Shopping for back to school can be exciting: cool school gear, that perfect first-day-back-to-school outfit, and empty notebooks waiting to be filled with the year’s work. On the other hand, shopping for back to school can be the exact opposite of exciting: long lists, missing items, driving around town to find it all, and waiting in line with other tired and frustrated parents. It’s enough to make a parent start homeschooling! (Okay, not really.) This year, make sure you follow these Daily Mom tips and go to the head of the class with your smart shopping skills.
Make a List and Check It Twice
For elementary age children, you will need to find your school’s supply lists. These can be found on your local school website, or in the school supply sections of stores. Next, you’ll want to take inventory to make sure that you don’t buy more than you need. For example, if you already have notebooks in every color of the rainbow, there’s probably no need to buy more. Decide exactly what you need to buy and make your own list, adding to or subtracting from the required supply list.
For middle and high school, you’re going to make your own list. The best place to start is with your child’s schedule: take note of how many classes they are taking and what kind to determine their school supply needs. Again, after making a list of needs, you’ll want to take inventory. Is last year’s backpack still in good condition? No need to buy a brand new one.
Now that you have your list or lists, it’s time to go shopping! Here are some tips to make your shopping trip go smoother.
- Shop in Off-Peak Hours—Nothing is worse than a busy, crowded store! To avoid this, the best time to shop is right when the store opens in the morning. If you can’t make in near opening, the next best time is near closing.
- Leave the Kids at Home—It hard to think straight with miniature, grabby hands and tiny, whiny voices trying to command your attention. If you know what your child’s preferences are for colors, characters, etc., you can probably leave them at home while you shop distraction-free.
- Bring Reinforcements—If you can’t leave the kids at home, bring another adult. Whether it be your spouse, a parent or a friend, having an extra pair of hands to wrangle children and school supplies is always helpful.
- Shop Online—Avoid the store all together and shop online. You can get all your back to school supplies and gear without even leaving the house!
- In-store Pickup—Ground shipping won’t get it to you fast enough? You can order online and pick up at your local store. Just give the store employees about an hour to pull your order and skip everything except a few minutes at the customer service desk and check-out.
Office Depot/Max has everything you need for back to school. From paper and pens to backpacks and pencil holders, Office Max/Depot has not only the supplies your kids need, but the gear they want. Make every school day special with supplies that fit their personality—with a variety of colors, characters and designs, Office Depot/Max has something for every one.
In addition to those “normal” school supplies we think about, Office Max/Depot has you covered for all of your supplies and gear. Does your incoming high school freshman need a graphing calculator? Office Depot/Max has the selection you need. USB drives, laptops, printers, organizational
Don’t forget about copy and print services. The knowledgeable and helpful associates at Office Depot/Office Max can give your child’s project that professional touch with printing services, laminating services, binding services, and more!
Shop Even Smarter
When you shop online at Office Depot/Max you can make sure that your shopping really is one-stop shopping. After selecting In-store Pickup, if all of your items are not available at your closest Office Max/Depot store, you will be given options of where you can pick up all of your items at a nearby store. Time saved! While you are picking up your items, you can finish the rest of your list by letting your kids grab a few, fun incidentals to bring even more smiles to their school day.
Personalize It
Now that you’ve done all of your shopping, don’t let those school supplies languish in a dark drawer. Make a personalized homework station! Using open containers or clear containers keeps everything within view and easy reach. Using a bit of colorful washi tape, let your children label their space.
Cut the desired strip of washi tape and put in some parchment paper to make it easier for your children to write on. The washi tape easily releases from the parchment paper.
Which personality best fits your back to school shopping list? Enter the Back to School Sweepstakes from Office Depot/Max. No purchase necessary. #NewGearFeeling
