The Dorm Life
Next year my daughter will be off to college....sighhhhhh! But I am a mom that is preparing wayyyyy ahead of time. I already have her page ready for the senior yearbook...I'm doing a full page spread of baby pics and commentary, heehee! And I've been starting to think out her graduation party as well...I like to have my ideas in order, planned out and prepared...what can I say. I'm starting a Graduation Party board on Pinterest to keep my ideas in one place. Not that I'm ready to get rid of her or anything LOL...but I'm a forward planner type of gal.
So I will be busy documenting each of her last events in high school this year WHILE planning for her to go to college LOL. She's already telling me what she wants in her "care packages" when she's away. She will do early acceptance to her #1 school University of SC in August and this summer she will be researching and getting ready to apply for scholarships as well. Her other schools she's applying to are: Stanford, Auburn, and Florida State and she wants to major in Marine Sciences. Keeping my fingers crossed for her...she has a 4.1 GPA so I'm hoping that she gets in where she really wants to go.
And my friend (BFF, 1 of the 3 musketeers) Pat sells Thirty-One bags...they are super durable and come in fabulous styles and patterns. I won't say how many I may or may not have ;) But I use them a lot and they can take a beating and still look nice AND keep their shape, love that. And we use them a lot for beach bags in the Large Utility, Keep It Caddy and the Organizing Utility Tote sizes.
I got this one for Alexa because it has her fave colors...I got her name embroidered on it too.
This month's special is: for each $35 you spend you can get the Large Utility Tote for just $10....that is a HUGE DEAL FOLKS!
It is the largest tote bag (approx. 11.75"H x 21.5"W x 10"D) you can buy and it can hold everything AND the kitchen sink. They are great for so many things. I use mine to haul my craft stuff, one in the truck to hold groceries, we take them on vacation, we use them as beach totes, etc.
This is another pattern I got for one of her friends!
So I decided to buy some more items that I wanted needed...LOL..its a slight addiction! But I needed some other bags (sure I did, no really I did) and decided I'd get a Large Utility Tote for Alexa and her 3 BFFs as graduation presents and fill them with things they may need/use in college. Course Alexa's will have a lot more in it but I thought it would be a great present for all the girls. And I was able to get the 4 totes for $10 each...awesome!
I'm going to collect items over the year for the bags and some ideas I have had so far are below. Creature comforts from home, fun presents, useful items and some gag gifts LOL! They will be instructed that they CANNOT open the gifts inside till they are at college...so they have something to make them smile if they are homesick or lonely or just need a pick-me-up.
College Gifts:
-electric kettles
-fuzzy socks
-candy
-Ramen noodles
(as a joke but they all love them)
-iTunes cards
-mini sewing kits
-picture frames to fill
-portable chargers for smartphones
-pepper spray keyrings
(yes safety is #1 on this mom's mind)
-fun pencils & pens
-Disney items
(for my Disney obsessed daughter)
-small journals/scrapbooks
-nail polishes & lip glosses
-pretty lanyards for their college ids
-luggage tags
-Bath & Body Works products
I also ordered this cosmetic bag set for Alexa with her name embroidered in navy to match the other bag (pattern is Best Buds). It will be nice for keeping her cosmetics organized while she's in the dorm (I hope LOL)! And just to use for any travel really.
I'm a total sucker for fun patterns and flip-flops...and this is a new summer pattern "Fun Flops" for Thirty-One so I had to snatch a few things with this pattern before it goes away KWIM? I got this Keep-It-Caddy and the Large Utility Tote in this fun pattern for the beach...how cute is it? Even though I may have a couple...errrr few.... of these I use them ALL the time for just about everything.
And happily my order came this week so I'm all ready for my Florida Keys vacation :)
Great gifts!!
ReplyDeleteI have a great plan ahead idea for you...start keeping your Bed Bath and Beyond coupons. You'll need them! And the best thing is, you can go through your local BB & B and pick everything you want well before she leaves and you pick it up at the BB & B nearest to her school! It's the best! I arrived to pick up my daughter's stuff and it was all in shopping carts ready to check out! Didn't have to drive it up to school. It's a great service and it allows for you to change your mind. And you don't run get the stuff until you've unloaded what you brought. Makes the whole process better.
But you're gonna cry a ton!!
Way to plan ahead. Yet another thing I envy about you!
Sue Brailey
Great tips Sue...I will remember that and do that...makes packing a lot easier for sure! Oh I'm sure James & I will both be bawling, I'm wearing sunglasses INSIDE & OUTSIDE LOL!!
DeleteOh Suzanne I am so happy your order arrived before your trip and that you are pleased with your items. The girls are gonna be blown away with their graduation gifts. Never too early to start planning. Thirty-One bags are great that's for sure. :-)
ReplyDeleteYup we got everything and we love it all...I hid the girls bags though as I don't want Alexa to know or see them yet LOL. I did give her the cosmetic bags and she loved them :) hugz~
DeleteWhat a thoughtful, generous, mom you are!!! Great ideas ... I just might have to copy some of them. Thanks for sharing ...
ReplyDeleteLucy
Great ideas and very cool bags. Loved all let us see.
ReplyDeleteLOVE these bags and have 5 myself...yikes, did I just say that? I use them for the lake, beach, and vacation.I line the back seat of our van with them and not nearly as much grumbling from the men folk when they unload upon getting to Massanutten. Now Suzanne...don't get me all weepy before the senior year even starts. Sigh...this is going to be tough. Planning a scrapbook now and already working on pinterest for graduation party ideas....I just can't believe it is nearly that time already.
ReplyDeleteOoh I love those bags! I've never seen them before. Alexa is so lucky to have you for her mum!
ReplyDelete