As promised, I have done a full inventory of everything John used and didn’t use in his freshmen year at Auburn. Overall, I’d say the project was a success and I hope you find this helpful as you prepare to feather the college nest! I’ll be referring back to this for Whit as I start his 12 Gifts on the 27th in fourteen months. (oy!)
Class of 2024 – Gifts on the 24th
August: Packing & Moving
September: Laundry
October: First Aid & Medicine Cabinet
November: AirTags
December: Dorm Things Part 1
January: Backpacks and Bags
February: Tools
March: He’s Committed
April: Dorm Bedding
May: Graduation Day Keepsake
June: Dorm Bedroom | Dorm Bedroom (reveal post)
July: Dorm Living Room & Kitchenette (reveal post)
August: Dorm Bathroom (reveal post)
Both of these items were life savers and highly recommended! I used a strip of painter’s tape to label each blue bag’s contents for move in (bedding, bathroom, decor, desk supplies, etc) and it made things move so much quicker. Once unpacked, we left all of the blue bags there under the bed, folded and stored inside of one bag.
Sister gave John a laundry service, including dry cleaning, for his entire first year. It was a generous, amazing and VERY APPRECIATED gift. John didn’t carry home any dirty clothes on visits, nor did he run a single load of laundry. He did use the laundry hamper, but all of other items returned home unused. They are already repacked for next year!
October: First Aid & Medicine Cabinet
This could be culled. He used bandaids, cold and allergy meds. Everything else was unopened.
November: AirTags
100% recommend. We all rely heavily on AirTags and that didn’t change in college. He did break the key chain, which I replaced part way through the year. He used them on his keys, wallet, back pack and back pack cooler.
Both of these items were used and are headed back for Sophomore year.
All of these were used often and are cleaned and repacked for next year.
These items were completely untouched! This can be a pass, especially when living in a dorm. I am sending it all back next year since he will be in an apartment.
He loved and used the belt and key chain. The pennant is in his room at home.
Most of these items were used and remain recommended. His bed felt like the princess and the pea after we made it up on day 1. He found it super comfy all year long. The only items he didn’t use were spare sheets. I changed them once for him in the fall and, not knowing when I’d be back, layered on some peel off fitted sheets. They were all still there a few weeks ago. Everything was in great condition when it returned home so I washed and packed it all up for Whit down the road (he won’t have an XL twin next year). I threw away the sheets and recommend buying cheap like I did.
This stayed home. :-)
June: Dorm Bedroom | Dorm Bedroom (reveal post)
His bedroom looked pretty much the same on pick up as it did on drop off. He rated it 5* for comfort and loved his little room. We covered bedding above. As for the rest of the items in his dorm, we were glad we had:
headboard, bedside tables, task lamp, homey wall decor and pictures from home, comfy desk chair, desk topper (no fines for messing anything up), surge protector with USB, rug, tub of dress up / costume items, school colors tie
He couldn’t have cared less about:
the throw pillow, student agenda, 95% of the school supplies, cleaning supplies, closet organizational items or the curtains (he wanted black out but I disagreed – can’t have him sleeping all day – so he said these were not needed)
He wished he had:
a bulletin board or pin board (he used scotch tape to adhere things he collected during the year to the wall)
July: Dorm Living Room & Kitchenette (reveal post)
Much like the bedroom, the shared living room and kitchenette looked lived in and well cared for at the end of the year. They added an additional chair. As predicted, all throw pillows were found shoved behind the sofa to get them out of the way.
In the kitchen, they used NOTHING but the air fryer. It was so used, in fact, that it had to be replaced mid-year. We supplied them with all disposable plates, cutlery, etc. and that was a lifesaver. No way they were washing dishes in the tiny sink. It’s worth noting all of them were on a meal plan so there really wasn’t a need for them to cook.
August: Dorm Bathroom (reveal post)
The bathroom. Oh, the bathroom. I walked in and immediately gagged. It.was.disgusting. The storage racks and baskets were virtually untouched, so I wouldn’t do that next time for boys. The cleaning supplies were ABSOLUTELY untouched. Everything in the bathroom was deemed unsalvageable and thrown in the dumpster.
It is such a JOY to have John back home! We finally got everything moved from the garage, cleaned, organized and repacked for next year (or for little brother). I guess we will start planning for next year next month!
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Thank you for this rundown. I did this same thing this past year based on your recommendations, and it was a fun way to get prepared for the Fall when our daughter goes off to UGA. Good to know what was helpful and what wasn’t.
This was super helpful. My children are grown but I have referred several friends to your monthly gifts…and they did this for their daughters who are graduating this week.
Had to laugh about the bathroom!!!!!!!!!!!!
You really covered all the bases Amanda, and I know it will be helpful for the parents of college freshman in the Fall. I was talking to my son the other day and he told me he still had some towels I gave him when he left for trade school in Nashville and lived in a dorm. He is now in his early 40’s! This man throws nothing away! He still has some hoodies and t-shirts from that era that fit him and amazingly look like new. He wastes nothing and keeps everything in excellent condition, but later admitted he uses the towels for bathing the dogs. LOL
Haha! I love that! Sounds like Whit. :-)
I love this! I borrowed your original list for my 2025 grad this year and so glad to hear what worked and didn’t. He LOVED it and it was fun for me to do each month! Planning to transition to care packages on the 25th (or close as I can get) for his freshman year in the dorm.
this is so helpful! tbh i’m also using this list for myself for my own apartment! haha!
yes bulletin board is def a must! and a dry erase board if that works for him whether in his room or for the fridge or door. me and my roommates would leave messages to each other on the dry erase board we put on the fridge such as when the bills were due and reminders. its crazy how fancy dorm decorating has gotten! the headboard looks soo nice! wish i had that in my dorm days haha! its nice he had a room to himself!! his room looks so nice and classy! great job mama!