It's your child's (or your own) first home away
from home. It's a college dorm or a room in a shared
apartment. But most important, it's a place to call home
when not at home. And oh, by the way, it's not furnished.
If it's a dorm room, it has the obligatory bed, desk and
dresser and not much else. If it's an apartment it's
probably empty.
Now what? Where do you start? What's first? How do you
approach this wonderful/awful problem/opportunity?
It's daunting, scary, and the prospect of picking out
sheets, never mind furniture, can cause emotional
paralysis. And, if that's not enough, add to your anxiety
that there's not much money for buying stuff.
THE PLAN
As with any other problem, the best way to solve this
one is to start with a plan. This plan should contain the
answers to three basic questions.
First question: "What do I need?" Remember to include
function in this question, for instance, "What kind of
work/study space do I need?" Make a list and prioritize
it. Basics first, things you'd like to have next, wish
list last. Basics include sheets, towels, etc., all the
way down to the wastebasket. A big-screen TV is not a
basic!
Second question: "How much do I have to spend?" Be
realistic. You can live without a popcorn popper but not
without a reading light.
Third question (and this one's the trick question):
"What do I like?" Mom/Dad, this isn't about you anymore.
This is the time when your kids get to learn more about
who they are and what they like and don't like, and
express those preferences. If you remember this you'll
spare yourselves a lot of grief.
THE APPROACH
Having answered the above three questions, you now
have a strategy. With your list of needs in hand and
budget in mind, it's time to start thinking about
shopping. Notice that's thinking about shopping, not
shopping.
Time for research. Where do you get all this stuff,
especially on a tight budget?
The first, most obvious place is your own home.
Perhaps there are things in the attic or garage that with
just a coat of paint could look terrific again. Couldn't
hurt to ask relatives, neighbors and friends. They might
be happy to part with things that have been waiting for
this opportunity for 10 years.
Armed with items scavenged from people who love you,
it's time to do research on what's available in the city
or town where the college is. This tells you what you can
plan on buying there versus what you should acquire
before you leave.
Start with the Internet. Each town probably has its
own directory of retailers. Print out the list. When you
get to the new area, the best resource for shopping
information is the local Yellow Pages.
If you're going to be living in an unfurnished room or
apartment, the bed is probably the first big purchase.
Find a store that will deliver for free, and get a bed
that's comfortable; the value of being well rested is
underestimated.
Next comes the furniture. Look up "Furniture -- Used."
Secondhand stores in college towns abound with furniture
that's ideal for students. Most of it is probably in
pretty good condition because it's been used for only a
year or two. Prices are less than for new furniture and
sometimes are negotiable.
Storage solutions are important in small quarters, so
don't overlook or scrimp on this category. The choices of
how to approach this subject vary from chic (read
"expensive") baskets to wire industrial-style bins that
are popular in many home stores.
If you need an area rug, look under "Carpets --
Remnants." To you, 9 feet by 12 feet is a rug; to a
carpet warehouse, it's a remnant, and it wants to get rid
of it -- cheap.
For kitchen supplies, the best places to look are flea
markets and garage sales. You can get everything you need
-- even the popcorn popper -- for much less than new.
Once you have the most basic of basics and you're
ready to do some real shopping, look for back-to-school
sales. Compare prices; some stores will match or beat the
price of their competitors. Some stores offer student
discounts, so don't forget to ask.
The really big chain discount stores seem to be
everywhere. Their prices are about as low as it gets, and
they carry everything you'll need to set up house.
Look for good values like "bed-in-a-bag" sets.
Everything to make up an attractive bed except the pillow
is, just as it says, packaged together in a big plastic
bag. When making these kinds of choices, let yourself be
creative, and you just might surprise yourself with your
"style."
A few months ago my 20-year-old niece Lauren, a
soon-to-be college junior in New England, excitedly
informed me that with her parents' blessings and
financial support, she would be moving into an apartment
with three girlfriends. The plan: Move into their
three-bedroom apartment (with living room and kitchen)
during the summer while school's still out and settle
into their new living arrangements.
Upon hearing her news I just as excitedly blurted out,
"Want me to help you decorate it?" Like two teenagers, we
squealed with glee at the prospect of spending time
together doing our favorite things: shopping and
decorating.
The reality of my offer was not missed by her parents.
A few weeks before I went East we discussed the budget, a
very real subject for them because they're footing not
only all her college bills but also now the apartment and
everything that goes with it.
