Around this time of year, I get a few calls from my friends and family, some in tears because they are about to send their child off to college — empty nesters grieving their little bird’s flight to a new nest.
One of the main questions I get every fall? “How can I create a comfortable space for my child in her dorm room but still keep her motivated to study?”
Here are a few tips:• Bedding is essential. Start with the mattress pad. Spend the extra money to help your child sleep well at night. Buy the best mattress cover you can afford. Use coupons and sales to get the best deals. Then layer the bed with sheets, an extra blanket and several pillows for late-night reading. Buy several sheet sets so they will always have a spare set of clean sheets.
• Buy drapes. Most dorm rooms have mini blinds but an inexpensive pair of insulated drapes will allow the student to get in a few extra winks and insulate the room from the cold in the winter and the heat in the summer.
• Warm up the space with an area rug or a few throw rugs that can be tossed in the wash.
• Buy a few floor pillows, a bean bag or a similarly utilitarian chair for unexpected guests to sit on and a sleeping bag.
• A good alarm clock with an MP3 charger will keep your child on time and fully charged. A charging station is also a good idea for cellphones. Trust me on this one: If your child’s phone battery dies, you’ll be frantic if you can’t reach him.
• A booster for the bed, which will allow more storage underneath, is crucial for all the dirty clothes and other things that will be stuffed under it.
• A small refrigerator will cut down on the extra costs of eating out and avoid possible fights with the roommate. If allowed, consider a small microwave. Some campuses rent these things, or students can buy them second-hand from others who have vacated their dorm rooms.
• A collapsible vacuum, bucket, cleaning solution and rags will be needed to clean up messes.
• A set of flashlights, batteries and a weather radio is important in case of an emergency.
• A few picture frames with photos of the family and your pets will give comfort and be reminders that no matter how old children grow, they will always be your babies. Dear Mi-Ling:I am returning to college and I plan to rent an apartment this year as well as some furniture. I’ve had enough of the dorm life. I’m not in a position to buy any new furniture, and I don’t want to run up a storage bill. I have two years left in school, and I live halfway across the country. I don’t see the point in renting a storage unit or renting a truck and traveling cross-country. The rental companies have a lot of different packages. I’m not sure exactly what I will need to complete my apartment except for the obvious couch and table. Thanks for your help! — Ally
Dear Ally:You make a good point. Oftentimes renting furniture is easier but probably not as cost effective. However, when you throw in the cost of renting a truck to move everything cross-country, renting might not be a bad idea. Throw in a storage unit for around $75 per month and you’re making an even better point.
Most rental companies will deliver the furniture before you arrive and pick it up after your lease is up. On the other hand, you would have to rent a truck to move everything even if you just put it in storage for the summer. The rental, plus finding somebody to help move the stuff, could be a problem.
Here are a couple of tips to get you started:
Check with your apartment complex and see if it offers discounts on rental companies. If the complex is large and the company owns several properties throughout the city, you can get some pretty good deals.
For example, you might be able to furnish a one-bedroom apartment starting around $200 per month with the bare essentials: a couch, end table, kitchen table and four chairs, headboard, mattress, dresser and nightstand.
To save money, search for coupons and consider package deals. You can cut costs by buying a few items that you can easily transport in your car, such as a TV stand and inexpensive lamps. These items can be thrown into your car at the end of the year or donated.
Mi-Ling Stone Poole is the author of “Ask Mi-Ling! When you Want the Truth About Decorating.” If you have a decorating dilemma, visit Mi-Ling at .
Dorm-room decorating knowhow
A few things parents and students should do even before outfitting the dorm room:
Check it out. Check with the school beforehand to learn about the specific rules and regulations governing campus housing. This will prevent spending money on things — like halogen lamps — that some school don’t allow.
Check it off. Make your shopping list and check it twice. This can help determine what to buy and what’s already available at home. Not everything needs to be new. A familiar desk lamp, for instance, can help give a new place that warm, lived-in feeling.
Split it up. Students should reach out to their roommates before they shop to decide who is bringing what so they avoid bringing (and buying) duplicates.
Cheat sheet. Many college and university dorms have twin extra long (TXL) mattresses. Make sure you know what size bed you’ll have before hitting the the stores for new bedding. Source: Bed, Bath & Beyond
SMALL BUT STYLISH
Fashion struts into the college dorm room this year. A quick survey of the hot dorm and back-to-school decorating trends reveals candy colors, animal prints and exotic, gypsy-inspired graphics. Stylish storage is the No. 1 way to make a college dorm room more livable. But it also needs to be functional for studying and comfortable for resting. That’s a tall order for generally cramped quarters. These options may help. Elana Ashanti Jefferson
STORE MORE
Smart students make use of storage ottomans, cubes, tubs and boxes. Pieces in the “Student Lounge” collection from Kohl’s range from $15 to $30.
COLOR GUARD
Vivid colors make small spaces pop. This year, hot pinks, citrus greens and oranges, and soft blues characterize back-to-college decorating. $7.50 each at Pier 1 Imports ()
FLOOR DÉCOR
Bean-bag chairs are ideal because they’re mobile, inexpensive and many feature washable, zip-off covers. This one is $19.99 at Burlington Coat Factory.
MOD POD
Modern decorating goes mainstream with affordable furnishings like this Z Mobile Work Station. $83 at
MAX PACK
Look for bookbags with bells-and-whistles to accommodate today’s tech-savvy college kids. This one has pop-out iPhone pockets integrated into shoulder straps, a separate zipper pouch to carry cables, external hard drives and the like, and it’s equipped with Terralinq service, which helps reunite owners with lost bags. $149.95 at .
FEATHERED NEST
Nesting tables work for storage, meals and more. Add cool graphics and they became functional art. About $50 only at .
