Favorite Things: School Edition

I’ve always loved the routine of school. There’s rules and structure and opportunity to learn. But sometimes all that structure can feel like a lot to juggle.

September is always hard here. The transition from summer fun to schedules can be tough. Add to it a handful of orientations, parent nights, and school supply lists and it’s enough to make even the biggest fan feel a little weary.

But there is hope!

Here are 5 simple things I love that make the school year run smoothly:

Calendar

Yes, I still use a paper calendar. This one goes right in the kitchen and it’s the central location for all the things. I love it because it’s real paper (not glossy), has big boxes with lines to keep things neat, and it comes with stickers. Plus, it’s under $15. I’ve used it for years and love it.

Digital Calendar

I know, I just sang the praises of my paper calendar. And I do love it. But sometimes you need things on the run.

I love Google Calendar because it’s free and I can color code things, plus all my people can access it. Cozi is another great option that has fun features like shopping lists and even a place for a family journal.

The best calendar is the one you’ll use. Pick one and use it. It really is that simple.

Supplies

Your kids will probably get a supply list from school. Those are great – for school. Consider what they may need (and actually use) at home.

For us that means great pencils, plenty of paper, a ruler, a pencil sharpener, and something to color with (even in high school). It also never hurts to have a few pieces of poster board on hand. The few dollars now will save you a trip at 9 pm one night down the road.

Clothing

If you’re looking to make shopping easier KidBox and StitchFix are great options. High quality, new clothes chosen by a stylist to match your kids look. Super easy, delivered to your door and you just send back what you don’t want in the prepaid bag.

And I have two great deals for you!

KidBox offers brand new, stylish items for $11-$16 each and has free shipping BOTH WAYS! Save $25 on your first KidBox or Baby by KidBox order.

StitchFix offers high-quality, stylist picked clothes for kids, women and men with free shipping! Get a $25 credit on your first fix!

KidBox, & StitchFix make your shopping super easy!

Faith Building

When school starts, things can get out of balance fast. Finding ways to keep our focus on God in the middle of school days is important for the kids and for us.

Incorporating God’s Word in our day helps us stay focused on what really matters. Check out some of my favorites here.

What Are Some of Your Favorite Things for School?

From what to wear to how to keep life organized during the school year these are my FAVORITE THINGS: SCHOOL EDITION!
#school #kids #stitchfix #kidbox  #pencils #supplies #schoolsupplies #calendar #schoolyear

Check out these great sites I’m linking up with: Literacy Musing MondaysPurposeful FaithTea & Word TuesdayAbounding GraceTell His StoryPorch StoriesLet’s Have CoffeeWorth Beyond RubiesMoments of HopeTune in ThursdayDance with JesusFresh Market FridayFaith ‘n FriendsBlogger Voices NetworkGrace & TruthHeart Encouragement

Author: Rebecca Hastings

Rebecca is a writer and speaker encouraging women to find real faith that works in real life. A wife and mother of three in Connecticut, she can often be found typing words, driving her kids places or wherever there is chocolate.

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  • Rebecca,
    I’m relieved to know that I’m not the only one who likes, and needs a paper calendar! I do write things in pencil since schedules are constantly changing. I wish I had some of the great resources when my kids were still in school. ThredUp and StitchFix sound like great options. I dreaded the school clothes shopping and high credit card balances. Good luck getting back into the school days routine!!
    Blessings,
    Bev xx

  • Books to read (that aren’t for school) too! I’ve found those very helpful. Thanks for sharing, Rebecca. Many blessings!

  • This reminds me of how thankful I was that my kids wore uniforms to school. I remember that first year we transitioned to uniforms, 4 kids! The bill was over 1K. However, after the initial shock and for the years following, life was so much easier when it came to shopping for school clothes!

    Tweeted & pinned.

    Thanks for linking up at InstaEncouragements!

  • I really need to look into Thred Up. I wonder if they have these hard-to-find boys’ sizes that are sort of between boys and men. They’re so tall and skinny it’s hard to find clothes for them.

  • Rebecca, what a super practical post! As for calendars, my brain is on my calendar which syncs with my kids’ phones. So we’re learning the discipline of putting our events on there so we each know what’s going on. Since our kids have to wear uniform clothing, I’ve found that Old Navy has some great sales on the things my kids wear. Since I’m on their mailing list, I can go online when they have their 50% off sale on uniform clothing. I saved over $100 this year doing that. 🙂

    I have been wanting to check out StitchFix. And, I’m really curious about ThredUp. thanks so much for sharing these resources!

    • That’s awesome that you can get uniform deals at Old Navy! Give StitchFix and ThredUp a try too. (Even for you!)

      I need to get my kids to help with entering their stuff on the google calendar. That’s a great idea!

  • We don’t really buy much for back to school– just a few packages of erasable pens and we’re usually good to go but I could not live without my calendar to keep us all organized.

  • Rebecca, your 5 simple things are great to keep the transition running smooth. I love how you mentioned both paper calendars and Google. Me too! I keep a big paper calendar where I can write things in and love Google calendar as well, where I can add events and send the invite and details to my hubby.

  • Rebecca, I read this post because I have always loved the start of a new school year. The fresh supplies always represented new opportunities for growth. Now that our children are grown, I was drawn to read this post and pray for my granddaughters who will soon be starting up again 🙂 May you and your family have a wonderful and blessed school year!

  • My days of getting the kiddos ready for school is long gone. But something about this post grabbed me anyway, Rebecca.

    You had me at calendar, pencils, and online shopping …

  • I have a paper calendar AND I use my phone/computer calendar. I need both for different reasons :). I haven’t figured out how to make my paper calendar send me notifications ;), but there’s something so solid about writing things down.

  • I just spent this morning raiding Staples for school supplies. I had the school supply list with me, but I stuck to it a lot less than usual, thanks to it being all virtual. I was like, “Actually, we will keep our pencils in whatever we want, thank you.” ha! I am so with you on the staying centered on God first.

  • I saw your link at the Happy Now Blog link-up. These are great ideas for school starting. It’s looking so different this year! I love your mention of keeping our focus on God. That will help us and our kids with this transition. One thing we do is read scripture every morning together. Have a great week!