p>ALL ELECTRIC CORDS/CHARGERS, CABLE CORDS. Inevitably, we’d forget to bring the charger or the right cords for something. We’ve learned to double-check that very important list now every time there is a move. And make sure they’re longer than you’d normally buy for your house.</p>
<p>LAMPS, lamps, lamps. Dorms have notoriously bad light. Lightbulbs (forget these almost every time!)</p>
<p>PLASTIC STORAGE BOXES. However, you really need to know the dorm configuration BEFORE you decide on which type to get. If the bed is raised enough, a short stack underneath is a great space saver. However, this isn’t always possible.</p>
<p>FAN. Vornado makes a good one, desk size, 3 speed. Just bought at BB&B with 20% coupon and paid $32. Excellent quality. Previously bought a cheap fan that didn’t hold up) Also, Black and Decker makes a very sturdy but compact one that’s black/yellow and $30+. </p>
<p>OVER-DOOR HOOK. And those hooks that stick to the wall without damaging the drywall (can’t remember what they’re called). Both D&S used them in various sizes.</p>
<p>WASTEBASKET</p>
<p>A rug would be great, but that’s a “wait to buy” item that can be ordered/shipped later.</p>
<p>We also waited on the rug, wall hanging purchases and some lamps. S and his roommate split the list of big items ahead of time so there wouldn’t be any duplications - we got the larger things like the fridge since we live closer to the school. We also added more lamps, a set of drawers for the closet, once we saw how that was configured and a whole bunch of cleaning supplies once we saw how much of a job it was going to be to clean the room. That’s the one thing that really surprised me - even though the rooms are “cleaned” over the summer, it’s amazing how much dust and dirt accumulated! </p>
<p>You also might even want to wait to buy certain things like winter coats or boots or even some clothes- gives the kids a chance to get a lay of the land before deciding what they want/need. Oh -and the boys added a game system on their own later in the year, too , since neither set of parents was so inclined to send one along in the beginning! :rolleyes:</p>
<p>I know many people wait to buy items like laundry supplies, storage bins, fans, lamps, hangers, etc…, but I can tell you that when my oldest was a freshman that was a big mistake. Maybe it was the city we were in, but the local Target and BB&B, was swarming with people. I think it was also close to the start of the local Elementary-High Schools so everyone was shopping the same weekend. The store was so busy you had to wait for a shopping cart! There were items that the store was totally out of-like laundry detergent! We stood by a bookshelf to see if we could buy the display, the last one available while my son tried to find an employee. While we were waiting 6 other people wanted to know if there were more available. When we finally got an employee to come, he told us they were not allowed to sell the display. People were willing to pay twice the price just to get it!</p>
<p>I think preordering anything you THINK you might need from BB&B or LNT and have it held at the local store is the best option. After you get the room somewhat in order you will know what you need. I mentioned above that we didn’t end up picking up everything we ordered; either a roomate had the item, the item didn’t fit, we just figured the item wasn’t needed, or we needed a different size.</p>
<p>I concur with snowball re not waiting for basic items. It’s true that every Container Store, Walmart, Target and BB&B nearby will be packed with parents/students buying that stuff. I remember D’s roommate’s parents her freshmen year ended up having to drive all over town just to find some plastic drawers and other items they realized they should have brought.
Not to mention getting lost in a strange city…</p>
<p>Even hangars (another item that seems silly as a must-bring, but isn’t) were sold out.</p>
<p>The other reason to bring the basics with you if possible is that it helps to be able to enjoy (and it IS possible) move-in. It’s a big event and alot more fun if you and your kid aren’t stressing over shopping for things.</p>
<p>How does preordering work w/companies such as BBB…do you pay for it at home-or there? Are the prices charged the same as what we see in our local BBB? If we pre-order—do they guarantee it will be there for p/u? What if the item is preordered, and then you find out the roommate has already bought “one”…can you then not p/u at BBB near the campus?
Does Target, Wal-Mart offer this same program as BBB-or do we have to arrange to have items shipped…Thank you for your guidance! -APOL</p>
<p>You pay at BBB in the college city once you go to pick up the items. You can add or subtract anything you want – if you decide you don’t need the towels you ordered at your home BBB, just tell them when you go to pick up the other stuff. They say that they will guarantee that it will all be there for you.</p>
<p>Target doesn’t have the same program - I don’t know about Walmart but I doubt if they do.</p>
<p>When I went to BBB to preorder, they gave me a scanner and a checklist to take through the store and scan the bar code of whatever item we wanted. We did that and input the quantity, then we sat with a store clerk who entered everything in the computer and gave us a contact number of a store manager in the college city, as well as Mapquest directions to the store there. It was very well thought out and organized.</p>
<p>BB&B and LNT have, and I believe still have, a system for college students as well as bridal registry. You go into your local store and they give you a scanner gun. All you have to do is walk around the store and scan the bar code on the items you want. I think you plug in how many of the item you want. You then take the scanner back to the registry department and they will print out a copy for you and send the store closest to the college a list. The store by the college will pull the items and have them on hold for you. If they do not have the item in stock at the time, they will have it shipped in from another store. </p>
<p>My daughter and I did this at BB&B about 4-6 weeks before she left for school. This was plenty of time for the store to get any missing items on the list. We then went to the store with our coupons and had them bring out items out. We went through and pulls the items she decided she didn’t need and paid for the rest.</p>
<p>For laundry and bathroom items we went to the grocery store instead of Target/Walmart; no crowds there! Also Home Depot and Lowes are not as busy with the back to school crowd and they sell many of the same shelves, microwaves/fridge, storage containers and well as the 3M hooks, duct tape, surge protectors, etc…</p>
<p>I cross posted with Patsmom!!!</p>