Last year, our family spent a year in Atlanta for various work-related and family-related reasons. With this move came many changes, including a brand-new school. We were excited for them to make new friends and experience new teachers. What we didn’t realize was that the differences were not just in the people. Their school in Atlanta not only required my children to wear school uniforms, but they also supplied all school supplies. Yes. That’s right. Pens, pencils, folders, notebooks, crayons, markers. Everything. Last year, the only school supplies I had to buy were three backpacks for my three children.
I’ll be honest, though. I was relieved. But I was also disappointed. Because, you guys, there’s something about back-to-school that the nerdy part of me will always love. Fresh notebooks to open and start anew. Picking out pencil cases and lunch boxes that defined my personal style. The smells of newly sharpened pencils.
New fall clothing and shoes. And my favorite…the assignment notebook. The place to plan the entire year out.
Admittedly, things have changed now that I am the parent and not the student; now that I have a budget and can’t buy every single thing that catches my eye.
School starts in 5 weeks from today. Five weeks from today, my soon-to-be senior kindergartener, my soon-to-be-third grader and my soon-to-be-fourth grader will be walking down the halls of a new school. And I plan to make sure they have everything they need. Clearly, I am not new to this process, and even though I had a year off from back-to-school shopping last year, I tend to consider myself a bit of an expert.
When the lovely people at Zellers wanted to pick my brain about this time of year and find out what I do and what I don’t do when it comes to outfitting and gearing up my younglings, I jumped at the chance. I love school supplies, and I know what to splurge on and what to save on. For example, I goo backpack is SUPER important. Those kids shove tens of pounds of stuff into those things every day. They get tossed around. They get dropped. They get thrown. They need to hold up. I mean, there are ten months of school.
I have made lists. I have consulted the children and asked them what few things are really important to them. I have consulted my bank account and decided how much I plan to spend. I have revisited my lists. And I can’t wait to share them with you!! Make sure you come back here next week so I can share them to you!!!
What about you? What do you love best about back-to-school shopping? What do you like least?
Great website i love it. always recommend to all my friends and they love it to. Lengthy Theme i love it. Always vouch to all my co workers and they love it to.
I hate back to school shopping! I see it as a necessary evil. August is such a bloody expensive month! It’s worse than Christmas!
Just today I compiled the three kids’ lists onto an Excel spreadsheet. (grade 2, 4 and 6) I then went through last year’s supplies and highlighted the items that are still usable. Made up my master shopping list. Checked the Staples flyer and tonight I purchased pencils, white glue, highlighters and crayons. Everything else will be dropping in price over the next few weeks. Next Tuesday I will check the flyer again and go get some more deals. I find Staples is the cheapest, when you buy at the right time.
My biggest tip is backpacks. I order them from landsend.com. My grade sixer is on her 5th year with the backpack, my son is on his 4th year and youngest on her 3rd year. SAME backpack. Cost was about $35 US plus shipping, which works out to about $8 per year for a fabulous backpack. Not even a zipper needs replacing.
The whole back to school shopping experience gets my kids really excited to start school. It creates a really positive energy that my girls carry into their few days of school. I love to get ahead of the crowds and purchase back to school items in the first weeks of August. Unfortunately the school that my girls attend do not send out a list of required items and I am forced to face the mad back to school rush.
Hi Ali! I love a bouquet of new sharp HB pencils. I love seeing my children organize their fresh new binders. I do not like the expense or the fact that binders never last more than 8 months!