College Move-In: What to Buy for a Dorm
College move-in day is coming soon! Whether it’s your first time moving a college student into a dorm or you’ve done it many times, a refresher on what to buy never hurts.
College move-in day is coming soon! Whether it’s your first time moving a college student into a dorm or you’ve done it many times, a refresher on what to buy never hurts.
We have a free pdf that you can download here for a full list of what to bring, but here are a few more items we think are important and you may not have thought of:
Mattress Topper
A mattress topper is an absolute MUST. The mattresses provided in dorm rooms are far from comfortable and a good mattress topper can make a drastic difference in comfort level.
Bathroom Caddy
Even if your college student has a private bathroom in their dorm room, they will likely be sharing with at least their roommate. Dorm bathrooms are small, and they may want a caddy to bring their products in and out of the bathroom and store them elsewhere. Or they may want a caddy to go over the shower head if they have a private bathroom.
Power Strip
Power Strips should not be plugged into each other and often there are not many outlets in a dorm room. Purchase a power strip that doubles as an extension cord to be sure it will reach where it needs to.
Phone Case
This one may seem odd, but it is very convenient to have a phone case with a cardholder so the student can carry their room key in it and not worry about it getting lost. Plus, this keeps it easily accessible for them.
Good luck on your college move-in day and enjoy every moment of the process with your child. Plan something fun for that evening to make leaving them at school a little easier. Trust that you’ve done well getting them this far and let them fly!
If getting your home organized and ready for a child to move out is overwhelming, contact us!
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The Best Bins for School Supplies
It’s back to school time! Can you believe the school year starts in just a couple of weeks?! This summer has flown by and it’s time to get the whole family ready for the start of the school year again. We’ve been there, and we’ve found a few tools along the way that make it all go a little more smoothly.
It’s back to school time! Can you believe the school year starts in just a couple of weeks?! This summer has flown by and it’s time to get the whole family ready for the start of the school year again. We’ve been there, and we’ve found a few tools along the way that make it all go a little more smoothly.
There are so many school supplies to be purchased and stored for the coming school year. Here are a few of our favorite bins to keep it all organized and functioning all school year long!
Latch Bins
Bins with latches work amazingly well for school supplies. You can find them at many stores and in an array of different sizes that work well for many items (pens, pencils, markers, crayons, paper, scissors, etc.).
File Boxes
File boxes are the best way to keep all those important papers your child brings home from school stored and organized, while also keeping them from getting crumpled. Put your child’s name on the front of the box and have a file for each school year. This is a great way to not only avoid losing papers, but also to store keepsakes from your child’s time in school.
Rolling Carts
Okay, so we know this isn’t really a storage bin, but rolling carts are great from storing school supplies at home. They’re also great for creating a homework station for your kids.
Does the thought of the looming school year overwhelm you? Let us help you get your home organized and routines set in place so that your whole family can start the school year strong!
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Routine: The Key to Survival and Success
If I had to pick one thing I could share that would make the biggest difference in your life, it would be routines.
As a teacher, there were no excuses for being late. I had to be on time to receive the children or the parents would then be late themselves! Not only did I have to be on time, but also I really needed to be there early to attend to a few things before the students were walking through the door. Oh, and I had to get 2 small children dressed and ready for school as well. I conquered this challenge with this beautiful thing called a routine.
If I had to pick one thing I could share that would make the biggest difference in your life, it would be routines.
As a teacher, there were no excuses for being late. I had to be on time to receive the children or the parents would then be late themselves! Not only did I have to be on time, but also I really needed to be there early to attend to a few things before the students were walking through the door. Oh, and I had to get 2 small children dressed and ready for school as well. I conquered this challenge with this beautiful thing called a routine.
Routine = sequence of actions that you do repeatedly.
Simple. You repeat these few things every day. It takes discipline at first but you can do it!
There are 3 times that routines should be in place to make your life less chaotic.
Morning-as easy and as simple as you can make it.
Afterschool or work-do the things necessary to start tomorrow strong.
Evening-reset your home, check for last minute to-do’s and put things in place.
Here are some examples of daily routines for kids and adults:
Morning:
Get dressed
Brush teeth/hair
Eat breakfast
Get lunchbox, backpack, purse, wallet, etc. (items that have a “take with me” home) and walk out the door.
