By Mi-Ling Stone Poole –

Around this time of year, I get a few calls from my friends and family, some with tears, because they just sent their child off to college — empty nesters some of them, grieving their little bird’s flight to a new nest.

Usually within a few months that same person will call back and ask a decorating question about how to use some of the extra space in the house for a dual purpose.

Seriously, one of the main questions I get every fall is, “How can I create a comfortable space for my child in her dorm room but still keep her motivated to study?”

Here are a few tips to get your started.

• Bedding is essential. Start with the mattress pad. Spend the extra money to help your child sleep well at night. Buy the best mattress cover you can afford. Use coupons and sales to get the best deals. Then layer the bed with sheets, an extra blanket and several pillows for late-night reading. Buy several sheet sets so they will always have a spare set of clean sheets.

• Buy drapes. Most dorm rooms have mini blinds but an inexpensive pair of insulated drapes will allow the student to get in a few extra winks and insulate the room from the cold in the winter and the heat in the summer.
• Warm up the space with an area rug or a few throw rugs that can be tossed in the wash.
• Buy a few floor pillows for unexpected guests to sit on and a sleeping bag.
• A good alarm clock with an ipod charger will keep your child on time and fully charged. A charging station is also a good idea for cell phones,and ipads. Trust me on this one: If your child’s phone battery dies, you’ll be frantic if you can’t reach him.
• A booster for the bed, which will allow more storage underneath, is crucial for all the dirty clothes and other things that will be stuffed under it.
• A small refrigerator will cut down on the extra costs of eating out and avoid possible fights with the roommate. If allowed, consider a small microwave.
• A collapsible vacuum, bucket, cleaning solution and rags will be needed to clean up messes.
• A set of flashlights, batteries and a weather radio is important in case of an emergency.
• A few picture frames with photos of the family and your pets will give comfort and be reminders that MOM and DAD are WATCHING.

Share your tips!