Back to School Shopping List; tips on back to school sucess

Its easy to get carried away when preparing a back to school shopping list.

It seems that as soon as kids leave school for the summer we are bombarded by next years back to school fashion trends.

Between back to school supplies and back to school outfits the back to school bill can grow out of control.

These are the torontoshopoholic tips on building a back to school shopping list that will bring back to school success.

1.    Review what is currently in the closet. Purge what doesn’t fit your children by selling on consignment or giving it to goodwill.

Create outfits of what is remaining and look for holes in the wardrobe. Make a back to school shopping list of what is actually needed whether it is socks & underwear or new jeans.

Note that this is also a great exercise for parents as well. Review what you wear and what just sits in your closet. Also analyze your favourite items for signs of wear and tear. Update these basics with more modern versions of looks you love.

2.    Repeat this exercise for school supplies. Just because they are last year’s binders and pencil crayons doesn’t mean you need to replace them. Make sure that pens have ink and binders aren’t torn or covered with devotions to last year’s dreamboat. Round up any leftover paper.

You might be surprised at how many back to school supplies you have on hand already. Stock up on items that tend to sell out, are deeply discounted or disappear from shelves after the Back to School rush.

Contact the school or next years teacher to see if there are any special supplies you might need. University students should make sure they have their book list and if they can pick up any items at the used book store. Remember high school students need a non - programmable scientific calculator.

3.    Don’t automatically start shopping for hoodies and jeans just because you are in the back to school mindset. Let’s face it the weather, though cooler, will continue to be warm through September and you don’t want your kid to swelter in too hot layers.

Take advantage of the deeply discounted summer merchandise to build a first day of school outfit. This gives your kids a chance to see what is “cool” at their school and take advantage of the fall sales that will start in October.

This goes for parents as well. If you are investing in new business wear see if you can wait until further into the fall months. There is no point in buying fall work clothes if they are going to sit in your closet for a few months. That said since most offices are air conditioned you should be able to get away with more layers.

4.    Invest in Footwear. Yes kids can go through multiple pairs of shoes in a single year whether they grow out of them or ruin them. But you don’t want to contribute to foot, knee or back problems. Quality footwear should be on your back to school shopping list.

Save cheap shoes for while kids sit at desks and are not on their feet. Invest in good quality shoes for sports, walking to and from school.

Remember that most schools ask for indoor shoes and outdoor shoes.

This is a good rule of thumb for parents as well. Start a shoe drawer at your office to keep good shoes from getting wear and tear from your commute.

5.    Invest in a “to scale” backpack. When I was a kid I remember being dwarfed by my backpack. Back then backpacks were one size fits all.

Now you can find ergonomic kids and women’s backpacks to fit smaller frames (like the KARIN BACKPACK or AMIRA BACKPACKfrom The North Face). While they might initially be a bit more money due to the higher quality, they should last more than one season thereby decreasing the cost per wear.

Consider finding something similar for work. Most of the laptop bags that offices provide are neither stylish nor light and easy to carry. Consider investing in a laptop sleeve and a larger purse that will allow you to carry everything in a way that reflects your style. Men this goes for you as well!

Back to School is a great time to reinvent yourself with new back to school fashions or back to work fashions after summer vacation.  Instead of starting over every year use the tips above to create your personalized back to school shopping list.

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