After-school (young kids):
Snack (in a designated spot so the children can grab without your assistance)
Homework
Repack backpacks
Make lunches(this can be part of the evening routine if needed.)
Play
After-work (Routines aren’t just for kids):
Hang up work clothes
Start laundry
Pay bills/answer emails/take care of “home business”
Start dinner (check weekly meal plan)
Pack lunch (unless it’s dinner leftovers)
Homework help/sign any paperwork that the kids have and have child put back in the appropriate space.
Re-boot laundry
Kids evening Routine:
Mary Poppins called it, “Tidy up the Nursery” time. Aka: Clean up your mess! Setting a timer (2-3 minutes per child’s age. A 5 year old should get 15 minutes of time. If it takes longer, you will need to reassess the amount of toys they are allowed to pull out) and turning on music makes this task more fun with smaller children. Supervision is best with this step because kids love to hide their messes in their closets, under beds, in hampers and anywhere they think they can get away with it. No, your kid’s not a jerk, this is normal.
Get out school clothes. If this is a nightly struggle, try getting out a weeks worth on Sundays. (I used a 5-tier hanging shelf that hooks to the closet rod.)
Baths
Books (quiet time)
Bed-as in lights out because Mom and Dad need some grown up time.
Evening routine:
Lay out your clothes for tomorrow. This step is huge because so much time is wasted in the AM on this one step!
Put your purse, keys, wallet, mail, backpacks and everything else that goes with you in the AM in one place. This place should be it’s designated home every single evening. (No more searching for things in the morning!) Having a phone charger in that place would be smart so it’s all there together.
Check the weather. Do you need to leave a little early due to fog, rain, snow? (Well, not so much snow in south Louisiana, just hurricanes.)
Check the calendar. Do you need anything besides the usual items? Valentines Card? Mardi Gras beads? LSU shirt?
Reset the house in 15-30 minutes. For me, this is making sure the dirty dishes are in the dishwasher, sofa cushions and sofa pillows are straight, extra blankets are folded and in the basket, toys (dog toys for me) are put in their home. I usually throw the dirty kitchen towels into the dirty clothes basket as well and wipe counters. This is also the time to put away all the items that are not in their home. Remember to be a good example and put away things when you use them so this is not a daunting task.
Make a list of your routines and post it until it’s memory. You can hang them in sheet protectors and have the kids check them off with dry erase markers as the job is done. You are there to supervise the children, not do the job for them.
Not sure where to start when making routines? Give us a call and let’s set up a consultation to get you on the right path. How much time will you gain by implementing these routines?
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Snack Solutions for Kids
I can see it like it was just yesterday, the backpacks being drug across the floor as my children walked into the kitchen looking like they were rolled in a dust pile from playing on the playground.
“MOOOM, I’M STARVING!”
Fortunately, I quickly learned that having healthy snacks on hand in the fridge or pantry made my life much more pleasant and it kept me from worrying about them eating so much junk food. (Small Mom win!)
Here are a few of our favorites.
I can see it like it was just yesterday, the backpacks being drug across the floor as my children walked into the kitchen looking like they were rolled in a dust pile from playing on the playground.
“MOOOM, I’M STARVING!”
Fortunately, I quickly learned that having healthy snacks on hand in the fridge or pantry made my life much more pleasant and it kept me from worrying about them eating so much junk food. (Small Mom win!)
Disclaimer: I’m not a nutritionist; just a mom and former kindergarten teacher that wanted to have some healthy choices for her kids to have on hand. My daughter, Riley, has learned even more smart tips now that she’s babysitting school aged children. These ideas are a conglomerate of things I did and things we’ve learned from other Mama’s through the years.
Here are a few of our favorites.
Sweet
There is nothing better than cold (or frozen) grapes after a long, hot day in a Louisiana classroom. Fruit is a big winner at our house. I also love dehydrated fruits.
As long as the apples were cut, my kids would devour them. If I left them whole, they would rot! Why is that???
To keep apples from turning brown, add a little lemon juice to the container. Using a peanut, sunflower or almond butter “dip” is a great way to add some protein too.
Also, if you are making a lunch with fruit as a side, mixed fruit is not too popular with kids for some reason. They much prefer tiny compartments with a variety of separated food.
