Back to School Basics
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Basics
Choosing a backpack is a big deal for kids, and for me too. I want it to last a few years, so quality and simplicity are essential. I try at all costs to avoid characters and too many crazy designs that they will outgrow. Classic is the name of the game and The North Face Jester backpack hasn’t let us down yet. It has ample storage for homework, a laptop or Chromebook, great side pockets for a water bottle and snack. I love the size of the front packet for a few school supplies, glasses, masks ect.
Both my girls love the Hydroflask water bottle, it is large enough for the entire day and stays cold. They both love to add as many stickers to it as possible. For me it is easy to clean and has lasted a few years now. I don’t let my girls get a new backpack every year, but they do get a new lunch box each school year.
This past school year, we started having my oldest set an alarm. We are trying to help her become more independent and responsible, no easy task. She likes having the Amazon Echo, because it is easy to set and change as needed. Don’t forget to set some parental controls, my girls have “accidentally” purchased unlimited music and a few other things. Parents learn too!
The final basic I try to nail down with back to school is a great jacket. I love The North Face TriClimate, the three in one features are excellent and versatile for all the weather and seasons we get in North Carolina. The TriClimate is a bargain to me because all together it is a perfect waterproof winter coat. Separated, it can be a great rain jacket, or simple warm jacket for school or recess. My girls wear the insert the most. I do my best to find a good deal on eBay. (See my eBay post here for all my tips and tricks.)
Basics of Footwear
For back to school shoes I try to keep it basic with what they need. Over the summer, I stock up on winter boots, rain boots, and other needs that are not necessary for school. (Again, I use eBay for most of these purchases.) For school shoes, I typically buy new, because these are going to get a lot of wear and outside play everyday.
Over the years, I have found that certain brands hold up better than others. These Adidas running shoes are perfect. They hold up to everyday wear and they don’t show stains! Take a magic eraser to the white on the sole and they look brand new.
Both of my girls have these classic Adidas too. They last forever and go with about anything. My girls wear them with dresses, shorts, and jeans. They are stylish, comfortable, and a perfect option for school shoes. Admittedly, I am a sucker for cute shoes. Both of my girls love Vans too. My oldest likes everything black and white, so these are perfect for her. My youngest likes to add as much mix and match color as she can, and these are her go-to pair. (For the Vans, I use Scotchgard to help prevent stains and keep them looking great for a long time.)
To round out the basics, everyone needs new socks. I am the world’s worst at matching socks, especially when everyone has a different size. These socks are on constant repeat in my Amazon orders.
Basics for Girls
It is no secret that I love clothes. I feel the need to have everything for every event and season. You name it, we “need” it. For back to school time, my girls typically do not need a lot. It is hot here until mid October. They have a plethora of summer clothes still on repeat, so we don’t need a lot. We usually shop for some fun fresh basics to get them excited for the new year that aren’t stained or have holes.
These shirts come in a great three pack that are closet staples. They are simple enough that they can be worn with shorts, leggings, skirts or jeans. My girls love to be comfy, and I love for them to look pulled together. Often, a cute romper is a perfect compromise. This simple basic is a go-to in both my girls’ closets.
My girls do not love to wear dresses to school, but both of them love, okay like, this camo dress. It is cute year round and pairs well with leggings. If they don’t wear leggings they both like these tumble shorts, so they can be comfortable at school for recess.
Finding shorts that are school appropriate is an act of congress. We found these at Target and they are winners. The length is great and the adjustable waist is a must. They are the perfect length, not too long and not too short.
My oldest likes to keep a hoodie in her backpack at all times. This is a perfect closet staple for those cold mornings or classrooms. The final closet staple is a great pair of joggers. These have been great for school.
Basics for Boys
I don’t have boys in my house, but I have friends that have all boy houses and teach plenty of them. It is no secret that the boys these days love everything athletic wear. These sets are an easy mix and match and will last forever. From what I can tell, the brighter the better for most boys. These seem to hold up to a lot of recess, after school and sports play, and are the go to almost year round.
This hoodie is great to keep in the backpack on cold days and appeal to their sports heart. When the months get colder, many boys still opt for shorts. I have noticed that many will wear these with their shorts on cold days. WIth any luck, you might be able to convince them to wear real pants with these joggers. Don’t forget to have a “picture day shirt”. This is a great classic to have on hand for those rare occasions for a “real” shirt.
Basics for School Supplies
My girls like to pick out a few things on their own for school that are really important to them. Typically, they choose their binder, folders, and pencil pouch. Other than that, they don’t care. So, I try to get some of the basics out of the way before we go shopping together. Every teacher has a different school supply list, but I know there will always be some basics.
Every student will need a few composition notebooks, this pack should get us squared away for the entire year. Basic scissors and glue sticks are on every school supply list. Please don’t grumble when a teacher asks for 10 glue sticks, I promise they will get used. (I am a teacher and you would be amazed at how much kids waste, lose, and we really do use at school.)
Finally, for school supply basics GOOD pencils are a must. Hear me out here. DO NOT BUY the Dollar Tree pencils. They are terrible, break easily, hard to sharpen, so don’t do it. These are pricey, but worth it. Do yourself and the teacher a favor and go ahead and spend a little more for the pre sharpened. This makes the first few days back to school easier.
This is a great variety pack of a lot of things you will need if you want to keep it simple. In full disclosure, if you want to shop around you can save money on school supplies typically starting mid to end of July. You can find great prices on certain markers, crayons, glue sticks, paper, ect at Target and Wal-Mart. Amazon is not always the cheapest for school supplies, but it sure is easy.
Basics for Lunch
The beginning of the school year, I am on my A game. I try to make their lunches not only healthy, but meaningful and special too. See me in May, you will find a hodgepodge of whatever we have thrown in. Nonetheless, I start off doing awesome.
At the beginning of the school year my girls like to choose a new lunch box. My oldest is going for the all black look this year, yikes. This is what she has picked out, while the youngest is still on board with the tie dye trend. Both girls have told me no more monograms, so sad! With packing lunches everyday, I aim to do better at unnecessary waste. This year, I am adding these reusable bags to my shopping list. Based on the reviews they seem easy to wash, dry and reuse.
I found these special notes at the end of last school year. I have been holding onto them and hiding them for some fun surprises. I plan to throw these in when I don’t have time to write a special note or funny joke on a napkin. Last, my youngest is the sandwich queen. These fun cutters always make her happy, and make a boring ham sandwich a little more exciting.
Basics for Personalization
Back to school time is the best time to get organized and reset. After a year and half of events cancelled, and not much on the calendar, I am finding that writing events down is bringing me tons of joy and excitement. I try my best to keep our family organized. We use a Google family calendar to help us, but having everything written down on the refrigerator is nice too. This acrylic board is great for mapping out all the events and I really like the menu on the side. This keeps us all insync and hopefully we can manage a few family dinners together each week.
As we are getting all our things organized, I make sure to take the time to label EVERYTHING. I use these labels on clothes, shoes, school supplies… You name it, I am labeling it. These labels are very affordable and have helped us not lose precious items. They are really easy to stick on and they stay pretty well. Occasionally, I’ll find one in the laundry, but overall I have been pleased given the price point and ease of application.
Finally, each school year I buy a few of these vinyl monograms. It is nice to have a few on hand for water bottles, Chromebooks, folders, pencil box ect. It is a cute way to label items so they don’t get lost.
Back to school is an exciting time. Get off on the right foot with some basics, a good organized frame of mind, and a postive attitude.
