OUR FAVORITE BACK TO SCHOOL MUST-HAVES
life and style /
my favorite things
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August 10, 2021
School starts next week and we're going to have a 6th grader and a 1st grader! It seems impossible and yet, here we are.
We tackled all of our back to school shopping with the exception of a few small things (mostly teacher wish list items and a planner for L to track her new middle school schedule) and I feel like after years of having kids in school, I've got a few favorites in my back pocket to rely on.
Jansport & L.L. Bean backpacks // In the past we've done Pottery Barn backpacks for the kids because they loved the prints but this year I decided to stick to simple, solid colors that we can get a few years of use out of and Jansport was a no-brainer. Free shipping, life-time guarantee and a great brand to backup their product. L.L. Bean is another great quality backpack! I used one for my entire high school career.
Pencils, crayons, & folders // We buy the Target brand for the majority of the kids school supplies. Their plastic folders are always priced well and they last the entire year. However, we do splurge for good name-brand pencils and crayons - Crayola and Ticonderoga are perfect to get your kids through the school year!
Vans slip-ons // Both kids have chosen slip-on vans for their school shoes recently and we all love them. I know they aren't struggling with laces throughout the day and Nico can put these on by himself. A huge bonus because bending over to put shoes on him at 8 months pregnant just isn't happening! If actual sneakers are your thing - these New Balances are another one our top choices.
Classic polo shirt // Our school district requires uniforms and we have tried so many brands for polo shirts. Children's Place is well-priced but they shrink! Target is okay but haven't been our favorites. We stumbled on these Izod brand polos and they were so soft and great quality (and very affordable on sale!) so here's hoping these are a winner. I love other pieces from their brand so I feel pretty good about these.
Jogger pants // Gap quality has always been good for us and these joggers are the perfect uniform pants to get Nico through our short-lived winter season.
Pleated skirt // Our favorite uniform skirts, hands down. Izod brand for the win. Very affordable when you catch a sale (and I haven't had any issues finding them on sale), super comfortable, and no ironing needed! They check all the boxes for us. L has used this style skirt since Kindergarten! They also sell extended sizes online when you get to that weird stage when your kid is between kid clothes and adult clothes.
Fulton lunch bag // This is a new style for us but I've eyed them for awhile at Target and they have great reviews. The selling point for us was the removable hard insert. L had a few issues with food leaking inside her lunchbox last year resulting in bringing home a damp lunch box.
Bento style containers // These are great! Well-priced, easy for kids to open and close, and dishwasher safe! My kids don't love when their food touches so these give us the ability to pack a range of foods in the same container. They also have different styles online (like 4 compartments and even 5 compartments) and they fit in most lunchboxes.
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The kids backpacks are filled with supplies and patiently hanging up in the closet. They are excited and nervous about their first day of school and we're all hoping for a smooth year!