And if your children have a sweet tooth, Trader Joes has chocolate covered bananas and strawberries that you can keep in the freezer. Let’s be honest, this Mama LOVES these too. It’s just enough to curb my sweet tooth.
Sour
Tart fruits such as grapefruits, oranges, green apples or tart cherries are a great alternative to sour patch kids!
***Cut grapes in ½. Sprinkle with some lime juice. I haven’t personally tried this but Riley says you will love it if you like sour candy!
Greek yogurt is delicious!
Lemon and Lime sparkling water is a refreshing treat too!
Salty
Baked carrot chips or kale chips are a great go to snack if your kiddos need a salty fix.
Here is a great recipe to try.
Trail mix and Veggie Straws are another great choice. You can always add dark chocolate chips to mix the sweet and salty flavors.
Hummus with cut up veggies such as carrots, celery, or bell peppers is also a healthy snack! You can put small baggies of different veggies in your fridge snack bin and the individual packs of hummus in your pantry snack bin! These are great for snacks or lunches!
Sweet Potato Fries have been a family favorite of ours.
Wash and dice your sweet potatoes. Put in a bowl; mix with olive oil and Lipton Onion Soup Mix, salt and pepper. Spread on a cookie sheet. Bake at 400 until brown and crisp on the bottom, about 15 minutes, then flip and cook until the other side is crisp, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.
Riley uses her air fryer instead of the oven to make these. Whatever your choice, it’s a healthy snack!
High Protein
My son needed protein ASAP to improve his mood. I would cut up ham or turkey along with cheddar cheese and he would devour it! You can also roll the meat slices. My kids called these “meat roll-ups” and ate them right up.
Celery or apple slices with peanut butter is also a winner. Peanut butter also comes in individual serving sizes. Be sure to check the sugar amount in the peanut butter if this is important to you.
Thin slices of salami make a great “chip” to dip in warm Brie.
I also search the Internet for great snack, lunch, and dinner ideas. Here is a blog I love with one of my kids favorites!!
Snack Bins
I had a large, plastic basket in the bottom of my pantry for the non-perishable snacks. Had I had more pantry space, I would’ve had the individual hummus cups in a bin, the individual, peanut butter cups in a bin, etc…you get the point. I didn’t have the space back then for it to be beautiful, so I did the next best thing and made it practical!
Here are my tips when choosing a bin:
Clear if possible. That way you can see when you are running low and add the items to your grocery list.
Needs to be large enough to hold a weeks worth of snacks. I really didn’t want to go to the store more than that! Who has that kind of time?
These are just a few quick go-to ideas that I hope can help you!
As for storage bins for the refrigerator or pantry, check these out!
Here is another choice from The Dollar Tree. These are not as large but work great if space is limited.
Don’t over think this! Start with something you have around your house and change it if it isn’t working.
We Mama’s have enough on our plate!
The last point I’ll make is make sure your children know that this is where to go for snacks after school. Labeling is a simple way to alleviate having to show them over and over!
Here are a few of our favorites:
We have more pantry organizing ideas in this blog. Take a look!
Meal plans can be simple as well. Here’s a great example of how to maximize your meals and minimize your groceries. I’d love to tell you that this is my meal plan, but I’m just not that good at the cooking thing! A dear friend of mine created this genius meal plan and thankfully shared it with me.
Being organized with food will take a little more planning on the front end but you will gain so much time during the week not having to run to the grocery store more than once or staring at the fridge waiting for a dinner idea to come to you. Trust me, I do not like to cook so planning was awful but needed!
Keep it simple!
Good luck y’all! I’m cheering for you!
Want to have a little fun with us while gaining some organizing tips? Join Martha-Carol and her daughter, Riley for Cocktails with Chaos on Thursday nights at 8:30pm on Facebook!
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All Things Dorm and Preparing Your Student for the Big Move
AGGHHHH! My son is heading to college and moving in the dorm. I’ve got to start thinking about the dorm essentials he will need. Having the right dorm essentials helps your student feel as if they have a home away from home. I hope this list helps answer some questions and eases your worry a bit. You’ve done a good job getting them to this place, they will be great. Time to let them fly!
