With John’s bedroom all settled and styled, it’s time to wrap up the tour with the rest of his Auburn apartment. From a bathroom that just may have stolen the show, to closet organization and a peek at the shared spaces, he truly has the happiest home on The Plains.
The Bathroom: The Real Showstopper
If there’s one space in the apartment that turned heads, it was definitely the bathroom. The whole thing started with this Tiger shower curtain. Since John had first right of refusal on anything coming through the door, I ran it by him before buying. At first, he hesitated. While his personality is bold, he usually prefers to blend in decor-wise. But with a little nudge from me (and the fact that it was only $12 if he hated it), he agreed. It was the very first thing I hung in the room, and sure enough, every single kid who walked past stopped in their tracks. The reactions were universal: “That’s awesome”… though in the kind of young adult lingo I’ll never fully understand.
To keep things pulled together (and not over the top), I added muted orange towels and a coordinating bathmat in Auburn colors. A simple bottle of hand soap with an orange label and an orange cup for his toothbrush were the finishing touches. Easy, inexpensive, and spirited.
On the back of the toilet, I tucked a gray canvas basket to corral his daily toiletries… the one and only item salvaged from last year’s freshman bathroom setup! As for art, we hung an AU basketball champs poster from his first year, paired with a letterpress print from one of my longtime favorites, The Old Try.
Thankfully, there’s plenty of storage under the sink for the rest: toiletries, his medicine “tub,” and all the practical things like extra toilet paper. I also stocked him with a toilet brush, cleaner, and an impressive supply of Clorox wipes – though I have no illusions these may ever see the light of day. The finishing touch? A bottle of daily shower spray that may or may not actually get used, but at least looks the part.
- Tiger Shower Curtain
- Towels, Bathmat, Soap, Shower liner, Shower hooks, Cup – Target in store
- Loveliest Village on the Plains art
- Storage baskets
Closet
The walk-in closet in his bedroom is a huge upgrade from last year! There’s plenty of room to hang all of his clothes and store extras – protein powder (because who can have enough?), camping gear, sheets (fingers crossed they actually get used), towels, blankets and a tub of “costume” attire.
Laundry Closet
I didn’t manage to snap a photo of the laundry closet in all the move-in day madness, but the fact that there is one is worth celebrating! Since Sister gifted him laundry service last year, I simply sent him back with all the unused supplies I had stocked before freshman year. The closet itself has tons of storage, which the boys have filled not with linens or cleaning products…but with an impressive collection of coolers in every shape and size. Priorities, right? Stay tuned for the update on whether or not the laundry is ever done. I suspect he’ll be delivering his laundry home like it’s part of the care package exchange program.
- Downy Wrinkle Releaser – this stuff is amazing and I use it all the time; I think there is a chance he will too!
- Clothes Steamer – doubt this will be used, but I recently replaced mine so am giving him the old one
- OxiClean Stain Remover – will probably never see the light of day, but it’s there
- Color Catcher – all the colors will likely go in together
- Fabric Softener – he loves for his clothes to smell good
- Scent Booster – see above; he does use this at home
- Tide Pods – easier than powder or liquid, which I use at home
Living, Dining and Porch
While John was more than happy to have me fuss over his private spaces, he made it clear that the common areas were off limits. I can respect a boundary! The boys wanted to handle those themselves, and handle them they did.
Before move in, they scored four sofas from older fraternity brothers. Quite the start, right? One per kid! We contributed a rug from our basement, and another mom sent over a recliner from Grandpa’s house. A small table was rescued from the dumpster on move-in day, while a coffee table, TV table, and a TV (remote not included, naturally) materialized from mysterious sources. When I saw another mom sneak in a couple of throw pillows, I slipped in my own – John’s Call Your Mom pillow from freshman year.
They bought a TV stand, but it didn’t work with the TV, so the TV leaned against the wall until they came up with the “obvious” solution: buy a second TV to fit the stand. (Because returning the stand would be far too easy!) When it became clear that four sofas wouldn’t fit in the den, two were relocated to the porch. Now, these are not outdoor sofas, mind you. I gently suggested sliding them into the entry space, but was met with horrified looks. The entry is reserved for their golf clubs, which “look cool” on display. Have I mentioned I’m in my “let them” era? Four sofas? Let them! Two indoor sofas outside? Let them! Knives stored in the cabinet obviously built for plates and plates stored in the drawer made for knives? Let them! :-)
John’s latest update? “We bought a Blackstone for the porch and have cooked on it all week.” When I asked how that worked with two sofas out there, he said they just moved one in front of the door to make space. So it’s “hard” to get outside, but hey – it works! He assured me the TV is finally on a stand that fits, and they’re now shopping for a second TV to mount. (The lease forbids wall mounted TVs, but at this point my influence only stretches so far. I paid the security deposit, and he’s responsible for paying me back if it doesn’t get refunded!)
The kitchen came fully equipped appliance wise, which was a huge blessing. Another mom donated five barstools, and one super organized mom coordinated a shopping list so we could all contribute. The boys unpacked and “organized” everything themselves – and while I use the term organized loosely, they truly have everything they need. With a fraternity meal plan and a small on-campus dining plan, John won’t be entirely reliant on his culinary skills for sustenance. Still, I know having a real kitchen is something he’s going to appreciate and love this year.
All in all, the common spaces are a perfect mix of chaos, creativity, and “we’ll figure it out later.” Between the sofas blocking the porch door, mysterious TV acquisitions, and golf clubs on display like modern art, it’s a space that works… just barely… but it’s theirs, and that’s what counts.
I did slip in the I Saw that Sign from last year!! I forgot to snap a pic so here’s one from last year. One of the other moms spied it and loved it, too!
And that wraps up the tour of John’s Auburn apartment! Creating this space with him, and for him, was such a joy. While he’s stepping into independence, it feels wonderful knowing he has a great space with great roomies to come back to at the end of each day. Make good choices, go to class, call your mama. War Eagle, son!
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