Dear First name / friend, 

 

Recently my husband and I took our two oldest daughters to college.

 

First, we moved Ella back to Auburn for junior year. She's in a house with friends, and after 2 years of living in a dorm, it feels like a palace. The timing worked because 10 days later, we moved Sophie to Tuscaloosa for her freshman year. Many of Ella's dorm room items came with us.

 

Sophie's new home is Alabama's Tutwiler, which re-opened last year and is a palace compared to most campus dorms. It's fancy and clean, and each room has its own bathroom. It's a far cry from the Tut I knew in the 90s, and my friends and I were so glad when the university tore down that old building and built a fresh facility. It was time! 

 

I'm no decorator, but I enjoyed working with Sophie, her roommate, and her mom to create a home away from home. It was a fun project and a good distraction on days when I felt sad.

 

It brought a little peace when we said our good-byes to feel like the girls had a cozy “nest” for this new chapter. The dorm rooms are small, and it's amazing what a difference that little things like lamps can make in that space.

 

Starting early helped us budget, and having an older daughter taught me what actually gets used. Many things we bought for Ella's first dorm (like pillows, artwork, and this Flysta storage from IKEA that fits under the twin beds at Auburn) she still uses in her junior year bedroom now. 

 

With dorm furniture, if you buy wisely, you can resell what you don't keep using. Some Tutwiler roommates last year sold their rooms as a “package” with drapes, pillows, closet panels, etc. grouped together. The cutest ones sell fast.

 

If you live near your future college, consider reaching out this fall to current roommates who might want to sell. Arrange payment and plan to pick up the items right before they move out in early May. We bought our headboards, ottomans, and bed skirts this way and saved money.

 

Also, on your move-in day, spread out your daughter's arrival time with her roommate's. Let the first person bring the biggest items, like the rug and headboards. Sophie and her roommate signed up for 10:30 am and 3:30 pm slots. By the time they arrived at 3:30 with two carloads of bags, we were done. We ate a late lunch with my dad at DePalma's (my favorite Tuscaloosa restaurant), and returned to Tutwiler to find them all set up.

 

I used IKEA bags for moving, but I like these moving bags that Sophie's roommate used better. They had no boxes, just these bags, which made cleanup easy.

 

When I shared pictures of Sophie's room on Instagram, many of you asked for links. So, as a thank you for signing up for my email list, here they are!!!! Everyone differs in where they invest, so take what you want and know this is what worked for us. I hope it's helpful!

 

The “Love You” painting that my old friend Nell Mayes Koopman created has been a big hit. A lot of you asked for details. Nell is the best, and we're thrilled that she and her husband just moved back to Birmingham.

 

Even in college, Nell had a great eye and knack for art. She designed all our sorority T-shirts…and now creates art for homes, dorm rooms, etc. She is easy to work with, creative, and great at executing an idea. We loved the end result, and Sophie will enjoy Nell's art for years to come. 

 

You can contact Nell through her Instagram and website.

 

 

As an extra thanks for reading along, I've created a “Prayers for Back-To-School” printable. You can download it through the button below. 

 

Also, please encourage your friends to sign up for my email list if they haven't already. I'll share more new content and printables to come. They sign up here.

 

Take care, my friend, and I'll be back in touch. Thanks again for your ongoing support!

 

xoxo,

Kari