Several years ago, when I went to college I had one. It was the best thing ever! It made packing and moving so much easier. My roommate and I used it as our "coffee table". I say get it.

Just what I wanted to hear! Thank you Nap.

ETA Dissent is welcome, too :-)

Yes! Lucky kid!

I had one of those when I went...a long time ago lol.

It was hard to lug around.

Yes, makes a decent table or whatever. Plus storage.

Can you believe I dragged it back and forth on a train? Ugh.

My three would have said "no thank you". Too heavy, too cumbersome, no room in the dorms. Mine used plastic totes that when empty all stacked so took up only one footprint and those they stored in their car trunk or under the bed. DD#2 just got her first "real life" apartment having graduated in May. She has a hope chest and a small wood blanket chest. When I suggested one be used as a coffee table--until she find a better solution she balked. Bottom line, don't make any purchases w/o their consent.

I think it will take up too much room in a dorm room.

I still have mine.

I think it is something you could buy after the move into the dorm, unless you have already been in the room and know the size and how it's layed out. It may or may not be too large. I wouldn't have been able to use it in my dorms, which were all very tiny. No room for a coffee table.

DH still has his - complete with his name etched into the lock. None of my kids wanted one. They used plastic totes that fit underneath the bed.

Rita - how much space does he have under his bed?

My two would have taken a pass as well. It reminds me of the trunk I used to work up in summer camp.

In all the move-in and move-out days, I don't think I have ever seen anyone use a trunk.

As for under the bed, they will want to use that space for functional storage, meaning they can easily pull things out and in. Will he/she want to keep pulling a large trunk out?

But, you know your child. And, you know the college. Ask him/her!

You don't always get to see the actual dorm room your child will get.

Youngest had an amazing sized room. When we toured and viewed all the tiny spaces for freshmen, I was shocked when we moved her into a large room with a connecting bath for only four girls to share. I looked at her and she said, "They asked me a preference and I chose this because it included international students!"

Oldest's first dorm was considered a "private" dorm and looked great on paper. But it was a tiny room with a bunk bed! They shared a kitchenette and bath with two others. She didn't research all the choices and there were some that had better configurations.

I personally would not buy it because I am the designated college moving helper for our family. It would take up too much room in the car and the filled trunk would probably be uncomfortably heavy.

If you have room in your car, the kid has spacious floor room and there are no worries about lugging it around, I would ask your kid if they want it.

My two girls would have passed. My organization gene had not yet kicked in while I was in college and if I had a trunk like that, it would have been a giant mess inside.

I am packing for college too!

I think it really depends on the teen. I have two sons, oldest is a college freshmen this year. Both my sons also went to sleepaway camp where trunks/footlockers are de rigueur.

My oldest assumed he would take a trunk with him but I said it wont fit in the car and he was fine. We have a 12 hours drive and I am trying to keep us in the smaller car because it is more enviromental and economical.

If you have the car space and your teen wants it, I say go for it. In my son's dorm room, you can elevate the bed and that would be a perfect place to slide a trunk, it could come out when desired to be used as a table. You can get a 'wheel away' kit that enables you to roll a trunk, you can also get a trunk with back wheels, like a carryone suitcase. Or with four removable wheels for easy sliding around.

Is there space for a trunk in a dorm room? My kids' rooms were tiny.

Back when I was in college my roommate from NY had one. There was a special room where trunks were stored so it was out of the way. It smelled of mothballs. We stashed a half-gallon of gin we bought in Mexico there and had to throw it away because the taste of mothballs permeated the glass.

My husband brought an all-silver trunk to our marriage and for years we used it as a coffee table base with a hatch cover on top.

Made me chuckle - DH had one of those when he went to college over 40 years ago. We still have it in our attic. Somehow I think it might not be the thing to get today if the "old folks" had one that long ago.

I think people love or hate trunks. I like them -- if there is a place or use for one. Never had one. I think my dad did, but I'm not sure what happened to it. My oldest son never wanted one. My youngest saw a plastic one at Walmart and really wanted it. He is still using it entering his senior year. It fits under his bed and he stores linens and things in it. I don't think he will ever use it as a coffee table or keep it in the attic though. He expects to return for grad school about 3 years after he graduates, so me might keep it that long and the 2-3 years until he finishes that degree and gets relocated, but I will be surprised if it lasts much longer than that. For less than $20, I'm not going to complain.

