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On Organizing the Back to School Shopping Trip, Supplies

So here we are again planning for another back to school shopping trip.  The weekends will be busy especially as it gets closer to mid-August when many students will arrive with backpacks and lunch boxes on that first day back.  Below is a list of many items that will be needed as well as some tips

to make your shopping trip a bit easier.

1.  Find out how much money you are willing to spend this year on back to school items by listing your important expenses and then redirecting money that would have spent on less important things into a back to school savings fund.  You can also determine the budget amount by taking a look at what the children presently need (go in closets, drawers, under beds, etc.)  Then researching online the cost of certain things.  For instance, if new pencils is on your list, ask what style might they want as well as the school requirement which is typically Dixon or Ticonderoga pencil brands.  Check for them and then note the cost.  Do the same with other things.

2.  When shopping for clothes, plan in advance what they will need to add to their wardrobe rather than overwhelming yourself with buying a lot of new items all at once.  You can extend the back to school shopping season by taking care to pay attention to what items are currently on sale.  For instance, many summer items will be heavily discounted and they can be paired with other things they might already have like: sweaters, sweatshirts, jeans, and skirts.  Check out my book Black Friday Cyber Monday Strategies to Use Year Round

3.  Don't forget to ask relatives and friends to pitch in when they can.  Rather than, buy gifts that have little to do with what your child needs, encourage them to give things that are beneficial to school.  From a gift card to a favorite clothing store to a brand new pair of shoes, suggest things that not only benefit your child, but your wallet too!

Here are some popular back to school items for any grade:

1.  Folder size backpack (There are schools that recommend not buying the backpacks with wheels).

2.  Pocket folders (various types with brads, plastic, etc.)

3.  Binders

4. Glue sticks and/or bottled glue

5.  Student scissors

6.  Personal pencil sharpeners

7.  Glue sticks

8.  Crayons

9.  Highlighters

10.  Washable markers

11. Flash drives

12. Erasers

13. Colored pencils

14.  Spiral notebooks

15.  Dry erase markers

16.  Rulers

17.  Home or laptop computer with Internet access

18. Pencils

19.  Pencil top erasers

20.  Composition book

Other supplies that parents and others typically donate:

1.  Xerox paper
2. Hand sanitizer
3.  Kleenex
4.  Clorox wipes
5. Zip lock bags

Now organizing all these supplies can be simple if you do the following:

1.  Designate a drawer, shelf or cabinet to your items.

2.  Sort by category.

3.  Label shelves, bins, or containers.

4.  Separate the items that will be going to school and those that will be staying home.  Place items going to school in backpack.

5.  Be sure small items have an easy to find home.

6.  Avoid the clutter, if you already have some items that no longer work, broken, or hasn't been used in years, rid yourself of them.  Make room for the new!

7.  Lastly, self-talk yourself out of buying more than you need.  Do you really need a box of 50 glue sticks or a 100 plus pencils.  If you should buy in bulk, consider sharing with other parents or teachers.  If you should buy a lot of certain items, do consider that over time things like markers will go bad, glue will dry out, and sometimes cheap paper even starts to discolor.  Try not to obtain more than you need. 

Happy shopping!

Nicholl McGuire

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Organizing Everything Today? Have Helpers? Direct Your Team

You need to take on a massive organizing project, but you don't have a clue where to start or what to do.  Here are some useful tips to help you get started.

1.  Assess how much stuff you need to get rid of.  Break your helpers up into teams:  sorters of kept goods, donated goods, and throw away goods (three groups).  Direct them to rooms that will need there attendance.  In each room, there should be three piles or areas of goods sorted.  You might want to mark off those areas and post signs.
2.  Help sort what you are keeping and assign tasks to first group of helpers.
3.  Place items in separate area that are being donated and instruct helpers (second group) on what to look out for. If it helps, have them bag and mark all items as they go and move them out immediately before you change your mind. (Note: If someone is computer or app savvy you can have that person group like new items for sell online.)
4.  Items you no longer need, assign tasks to helpers (third group).  Have them make calls if necessary for someone to come and haul them away and/or bag them up for trash day.

5.  You will need to have some idea how you will organize the things you plan on keeping.  Once they are done helping you sort, instruct them on where things are going and also listen for input.  Your workers can help you immensely when you have no clue what to do next.
6.  Map out the area and discuss where furniture will be placed, needed organizational tools (like bins, shelf units, racks, etc.), and decorating with assistants.
7.  Take a photo before and then when the rooms are complete after.
8.  Always keep in mind that you may have to reorganize some things in order to get the most use out of them.  So in your mind, you should be thinking what you want readily available and what is okay to be stored away and out of view.

Check out videos on this site and articles that provide tips on how to organize specific items like: clothes, shoes, cosmetics, bathroom items, outdoor tools, and more.

Nicholl McGuire is the author of many books including: What Else Can I Do on the Internet?