It’s that time of year again. The countdown is underway for packing up your new college freshman and moving them into a dorm room or small apartment that will be home for the next year (or four).  It’s an exciting (and hectic) time for the whole family. As you hone your college-ready checklists, here are a few favorites to consider as you help them move on to the next chapter of their lives.

• Memory-foam mattress topper. Most dorm (and some apartment) beds are less than comfortable. This is a purchase that will help those sleep-deprived students get some much-needed R&R when it’s time to hit the sack. Plus, it lasts for a long time, so your child can use it for their first post-college apartment.
• Tool-kit. Yup, a tool kit. Complete with hammer, screwdriver, wrenches and duct tape. We gave one to our daughter and she used it many, many times during her time in the dorms.
• Dual-purpose furniture. Space is a premium. Look for chairs that turn in to beds (extra space for those late-night study sessions). Or, how about a mirror that also serves as a flatscreen television. TV Mirrors don’t take up any valuable floor space and become a fully, functioning smart television at the push of a button. Easy and smart.
• A closet organizer, including an extra-large duffel bag for laundry. If you can create a space for everything, it’s less likely to get lost in the rubble that sometimes happens in a dorm closet.

These are just a few things that will help make that transition easier for the new college student to prepare for wherever the journey leads.