It’s time for Whit’s second installment of 12 Gifts on the 27th, and just like I did with John three years ago, September is all about laundry.
The difference this time around is that I now have two full years of experience sending a boy off to college. When I put John’s laundry gift together during his senior year, I was trying to think like a teenage boy and make sure he had every single thing he could possibly need. This time, I have actual evidence of what a college boy will and will not use. Spoiler alert: he needed considerably less than I thought. (Of course, keep in mind Sister gave him a laundry service his entire freshman year.)
Class of 2027 – 12 Gifts on the 27th
August: Packing & Moving
September: Laundry
I did buy Whit the exact same rolling laundry basket I bought for John. That thing has absolutely withstood the test of time. It has survived two years of college, multiple moves, being thrown into the back seat of the car and hauled back and forth between Auburn and home. It is sturdy, holds a ton and has proven to be genuinely useful. When something survives two years with a college boy, I feel confident calling it a five-star product.
I did not, however, repurchase the laundry backpack that I thought was such a brilliant idea the first time around. John never once used it. In fact, I’m not sure I ever saw it again after freshman move-in. Wherever it is, I hope it’s living a happy life.
The clothes steamer also did not make the cut for Whit. When I gave John his, I actually wrote that I doubted it would be used but figured it was worth including. I would like to officially report back that my instincts were correct. When we moved him into the fraternity house for junior year, the cord was still wrapped around the steamer exactly as it had been when I left it with him at freshman move-in. After two years of patiently waiting for its moment to shine, I brought it home and donated it. Someone, somewhere, will hopefully steam something with it.
I also simplified the actual laundry supplies this time. No scent boosters and no collection of every laundry product known to man. Whit is getting detergent, Color Catchers, dryer sheets, a stain stick and wrinkle releaser. That’s it.
The stain stick makes me laugh because John is still using the exact same one I sent to Auburn with him freshman year. I’m choosing to believe this means he is extraordinarily careful with his clothes rather than considering any of the other possible explanations.
And the wrinkle releaser stays because, unlike the steamer, there is at least a reasonable chance a college boy will spray something on a shirt rather than plug in an appliance and intentionally remove wrinkles from it.
I love that I’m getting to repeat this 12 Gifts tradition with Whit, but I’m also realizing how much fun it is to do it with the benefit of hindsight. The first time around, I was trying to anticipate what college life would look like and what John might need. This time, I know a little more about what actually gets used, what comes home untouched and what disappears into the abyss sometime between freshman move-in and sophomore year.
So Whit’s laundry gift is considerably simpler than John’s was three years ago, but I suspect it’s also considerably more useful.
- Waterproof Zipper Pouch – so he doesn’t have to take all the various bottles and boxes around
- Hamper with Wheels
- Downy Wrinkle Releaser – this stuff is amazing and I use it all the time; I think there is a chance he will too!
- 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
- Tide Pods – easier than powder or liquid, which I use at home
Two gifts down and ten to go. By the time we get to move-in next year, perhaps I’ll finally have this whole sending-a-boy-to-college thing figured out. Probably just in time to be finished doing it. :-)
Dixie Delights
travel • home • celebrations • everyday delights
Instagram | Pinterest
Dixie Travels
exceptional vacations • expertly planned
Disney • Universal • Cruises • Luxury Hotels
Start Planning | Learn More
Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest