What Domestic Duties Does Your College Kid Need To Know?

While sending your child off to college is a jovial occasion worthy of a champagne celebration, it's admittedly tough to watch your once-tiny baby fly the nest. If you've been doing the cooking, cleaning and laundry for her all the while, that departure can turn into a scary endeavor for both parties. For the smoothest transition, equip your kiddo with necessary domestic skills. "How students take care of themselves, their surroundings and their belongings is a critical and often overlooked aspect of how to enhance student excellence," noted Kafi A. Martin, CEO and founder of Degrees of Success and author of "Six Steps to Student Success."

"Being able to do your own laundry is a necessity," said Lisa Leslie, founder of the Domestic Life Stylist and author. "Knowing how to do the laundry correctly will save lots of money on your clothing budget and minimize unnecessary spending on new clothing." Make sure your kid knows how to separate by color and how to treat stains.

No matter how much money your child has available per month, she should know how to budget and spend wisely. "The premise is always the same," said Leslie. "You should not spend more than you earn." Your child should know how to budget for food, entertainment, travel and educational costs. Fire up a spreadsheet and start the process the summer before she leaves.

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Even if your child takes advantage of his college's meal plan, there will be moments when he'll need to eat a meal (or snack) in the dorm room. He should know how to plan healthy meals and snacks ahead of time to save both time and money. This is a life skill all should have, but is especially pertinent to those living in apartments. Provide a book of simple family recipes to help him build grocery lists.

While having ingredients and food on hand is one thing, it's difficult to put them to use if you are lacking in the how-to-cook department. "Being able to cook is not a college skill, but a life skill," said Leslie. Your child should have the confidence and know-how to follow a recipe and use various kitchen appliances. Pass on some basics on boiling eggs, cooking pasta, sautéing veggies and browning meat. This is mainly true for those living in apartments, though some dormitories also provide shared kitchens.

From storing textbooks to organizing your personal belongings, it's important to make sure everything has its place. Not only does a clean space make for a more pleasant environment, it makes studying and relaxing easier — and will keep the roommate happy in the bargain. Work on a project at home and show her how it's done.

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Cleaning up after yourself is one of the most important domestic skills anyone can have. It's wise to clean up messes as you make them to keep your room from becoming overwhelmingly unkempt. Knowing how to dust, vacuum, wash dishes and keep the bathroom clean are all important, noted Martin.

From hanging pictures on dorm walls to putting together a futon, it's handy to know a thing or two about using tools. Providing your kid with a basic tool kit and some lessons on safely using those tools will enable him to handle minor repairs and dorm improvement projects. Try building a loft together to hammer home those skills.

Floors, rugs and carpets can get dirty very quickly — even if they look clean. In addition to cleaning up spills and other accidents as they happen, every college student should know how to sweep, mop and maybe even deep clean all carpets and rugs.

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