It’s that time of year again, when we make runs to Target and Walmart to purchase back to school items for our kids. Now that summer is coming to an end, we’re here to tell you about some of our favorite must-have products that may help make the school year start out a little bit easier, especially for moms.
We polled our contributors to find out which items they love and would recommend as a must-haves for school. We think you’re sure to find these products helpful for you and your school-aged kids.
1. Hanging Closet Organizer. If you want to make mornings easier, lay out your kids’ clothes for the week on Sunday night with this hanging closet organizer. Those of you with older kids can have them plan out their outfits and use the organizer shown below to prevent them from trying on various outfits in the mornings causing them to run late. This is a definite time saver in the mornings!
2. Backpack Hooks. Having hooks for backpacks and jackets can be super helpful because hooks keep all the school stuff in one place. You can even mount a rack of coat hooks near a door. If you do this, make sure to mount it into wall studs because backpacks tend to get heavy. There are many ideas on Pinterest for wall backpack storage. This can help with getting out the door faster in the mornings.
3. Personalized Kids’ Name Labels. If you have younger elementary age children, they are sure to lose an item at school at some point, so name labels should be used on everything. You can put labels on all school supplies and water bottles. They do not fade or come off in the dishwasher. In addition, you can buy iron-on clothing labels and clothing stamps for middle school kids who take jackets to school but lose them because they are way too cool for anyone to see them actually wearing them. These sites are highly recommended: Tinyme, Bright Star Kids, and Name Bubbles.
4. Library Card. There is no need to spend money on books at your local bookstore or Amazon when you can visit your local library for FREE! If you do not have a library card, it’s super easy to apply for one. Just visit this site and fill out the form, take the necessary documents to the library branch closest to you, and you will have access to numerous books for yourself and your child.
5. Desktop Caddy. There is nothing like a last-minute project that your kid has to complete right before bed, while you can’t seem to find anything that you need, such as glue sticks, tape, or markers. I highly suggest a plastic desktop caddy to store basic school supplies to grab and go for those last-minute assignments or projects.
6. Epson Ecotank Printer. This printer is also recommended by one of our homeschool moms. When you are educating from home, a lot of printing is often required. I don’t know about you, but my kids tend to learn better when they have actual papers rather than digital worksheets. This printer’s ink lasts quite a while — eight months! — without a low ink notice!
7. Insulated Stainless Steel Cup. All coffee drinkers should invest in one of these cups! Sometimes during hectic mornings, you need your coffee to stay hot, but at the same time, you may not always get to enjoy your hot coffee right away. This cup is sure to keep your coffee hot for as long as you need. They also come in lots of fun colors and designs!
8. Water Bottle. Many schools have moved from traditional water fountains to filtered, touchless water refill stations, which means students need to bring a water bottle to school. Move over Stanley; these Owala water bottles are all the rage right now, and they come in so many different color combinations. They are available at Target, Dicks Sporting Goods, Academy Sports, and any sports/outdoor store. While I recommend you send your kid to school with one of these, you should also pick one up for yourself. They are the coolest because you don’t have to tilt the bottle to drink. I have found that it’s difficult to explain, so you will just have to try it for yourself!
9. Sheet Protectors. Don’t have a dry erase board at home for practicing math or writing? Get some sheet protectors! They are a really cheap way for younger students to practice tracing letters, writing words, and solving math problems. You can slip a worksheet right in, use a dry erase marker, and when they are done, they can erase and try again. These are also great for older students to protect important papers, such as a class syllabus. Bonus: They are only $2.99 at Target for a pack of 25.
10. Long Charging Cords. Since all students are now issued computers, it’s a good idea to invest in a power strip or charging cord that is at least 10 feet long. While many teachers usually have these in their classrooms, it’s a good item to have at home as a reminder to charge devices each night so they are ready for school the next day. These days they even have them in fun colors!
11. Storage Baskets. These colorful baskets are perfect for organizing pencils and other school supplies at home. I don’t really like it when my kids take school supplies out of their backpacks because more than likely, these supplies will not make it back to school. Sometimes, kids don’t have many supplies in their backpacks because they leave them at school in a cubby or desk. Therefore, I like to keep our own pencils, pens, markers, highlighters, scissors, glue sticks, and other stationery items for use at home. I store these in a larger plastic bin and use them to refill the desktop caddy when supplies start to run low.
12. Bentgo Lunch Box. Packing and preparing lunch for the school day can be a daunting task. These Bentgo lunch boxes make packing lunch much faster and easier. There are various models/styles, but I prefer the ones with four compartments. We usually include a sandwich, chips, vegetables, and a fruit. It’s so quick to pack lunches now — I absolutely love them! These are available at Costco, Sam’s, Target, Walmart, and Amazon.