Have you looked for one on wheels? DGD had one for camp when she was younger and it was easy to wheel around, even on uneven ground. We stored it for them between summers, and it held her camp sheets, blanket, etc that she used at the time. Next year she will be going off to college, so it might be useful once again.

Thank you so much everyone for chiming in. I loved hearing about those of you who had trunks and enjoyed them. They are such cool throwbacks in my mind, somewhat anachronistic in the age of inexpensive plastic tubs.

I went to college with a car full of said plastic tubs and my children's summer camp experiences are abroad, so again no great trunk experience.

For those, who logically suggested I ask my son what he wants, he is not helpful in this regard. When any purchase is suggested to him, he either declines or defers the decision to someone else- me/DH or another brother. He does not like to shop at all and he does not like to accumulate too much stuff- I've called him Mr. Minimalism on another thread. This is not to say that once the purchase he declined is made, he will not enjoy it. And there is a difference between his declining something he knows he does not want and his declining something out of his general "just say no" to stuff stance.

The trunk will fit under the bed. His room will be very small and he will have to use under bed storage no matter what. The school provides low lofting equipment, along with guardrails. The biggest problem I see is transportation. We have decided to ship everything via UPS to the hotel where we will stay, so getting the trunk there is easy. I think we'll probably store all of the dorm room things close to campus, so that should not be a problem either. DS will pack everything and it will be picked up and stored by someone else.

So I think I will order the trunk today and hope it works out well. DS2, who is not monastic in his outlook toward "stuff," loves the trunk and could take it next year in DS1's stead ;-)

PS Linelle, wow, mothball scented gin!

That is the sweetest story roses.

rosestink, I had one of my dad's army footlockers for awhile. I think in law school and for a few years after. It was stenciled with his rank (well, the rank from when he used it so not the rank he retired with) and last name. I am not sure what happened to it. I think I offered it back in one of my many moves and I'm not sure if he took it back or we disposed of it. It was pretty cool.

Oh the sweet memories of DD and her college days...the move ins & move outs each year. They are great for storage and you can add a lock too.

Enjoy these days as they do pass quickly. Of course, don't forget those care packages to keep him going!

Beaus you allayed one of my biggest fears and it was not about the trunk! Thank you for reminding me I still have lots of good times ahead with DS1. I've been getting a bit nervous about missing my very full house. And I am all over planning the care packages :-)

I had one in college and enjoyed the storage; however, in the years I had it, I was an RA and had a private room. I wouldn't have had space for it when I was in a typical double room -- unless it would've slid under the bed.

I would not want the particular one you're showing. It's not sturdy enough to be sat upon; mine was wood (yes, it was awful getting it into the room) and had a cushion on top.

Mine used plastic totes that when empty all stacked so took up only one
footprint and those they stored in their car trunk or under the bed.

Yes! I had those in college, and my daughters have the same things -- we call them milk crates. Mine, of course, were actual milk crates swiped from working in food service; theirs were purchased. Theirs were lighter weight (but plenty sturdy) and all matched.

Milk crates are perfect for a college student because they are easy to move into a dorm, then they can be stacked as bookcases, nightstands, sweater storage inside the closet, whatever.

There was a very silly video on the website showing how sturdy the trunks are. I can't find it any more. The brand is Rhino trunks. I believe they are made of wood and you can absolutely sit on them, that's a big part of the appeal to me- extra seating/table in a very small room. Beds can be lofted at my son's school, so fitting under the bed should work. Most of his storage will be under bed- the room is very small- the wardrobe and dresser are tiny- and between sports equipment and dress clothes (only one suit and one blue blazer) and regular clothes, there is not a lot of room.

ETA This is not the silly video- but a nice one showing the American manufacturer, Rhino, in NY state. The trunks are made of wood. https://youtu.be/vKLUO25-hFw

Ah, the old foot locker! The staple of camp and college dorm rooms! Alas, no more - totes are the way to go - lighter in weigh and one can see what's inside.

No one in college.... yet. But DD started boarding school last year and I bought her a bunch of these in navy and fuchsia for under her bed. With the lids, everything looked neater. She also said that they put six together, used someone's ,mattress topper, and ended up with an extra bed for a sleepover.

they are by Poppin. avail,at the Container Store et al

Those are very cool. Amazed they make do as a bed too! Thanks, Mtn. I will scoot over to the Container Store website and order some. Under bed is pretty much the only storage he will have.

