Boarding school - trunks or suitcases?

[paulagil]

HElp! When brother and I boarded 30 years ago, we had trunks. Now my DS is off next year to board at 6th form, what do schools require?? She'll be a weekly boarder, so should I shove everything in a large suitcase or get her a proper trUnk? What do modern parents/Kids use nowadays? I don't want to embarass the poor child on her first day by sending her off with the wrong stuff....

[RandomMess]

Suitcases - if she's not on the ground floor several small ones!!

[paulagil]

Thank you, good point! She'll likely be on the third floor with no lift (old building).

[heather1]

A good tip I was give: don't overfill the suitcase. You might be able to get the contents in but will your child when they come home?

[shushpenfold]

Either……suitcases are easier but there are some really lovely trunks out there! They have both where I am.

[RandomMess]

All I can say is that a very small suitcase with books in it weighs a tonne!!

[happygardening]

We have always used a large suitcase on wheels it's not as nice to look at as a trunk but simply easier to move around, one person can move it which if your lucky enough to have a viable public transport links between school and home means your DC can get herself back and forth to school on her own if necessary. Then my DS has a weekend suitcase same thing but smaller sort of hand luggage size which he uses for exeats and a tuck box which looks like a small trunk and when full takes two of us to lift it.
I don't think you'll embarrass her because no ones looking, they're either too busy dragging their own belongings in to worry about what your moving yours around in or they're rushing off home so again have no interest.

[happygardening]

The tuck box (which isn't full of tuck by the way) is very useful as it's lockable and my DS keeps all his personal possessions in it.

[goinggetstough]

My two have always used very large suitcases and like HG a tuck box to keep their personal things in.
It may be worth asking the school what their policy is on trunks etc. I know a number of schools ban them as they take up too much space to store.

[Kenlee]

We used a 29 inch suitcase and a carryall case..

The later can also be used for her weekend outings .

Her books are supplied by the school...

[paulagil]

Suitcase it is, then!

I ask, because I was at a Christmas Fair and I found a 1950s leather trunk which was straight out of Hogwarts/Malory Towers! DD is tempted by the trunk, but you're right (and practical), someone will have to lug it all to the top floor of a Georgian building with narrow staircases. And that someone will probably be me

[peteneras]

My DS is very attached to his smallish trunk, some might call it a large tuck box. I bought it for him from Selfridges, Oxford Street, when he first went to prep school some 10 years ago. Even now, third year at medical school he still takes it along with him. Well, to be precise, it's currently with him in a certain district hospital some distance from London where he's doing his clinical. Of course, he takes a large suitcase too.

[happygardening]

We recently purchased a really light weight and very wheely i.e. very manoeuvrable suit case. It wasn't the cheapest but after trying every single one in the shop lifting them, wheeling them, unzipping them, etc it came out the best. There are often good deals in the sales we got 75% off it so I'd wait till January if I was you apparently it was reduced to £80 because the colour, grey was unpopular I was told everyone now wants pink or purple ones?!
It's also definitely worth spending the money because they do get dragged up flights of narrow stairs and stuffed in cupboard so one with strong corners and a strong extending handle is essential.

[Lottiedoubtie]

I love trunks, but a sixth former weekly boarding? I'd say 98% would be using suitcases.

[mirry2]

I went to boarding school and always had a large suitcase. some children had trunks and found them a pain to move around. All the cases and trunks were stored in the cellar and had to be transported up and down several flights of stairs. Tuck boxes were discouraged although we were allowed to bring a large biscuit tin with goodies in it which we could only get at at tea time. at all other times they were kept under lock and key by the teaching staff.

In later years I came home by myself at the end of term and don't see how I could have manouvred a trunk on public transport.

[NorthBucksMum]

It really depends what the school is doing regarding storage. No-one had suitcases where my DDs went as trunks were stored in the loft and stacked. School specifically said no suitcases. The trunks were brought out at the end of term for packing. We lined the trunk with a blanket and filled to half full, then lined with another one for the last layer. We then lifted the blankets out and took them to the room with everything in them. The trunk never went into the room. DDs had a tuck box and a weekend bag for exeats. You can always ask the house staff what the students use.

[Kenlee]

We have found that Samsonite suitcases usually do the trick. .They are light weight esp if your an international boarder . strong and have a guarantee so if it breaks you can send it back ..