AGGHHHH! My son is heading to college and moving in the dorm. I’ve got to start thinking about the dorm essentials he will need. Good news, I’ve done this once already. Easy peasy right? Not so much. In 3 short years things have already changed a bit. Not to mention, the girl versus boy thing is very different. (My son could care less about matching his bedding with his roommate’s bedding and doesn’t need the cutesy headboards, matching towels or monogrammed anything! Lucky me! ) So, I did what I do best and found good resources to gather information and advice. I already had a fabulous list given to me three years ago by a mom of four (Thank you Kathy!) so I had a really great baseline to start. Next, I contacted my parent friends with kids who did this just last year-very helpful! And my secret weapon, an LSU Resident Assistant who has been in the dorm for the past three years. Her job is to help dorm residents thrive and survive so this was really helpful!
My updated checklist is in PDF printable form on the Free Printable's section of our website. Here is the link to that.
In addition to that list, here are a few other tips.
Read your “Living on Campus” handbook for your school. Each school will have varying rules about what they allow.
GET A MATTRESS TOPPER! The beds are uncomfortable. If your student is going to be in a humid climate, the RA suggested getting one with a case or getting a waterproof mattress cover to put between the topper and the sheets. She said that there have been cases where the mattress topper absorbed water when the rooms were not climate controlled (Holiday breaks) leaving all of the students bedding wet for a period of time.
Command hooks are great. Some schools want you to use push pins instead. (Command hooks can pull paint off the walls if not installed correctly.)
2 power strips cannot be put together. (Power strip plus extension cord) because it’s a fire hazard. Order a power strip with a long cord if you plan on raising the bed high.
Get lightbulbs that stay cool to the touch to prevent fires.
Fairy lights are a great way to spruce up a room as well as gently light up a space without bothering a roommate who is sleeping. There are even some that sync to music or sound.
A first aid kit with cold meds, allergy meds, acetaminophen and other non-prescription medicine is important to have on hand. Living with new people and new germs means more minor sickness.
Tell your son/daughter to get to know the RA. This person can be a much-needed ally if there are roommate or neighbor issues.
A carpet or rug and a bulletin board of some sort to hang photographs can make the place feel much more like home. Rugs also give friends a softer place to sit when they visit.
Get a hanging bathroom caddy if they have a hall bathroom. That allows them to hang the caddy on a hook versus sitting it on the floor where it gets wet.
Collapsible storage or under bed drawers are great for holding food or extra clothes. If your child can’t come home to swap out seasonal clothing, these containers are extremely helpful for storage.
Steamers or wrinkle release spray to help when they need to look presentable.
Furniture with storage is also great. My daughter had a stool to climb into her bed that also stored her shoes.
Your son/daughter will want a card holder that sticks to their phone, so they don’t forget their room key! Here are a couple of options.
Some schools give these out free on the first day!
It’s a great idea to pack everything in large storage bins and label the bins. Bring a dolly and/or wagon to help get the bins from the car to the dorm room.
Patience is a MUST because things move slowly on move in day.
Pack water and snacks too.
Some other advice that might be helpful.....
Please don’t get your feelings hurt when they want to unpack and “nest” on their own. Remember, this is the first time they’ve had their very own space! It doesn’t mean they don’t love you when they push you out the door. (Can someone please remind me of this when I bring my son to his dorm? I have a lump in my throat already!) Kids let your parents help a little. It makes us feel better knowing there are sheets on your bed (even if you don’t sleep on them!)
Make a deal with your son/daughter that you won’t call them every day. Instead, set up a time and day that they check in and let you in on what’s going on. I was so relieved when my daughter would text me and just say, “I’m alive.” My son will most likely not check in as often as I would like so I’ll have to be satisfied with once or twice a week. We Mama’s worry....Sigh.
Leaving my daughter at school was the hardest part for me. Plan something fun to do that night such as a nice dinner out or visit with friends (if we can!) It helps ease you into them being gone. And trust me, when they come home for the holidays and bring their mess and laundry back with them, you will be counting the days until they go back to school. HA!
Having the right dorm essentials helps your student feel as if they have a home away from home. I hope this list helps answer some questions and eases your worry a bit. You’ve done a good job getting them to this place, they will be great. Time to let them fly!
Preparing our kids to move into their college dorm and sending them off on their own can be emotional and a hard thing to do. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, give us a call so we can help you get organized and prepared at 225-205-6400.
Remember to hug those kiddos a little tighter this weekend, and have a Happy Father’s Day!
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