Oh good, glad to be of help. Note also that they are collapsible and foldaway flat for storage. Even so they're definitely sturdy enough to sit on… Just make sure when they're put together that you follow the instructions so that they're sturdy

They also come in a larger size like a bench, FYI

I noticed the larger size when I went online and bought a few more than he can probably use. I'll just return what doesn't fit on move-in day.

It's great to have you back, Mtn. :-) I hope you had a fantastic trip.

If memory serves, you will be having the college admissions fun this year?

That looks like a nice trunk! It wouldn't be an option for my dd, but sounds like it will be useful for your son.

Since we are talking about dorm rooms, with several of us having kids going off to college this year, and with this being a decorating group, I thought you might enjoy this video. A friend of mine just shared it on FB. Very pretty dorm room (though not my style, nor my dd's) but I can't imagine keeping all that white clean with friends visiting all the time. Amazing Ole Miss Dorm Room

Rita, I'm glad you decided to order it. DH still has his and it holds fond memories of his college days. Let us know how it works out. I sort of miss the college days with our kids, but not the bills!

4kids4us, that is the cutest video! I'm going to send it on to DD. Freshman year in the dorms, her roommate's mom and I got together via emails, etc., and did something similar (but not in white!) for our girls' room. It turned out so great, the college used it on their student tours. I did the same for her room at the sorority house her sophomore year, her shared home with 3 sorority sisters the next year (she was there for 3 years), and finally her apartment at grad school this past May. I would love to do that for a living, as it was challenging and so much fun. But then again, you'd also have to deal with a lot of teenage female angst (LOL)!

4kidsforus, I share your sentiments. It would not be for me nor would my DD's have gone for that much white. I stayed out of the decorating and let them do their thing with their roommates. They came up with some amazing spaces on their own!

That video is really is amazing 4kids!! Talk about a transformation; those girls must be very neat and tidy to keep that room looking so good. Needless to say, Mr. Minimal would find even a masculine version of the room too cluttered :-( And his school does not introduce roommates until move-in day. It's an important tradition, blah, blah, blah. I see their point, but I would love to be able to coordinate some of the essentials with the other boy's family.

Lynn, I envy your being able to decorate your daughter's dwellings. I have only sons and 3 out of 4 have a clear minimalist streak- I don't know where that came from- certainly not me or DH.

Bonnie, I'll try to post a picture on move-in day (Sept. 19- very late.) While the room and Mr. Minimalist pose constraints to my decorating, I still think I can make the place look nice :-)

My son was the same way, Rita! He kept telling me, "Mom, PLEASE do not try to decorate my dorm room! I don't want it to look like some girl's place. Nothing matchy-matchy!!! All I want are the basics . . . and a tv, microwave and dorm fridge." LOL! I love that guy! At almost 33 y/o he's evolved a bit over the years. Especially since his wife is an interior designer (LOL).

My daughter found out her roommates two weeks ago. She unfortunately was placed in a quad (supposed to be a triple but due to over-enrollment, they added a fourth to her room!). We have no idea what the space is going to be like b/c tho' she saw the dorm during her visit, it only had three people, not four. So obviously there will not be much space or storage. Since that's the case, we really can't plan very well as we have no idea if she will even have under bed storage! Since she found out so late about her roommates, we didn't have time to coordinate bedding, even if they had wanted to. The only thing they have really discussed are things like - if anyone will bring a fridge, a microwave, a Keurig, etc. We have to fly to her school so we did the BBB Pack and Store and will pick her things up when we get there. So we don't even have bins or anything b/c we don't know what she will be able to have/use.

Lynn, I remember pictures of at least one of your dd's rooms - I think it may have been the sorority room. I remember that I loved it! Next year dd will most likely live in a double, or off campus so decorating will be much easier and fun!

Thanks, Rita, I did. And yes, we are starting that process w my oldest!

4Kids: DS's bed didn't have room for under-the-bed storage, but we bought him a set of bed lifts (approx. $15 now) and then slid in 2 under-the-bed storage boxes. The kind with locking lids and wheels. They held all of his out-of-season clothes, extra sheet set, and more. BTW, he later discovered that the extra sheet set stored perfectly under his mattress, leaving him more room for his rapidly growing free tee shirts that they hand out at every university those first weeks of school. After our first visit back to see him (Dad's Weekend for a big football game), I found he was also storing his dish, glasses, cup, and flatware set on the floor under there, as well (Ugh)! I immediately headed to Target and bought him a small clear plastic box to store his minimal dishes in. Guys!