Back to School: Dorm Tips 101
The first year away from home will be full of new and exciting experiences, but there’s no reason your student can’t bring a little bit of home with them. Home-cooked meals and freshly washed (and unshrunk!) clothes can still be enjoyed even with dorm living.
Pass these tips along to your new college kids to make sure they’re prepared to leave the nest.
Foods to Keep in Your Dorm
Staying healthy in the dorm doesn’t have to be a struggle. Keep these handy snacks and ingredients around for a quick energy boost or a better way to fill up between meals.
Dry storage: raw almonds, canned tuna, bananas, oranges, apples, dried fruit, trail mix, canned fruits (with water, not syrup), protein bars, popcorn, canned soup or chili, oats, cereal, rice or quinoa, any nut butter, jello, and crackers.
Seasonings: salt, black pepper, stevia, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, hot sauce, soy sauce, and popcorn seasoning.
For your fridge: Hummus, carrots, shredded rotisserie chicken, yogurt, avocados, steamer bags of frozen veggies, applesauce, string cheese or mini cheese wheels, and lunch meats.
Simple Laundry Tips
You’ll never realize how much you took clean, fresh clothes for granted until the day you have to do a load of your own. Don’t fret about shrunken shirts, stains on your favorite blouse or bleeding colors. Our simple laundry tips are easy enough for everyone to follow.
1. First off, these are all the items and materials you need: a laundry basket that’s easy to carry around, detergent, fabric softener and/or dryer sheets, and a mesh wash bag for delicates. Throw in an iron and ironing board if you’re ambitious and want to make mom proud.
2. You’ll want to pick a time to do your laundry, preferably when there are no waiting lines for machines. Nighttime is usually best, since most people will have tried to get their laundry done during the morning or afternoon. Most importantly, stay by your clothes. Bring a book, your computer or even your homework and niche out some quiet time while you wait. Sticking around with your clothes ensures no one can take them out before they’re done or “borrow” one of your favorite tops.
3. We know it’s silly to mention, but separate your clothes. Separating into whites, colors and darks is a safe bet that all of your clothes will remain in good standing. Also, make sure you don’t overload the machines. Too many clothes in the washer and dryer means not everything is getting as clean or dry as they can.
4. Choose the right water temperature for your clothes. Use hot for whites, linens and towels. Use cold for anything you don’t want to shrink or fade, or just clothes that you’re unsure of and don’t want to ruin. Use warm for just about everything else. If you’re not sure about what to use for the dryer, just stick with normal. Air dry jeans, nice blouses and anything you think could get heat damage.
5. Wash your clothes inside out to prevent any fabric damage and to get a good thorough clean. This will also protect any embellishments on your clothes.
MORE LAUNDRY TIPS:
Kenmore
The Kenmore brand represents 100 years of trusted performance, backed by exclusive features and innovations that no other brand can bring to the table. We’re always evolving to ensure day-to-day tasks are taken care of with faster cooking, better cleaning and more living throughout the home.
