Back to School

Back to school season is right around the corner, and I love to plan ahead, so that we aren’t scrambling at the end of the summer! I’ve already started to make lists and gather some of my favorites together, to get ready for back to school!

Our family is still soaking in all of the summer goodness — long days by the pool and time outside all of the togetherness and the slower living that comes with less packed schedules and more time to just be! We really thrive in summertime.

When I think about preparing for back to school, I know that we will have supply lists, uniforms/ clothes/ shoes/ accessories, backpacks and lunch boxes, and anything for home to make homework, morning routines and the school year more simplified and efficient.

Here are a few ideas for preparing for back-to-school:

1. Stock up on back to school supplies. Normally you’ll receive a supply list from your school or your kiddo’s teacher. I use this and I also add to it, and stock up on supply basics for our homework/ school room as well.

2. Find a backpack that your kiddo will love, like this laptop backpack  or this roller backpack!

3. Prepare for back to school lunches, I’ve found sweet note paper to add notes into my kiddos lunches, I also LOVE these bento boxes!

4. Don’t forget locker or cubby organization. Depending on your kid’s school, you may be able to send a few fun options for them to decorate and organize their lockers or add small back to school bulletin boards! I love this locker shelf set and these organizer baskets!

5. Embrace a morning and a night time routine! Anything that you can get in order whether it be a fun checklist, an area that helps with breakfast time, an organized nightstand with bedtime favorites etc. doing this ahead of time will make a huge difference!
6. Start early with clothing shopping, and look for sales too for back to school outfits! My kiddos wear uniforms, so we are sure to get fresh options for the school year. We also want to have fresh new clothes for weekends, school events, get togethers with friends etc. Make a list, and involve your children if they are old enough, so that they can pick the items that fit their own personal style, they can also do this with back to school hairstyles and back to school nails!

7. Don’t forget to start to plan for back to school teacher gifts! I am forever grateful for all that our teachers pour in, and want them to know how special they are to all of us!

Check out my full Back-To-School Amazon storefront here!!

I’ve made lists of my favorites for backpacks, this is an area that I love to involve my kiddos and let them help to pick their favorites:

1. pink + tan backpack
2. cream backpack
3. green backpack
4. pink + purple backpack
5. llama backpack
6. koala backpack

It’s always a great idea to stock up on school supplies, even outside of our classroom lists, We like to keep our homeschool and homework carts stocked. These are a few of our favorites:

1. notebooks
2. pens
3. sticky note planning pad
4. scissors
5. pencil case
6. sticky notes

If you have middle or high schoolers with their own lockers this year, locker decor can be super fun! I’ve gathered a few things that I love here:

LOCKER DECOR

1. shelf set
2. magnets
3. disco ball
4. mirror
5. locker rug
6. light up letter

You can’t go wrong with sweet lunch boxes with cute accessories to start the year out. I’m loving all of these:

LUNCH BOX FAVORITES

1. blue lunch box
2. kate spade strawberry lunch box
3. water bottle
4. bento box
5. small airtight container
6. lunch box notes set

Another area that we focus on with back to school is stocking up on wellness items!

A few of my favorites from Young Living (shop with me for YL here!!

1. Ningxia Red: My kiddos drink this after school for an immune and natural energy boost.
2. Kidscents Rollers: These conveniently come as a set, and really empower our kiddos to use their oils!
3. Thieves Rollers: At every door, part of our morning and evening immune support routines!
4. Homework/ Studying/ Morning Routine Oils: Kidpower, Peace & Calming, vetiver, Geneyus and more!
5. Kidscents supplements: Mightyvites and Mightypro are two of our favorites!

We also stock up on things like Thieves Household Cleaner, Thieves Hand Purifier, Lushious Lemon hand soap at every sink, Super C, and make sure that we have diffusers all set in every room!

Check out all of my favorites from YL here!! 

Though summer is still in full swing, it will be winding down sooner than we would like it to. It’s a season that always flies by for us.

Tips for squeezing the last drops out of summer:

+ Have a “yes” day – let your kiddos pick a few things that would mean a lot to them, and embrace saying yes more often!

+ Spend lots of time outdoors – this is what summer is all about, after all! Take that time to soak in the great outdoors, whether in your backyard, on a hike, at the beach, just get the most out of nature.

+ Go to a waterpark or amusement park – such a fun summer staple. Plan a trip to your nearest amusement park for a day of fun.

+ Have a backyard camp out/ bonfire night – if you aren’t headed out on a camping trip, you can still set up a tent and a bonfire!

+ Have a water balloon fight – simple summer fun! This is what it’s all about!

+ Take a day trip – A nice drive through the country, a visit to the closest lake or beach, or a fun small town that you haven’t explored yet, take the long way and enjoy the drive!

+ Have an end of summer/ back to school party with back to school crafts, fun food and activities!

There’s still lots of summer to enjoy, make the absolute most of it! And take the pressure and stress off of yourself for having to rush with all of the back-to-school needs. Start now, and stay organized for a wonderful school year ahead!

XO,

Casey Wiegand