back to school stuff

It’s back-to-school time! For some of you who have already done your back-to-school shopping, bravo! But for others who like to shop slowly, here are the essentials for back-to-school.

Lunch Box

There are so many options for lunch boxes out there, especially since many school are litterless. Pottery Barn Kids’ Mackenzie Classic Lunch Bag in the Blue Dino pattern has a BPA-free PEVA insulated interior, is water-repellent and has several pockets and mesh pockets.

Backback

A good sturdy backpack with plenty of storage space is essential for your growing kids. The licensed character backpacks are cute when kids are really young but they don’t have enough space for books and the quality is less than stellar. I love the colour of this DC Wolfbred Pack available at Sport Chek.

School supplies

Shopping for school supplies like binders, pencil cases and notebooks is always a treat because I end up buying supplies for myself too! Hilroy supplies have always been my favourite; they’re colourful and fun.

Running shoes:

Kids will need a good pair of running shoes AND a clean pair of indoor shoes; velcro will come in handy for younger kids while older kids can enjoy runners like these cool and comfortable Reebok ATV19 footwear.

Desk Chair:

I would totally love this Classic BalanceBall Chair – it offers health and fitness benefits while you sit at home! Building core muscles? I need all the help I can get.

Martha Stewart Home Office with Avery

The Martha Stewart Avery line at Staples are beauuuutiful! I love this cute corkboard which would be perfect for a home office or kitchen.

Lunch Box Love Notes

Lunchbox Love has the cutest notes for kids that you can easily slip into their lunch boxes. Each Lunchbox Love note has a happy, positive message on one side, and a joke or a fact on the other side, perfect for tucking into a lunchbox, binder or backpack.

What is on your back-to-school essentials list?

It’s back to school time! One of the best things about mid-late August is shopping for back to school stuff! Clothing, shoes and school supplies!

Backpacks, pencil cases and notebooks – I missed those days after I finished university and starting working full-time but now get to enjoy those years now that my own kids are in school.

Hilroy has made it easier for me this year – they sent me some awesome products to review (and give away too!)

My favourite has to be the Customizable Fashion Line. Products are in black and white and come with four coloured fabric markers so you can customize the design of your back pack, zipper binder and pencil case however you desire. My boys were pretty excited to start colouring in their supplies!

As a busy mom, I need all the help I can get when it comes to organizing. Although I use Outlook on my computer to keep my appointments organized, I need to visually see the reminders in front of my face constantly. A white board just won’t do it, and neither can a regular wall calendar.

But the oversized Mom’s Ultimate Family Fridge Calendar is the best thing invented in calendars. It’s large in size and comes with magnets that you can stick on the back of it and put it on your fridge. There’s good space for writing appointments and notes and it comes with cute stickers to remind you of specific appointments like doctor visits and sports days at school.

The calendar on my phone is just not enough for me when I’m on the road. I like to flip through my book and see it all in front of me. So the Day Runner and Day Minder come in handy. I also like the Five-Star 7-pocket expanding file which I can bring with me wherever I go. Having somewhere to keep my bills, receipts and other important papers that I need to keep nearby for short-term use – not scattered all over the kitchen table – keeps me organized and on top of things.

You can never have enough binders and notebooks! I think I have a dozen notebooks scattered around the house for various purposes. The Recyclable Fashion and Shape It Up lines are just so adorable, your daughter (or you!) will love the designs and colours.

Please go to www.hilroy.ca for more information and feel free to “like” Hilroy on Facebook!

ENTER TO WIN a PRIZE PACK of HILROY supplies!

What Hilroy products do you or your kids use? Or do you remember using Hilroy stuff in school? Or what Hilroy product would you or your kids like to have? Leave a comment below to enter!

Contest closes September 5. Canada only.

CONGRATS TO HOPE TIMMONS OF BARRIE, ONTARIO!

Back to School Essentials 2013