Nest Full of New

Many thanks to Kleenex and Walmart for sponsoring today’s story, and keeping dorm rooms stylish!

 

When our daughter left for college several years ago, we had no idea what she was going to need. We made it through her freshman year only by buying way too many things for her way too small dorm room. She didn’t need half of what she took and it ended up just wasting money and space. That was six years and three dorm rooms ago!  She’s in grad school now and when I asked her this weekend if she had any advice for incoming college freshmen she emphatically said yes!

• Be sure to bring something that reminds you of home – like a stuffed animal, your favorite pillow and/or photos of family and friends.
• Bring plenty of things  store your stuff in – like this trunk from WalMart. There’s never enough storage in a dorm room and this trunk can also serve as a table. Think about things like plastic storage drawers, bins and ever things you can hide under you bed!
• If you can, get together with your roommate ahead of time to see who’s going to bring the refrigerator and/or the microwave – there were two of each in many dorm rooms Freshman year!
• She wishes she had an air mattress and a good pillow for company, but if nothing else – make your own bed super comfy! Not so comfy that you never want to leave it, but most standard dorm rooms have notoriously uncomfortable beds. Try a foam mattress pad and a cute comforter set.
• Bring a coffee maker like a Keurig that will make coffee, tea and hot chocolate. You’ll need something to keep that caffeine flowing on those late study nights.
• Keep those tootsies off the cold floor and don’t forget an area rug – the biggest one you can fit in your dorm room! (This is another thing to chat with your roomie about, btw.) A rug will warm things up more than you’ll ever imagine – literally and figuratively. While you’re at it, pick up a small vacuum cleaner that cleans floors and carpet.
• Bring new towels! WalMart has a super rainbow of amazing towels and nothing says “my new place” like my own new towels. Remember to put your initial on the tags. 😉

• Lots of college campuses won’t allow freshmen to bring a car their first year.  No worries! Colleges are always bike-friendly and even encourage students to ride a bike to class. Hope you can find this super cool Panama Jack bicycle at a WalMart close to you – it has a neat retro look and nice, padded seat.

• She said that little twinkly lights – like the kind you use at Christmas, were very popular in college dorm rooms. They create a nice atmosphere and eliminate the need for the harsh florescent lighting in the room. A floor lamp or desk lamp is nice, too. Don’t forget to pick up some Command strip hooks to hang the strings of lights…maybe think about a power strip, too.
• Snacks always rule…need I say more? Isn’t this Jello University Jigglers kit the coolest thing?

• Finally, she mentioned that she never had enough facial tissues and proceeded to share stories with me about how her and her roommate would have to run down the hall to the bathroom anytime they need a tissue and then they had to use toilet paper instead. (Trust me…you don’t want those details!)  If nothing else, she definitely recommended always having a box or two of Kleenex tissue in the dorm room. The new Kleenex Expressions Oval Facial Tissue Chevron Designs are exclusive to WalMart Supercenters and are the perfect style for a dorm room, not to mention they come at an everyday low price – only $2.48 at my store. The Kleenex Expressions oval box designs help you get in touch with your style and are a soft, 2-ply facial tissue are available in 64-count boxes.

I love all the colors and that they are designed to match most any decor – guys or girls. Of course, you can’t beat the Kleenex quality. The Kleenex Expressions Oval Facial Tissue Chevron Designs can be found in the Back to School, Back to College, and/or tissue section of Walmart Supercenters and are only available for a limited time!

 

Together, Kleenex and Walmart will help you create a comfortable dorm room – a little home away from home – while getting the most for your money without skimping of quality and style.