Reddit reviews Original Sheet Suspenders (Gripper, Fastener, Straps), Featured on QVC! Keep All Sheets Smooth and Tight! Sleep Like Never Before!

2/M here. We usually have cadets on my RoRo. Three last time I was there. If you're going in June,

i assume you're going to be on for 90 days or so. Here's a bare minimum.

#1 Most important thing for ANY Mariner- Required Documents. (License, MMD, TWIC, Etc.) You can work without clothes, but you cannot work without documents.

Clothes (Your ship will likely issue you coveralls (for port visits), safety glasses, hardhat, & gloves.)

1 pair 'going out' pants, 2 going out shirts.

3-4 pairs work pants (say, 2 jeans, one khaki, maybe some Carharrt overalls.)

6 or so work t-shirts I like these

1-2 button down work shirts.

7 pairs socks, 7 pairs underwear.

Hoodie

work jacket or coat. Mostly for going out, if you work in the ER.

1-2 pair gym clothes (if you work out)

Steel-toed shoes w/ GOOD gel sole inserts.

sneakers

Depending on when you'll be in Alaska, a good pair of themals (I like SmartWool) and thick socks

Tools, etc

1 leatherman

small (powerful) flashlight & maybe a headlamp

All necessary toiletries including a nail trimmer (and spare deodorant!)

Pocket notepad/pen (or Tally Book) for taking notes. Like This

AA Batteries. Because you always need them.

Good digital watch.

Personal

Gaming system or laptop. There will be a community TV you can use and sailors your age to play with.

eBook or iPad if you like to read. Your ship will have DVD's and paperbacks, as well.

Stamps AND Postcard stamps. Send your mom a postcard every month, she's worried about you.

You'll have lots of time to pass. Fill it up with your choice of hobby. I'd recommend the gym.

Journal, sketch book, musical instrument, art supplies if you're into that.

Decent sunglasses. Good leather gloves in case you don't like the ship-provided ones.

Elastic clips for the inevitable shitty bedsheets. Like This

Probably a new pillow. Cadets get the worst of everything. Buy them online and they'll be 'vacuum packed'.

Contigo ($20) steel coffee travel mug from Walmart. Carry coffee in your pocket all over the ship without spilling it.


Stuff I always bring (or just leave on the ship)

2 bottles of my favorite hot sauce (or whatever) for flavoring bland/shitty food

3 lbs of GOOD coffee, and a Bodum Press coffee mug No 2-hour old Sysco coffee for me.

4 TB hard drive (full). I Pirate everything when home, and fill up everyone elses when I come aboard.

PB2 Powdered Peanut butter 2 pack. Because it's awesome on oatmeal.

My Fitbit. Record is 26,000 steps / 6300 calories in one day.

iPod (some ships have 'earphone' restrictions)

Over the counter Melatonin pills (low grade sleeping pills)

I'll add more as I think of it.


Likely your ship will have a 'slop chest' or easy access to shopping. I actually use Amazon Prime and everything gets delivered to us in Baltimore. I open mine up to the crew and we all spend an average of $500 together every delivery. If there's something you think you might need, box it up for mom/dad, they can mail it to you later if you need it.

Better idea that already exists. I like your spirit though.

http://www.amazon.com/Sheet-Suspender-sheets-smooth-tight/dp/B0014AMBWK

http://www.amazon.com/Sheet-Suspender-sheets-smooth-tight/dp/B0014AMBWK

They work wonderful.

I'm guessing you have a twin mattress. Not in a million years am I going to flip around my heavy ass king-sized pillow top mattress every time I want to change my sheets. Sheet suspenders are your friend.

You can wash pillows yes. Put them in the washer to soak with hot water and dump in a whole bottle of hydrogen peroxide and a small amount of dish soap and let it soak for a while. If they're a bit funky smelling, put in some white vinigar at the rinse cycle. Get yourself some cheap pillow protectors/cases.

If your mattress has any body oil stains, sprinkle with baking soda, spritz with hydrogen peroxide (not too wet) and scrub with a stiff brush. Let dry, then vacuum. Then to further deorderize, you can mix cheap vodka and some essential oil (lavender is a good suggestion) and spritz. The vodka will evaporate and not leave water marks.

Then seriously get yourself a decent mattress cover, and if the aversion to sheets is finding yourself tangled in them, get some "sheet suspenders"
https://www.amazon.com/ORIGINAL-Sheet-Suspenders-fastener-featured/dp/B0014AMBWK

The obvious thing is to take a deep fitted sheet or mattress pad with strong elastic all around and put it over the topper and the mattress. You can also use some of those clip on elastic bands that fasten across the corners of the fitted sheet to pull it tight.

https://www.amazon.com/Original-Sheet-Suspenders-fasteners-Adjustable/dp/B00451BG2G/

If you mean you already did that and it was not enough, then put a tight-fitting cover on the topper (if there is not already one). If you are lucky, you can find a topper cover that has elastic bands already sewn onto each of the corners. If you cannot find one like that, then get some wide and heavy elastic from the store and sew some on yourself. Or you can use the long elastic-band clip "sheet suspenders" attached to the topper cover to hold it in place.

https://www.amazon.com/ORIGINAL-Sheet-Suspenders-fastener-featured/dp/B0014AMBWK/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0064D0PBG/


Also, if your mattress topper cover does not already have a rubbery bottom, you can get a piece or two of non-slip grip material that is also used to keep rugs from sliding, and put it between the topper and the mattress.