10 On The 10th: Back to School Supplies

Last month, I linked up with Perfectly Port Family for "10 on the 10th".  I love all the different topics for each month, so I decided to join again this month!  This month is 10 Back to School Must Haves!

Even though Greyson isn't in "Grade School" yet, he does attend a Mother's Day Out.  And while I don't have to search kingdom come for a "Non-Perforated spiral notebook" and 12x18 WHITE drawing paper (this DOES NOT EXIST BY THE WAY), we do our MDO packing down to a science so I figured I'd share!

1) Backpack: I actually got his backpack on sale at Pottery Barn this year, but this Wildkin Backpack has been a good this past year! (The pictures on Amazon don't really do it justice.) It has held up SO WELL! We use this DAILY, so backpacks really only last about a year around here.  Before potty training, of course it was full of diapers and wipes.  To me bacpacks MUST have a cupholder and front pouch for snacks! Wildkin has SO MANY PRINTS!

2) Lunch bag/box: The other great thing about Wildkin is that they have the matching lunch box! This one has held up really well.  I loved the inside net pocket...it perfectly fit one of those flexible ice pouches. 

3) Napmat: Y'all, nap mats have come a LONG WAY since the red and blue ones of the yesteryear. (I overheard one mom ask another if they got the Memory Foam this year!.....WHAA..Me and Jeremie JUST got a memory foam bed!) Anyway, I WILL admit I tried to go cheap with this last year and it was pitiful.  After Greyson didn't sleep the first couple times at school, Jeremie made me buy a REAL one.  And HEAVENS, I would certainly be happy to nap on the thing.  It's the most plush nap mat you ever did see. 

4) Big bag to carry everything: This Medium Utility Thirty-One tote fits everything perfectly so I'm not trying to wrangle Greyson and carry 50 things at one time. If you know anything about Thirty-One, you know it's amazing and that they also have the Large Utility Tote (a little bigger) and even the Deluxe Utility Tote (the mama jama!) My BFF Mary sells Thirty-One, so if you're interested check out her website here!

I realize there's A LOT of prints going on here. Listen.  I would love everything to match as much as the next mama.  But that's just not reality for us, so we work with what we got. ; ) 

5) School Clothes: I LOVE  Carter's (they have great sales), but I also like to stock up on some cheap Garanimals brand clothes from Wal-Mart for school season. It's SO REASONALBE and let's face it, I'm NOT sending my cherub to school in a customized shirt when I know he's gonna be fingerpainting! 

6) "Bento Boxes": I mean, this Bento Box trend can be as expensive as you want. (Who went and named it, anyway...isn't it essentially a good ole fashioned divided Tupperware?!) Again, I admit, I tried to go with the good ole fashioned Ziplocks like my Mama did, but I can imagine that it's much easier and more time efficient for the teachers to pop a top off a Bento Box than unwrap every single thing form a Ziplock.  (Yes, last years teachers are probably still cursing me.) So I did find these on Amazon that reasonable and actually big enough to fit more than 2 bites in each compartment. 

7) Sippy Cup labels: These are obviously a MUST, and not only for school, but church too....or anywhere your kid goes! Last year, I meant to order some personalized ones from Inchbug (I want to try their orbit labels too), but I procrastinated and ended up finding some Cars themed ones at Wal-Mart. They actually withstood the dishwasher really well and I made it the whole year with one pack! I love these on Amazon too! They are "self-laminating"...

How clever is THIS?!

8) Planner: Now that we've got all the littles ones read, Mommy needs some "school supplies" too! A new school year means that there's 17 theme days that need to go on the calendar!

I am on year 2 or 3 of using the Mead large planner from Target.  I love this planner because it's flexible and BIG so I can fit all my dates AND my daily to-do lists! 

There's a large monthly view...

                         

And then lots of space for each day to list individual tasks! Event extra space at the bottom for our weekly menu!

9) Small Notebook- I've also been using these Mead Five Star small notebook for years. Small and light enough to throw in your purse, but also has dividers with pocket for things like invitations and bills.  (And a pen holder!) 

10) A little inspiration: My Mother-in-law have me this book for Mother's Day and I absolutely love it! Emily Ley is a designer and creates of The Simplified Planner (which I want to try now) and this book is the neatest combination of faith based inspiration on how to make your life simpler.  From emotional clutter to logistical clutter! It's such a great and useful book! Definitely gets me in a fresh state of mind to start out a new "year"..cuz let's face it, the new year is the school year, right?! 

Ok! That's all I've got! Happy Back-to-School and I'd love to hear your favorite school supplies and tips too!