As a professional designer I know that when money's no
object it's not hard to create an exciting, dynamic
space. But under these circumstances I knew that
affordability would be a critical part of this
project.
The apartment they rented was in an older building
with one bathroom for the four girls to share, a living
room, kitchen with dining area, and the bedrooms.
The apartment had just been painted white, so it was
nice and fresh. The floors were hardwood, with the
exception of the kitchen and Lauren's room: Hers was a
linoleum tile -- green and black (ugh!), which we knew
would be one of the first things we'd tackle.
Before they left for school Lauren and her roommates
were encouraged to scour their families' homes for any
hand-me-down furniture they could use i their new home.
When I arrived each took great pride in pointing out what
she had contributed. It was a wonderfully eclectic
compilation of mix 'n' match furniture. It was
comfortable and created a cozy feeling, even though the
gray sofa didn't exactly match the yellow one.
Lauren's biggest assignment before I arrived was to
buy a bed (I'm too old to sleep on the sofa and didn't
plan on staying in a hotel). Her instructions were to
make sure it would be comfortable for her and could be
delivered for free. She found a local mattress outlet
store and bought a good-quality bed. Job well done.
Before I went East to meet with her I researched the
area to familiarize myself with stores. Once there, the
Yellow Pages became my invaluable shopping guide.
There were only two things in Lauren's room when I
arrived, the new bed and a huge pile of stuff on the
floor: books, computer gear in a box, and lots of clothes
-- everything you would expect to find in a college
student's room that has no furniture. (Good news, though;
I could barely see the ugly floor. ) And there was
nothing on her window to block the view to (or from) the
apartment across the way. (Did you know that when
undressing, the dark is an effective alternative to
window coverings? I learned quickly.)
Her large closet was neatly arranged with her clothes
hanging, but it lacked drawer space. The first thing we
bought was a plastic stacking drawer unit to put into the
closet so she had more space for folded clothes. It
immediately made a difference by eliminating half the
stuff on the floor.
Next, we tackled the window problem. (I wasn't
changing in the dark again.) A national home decorating
chain provided the perfect solution -- a beige cotton
Roman shade that fit the window perfectly.
Bookcases, a desk and storage space were the biggest
challenges. We found a desk at a used-furniture store for
$20, two bookcases (one tall, one short) in a national
retail chain store ($60 for both), and went back to the
used- furniture store for a matching cabinet with drawer
(another $20). Everything was white laminate to
"disappear" against the white walls and to give the room
a neat, clean, uncluttered look. We accomplished a lot
for only $100.
Covering the floor was the easiest part of the whole
project: A carpet remnant store provided that solution.
We were able to negotiate the price down to $75 for a
good-quality 9-by-12-foot beige Berber carpet. Remnant to
them, area rug to us.
Bedding was the most creative part of the project for
Lauren. This is where she learned to express herself with
colors, fabrics and textures, and as we shopped together,
she learned how to spot a real bargain. She started with
a beige sheet set ($25 for top and bottom sheets and two
pillowcases) from one store and found a beautiful
matelass bed cover in the perfect matching beige for only
$30 at another store. Then she selected burgundy and plum
chenille throw pillows to complement everything. Her new
bed, with its lovely arrangement of pillows, makes her
room more personal.
Our biggest splurge was for a "window scarf" to swag
over the Roman shade. It was totally frivolous, but
because it's the first thing you see in the room and it
complements the colors on the bed so perfectly, we
couldn't resist.
Looking back, it's amazing what we accomplished in
just two days. We took a totally empty space and created
a wonderful bedroom that's functional, attractive and all
Lauren's own.
One of the most interesting things I learned, and what
came as something of a surprise, is that young adults
don't necessarily know what their decorating style is.
But why should they? Most have never needed to make
decisions like these before. Everything was handled by
someone else. Now it's their turn, and letting them make
their own choices about simple things like the color of
their sheets and towels is an excellent way to help them
move out into the world.
For me, watching Lauren's style emerge was the
greatest joy I could have hoped to experience on this
trip. When her room was all done we sat on the bed
together reveling in our accomplishment and her feeling
of this being her new home. In reality, this is the first
of many new homes for her, but in the process of
decorating this one, she's learning what she likes and
doesn't like, and ultimately, how to express who she is
as an individual. And isn't this what college is really
all about?
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