It's back to school time and that means back to school sales. Stores are fully stocked with discount school supplies in all manner of colors, sizes and styles. All too often we head to the store armed with the required supply list and buy everything on it, but nothing more. Let's face it, just getting the required items racks up a high enough bill. It's a great idea to stock up some extras, though, for a number of reasons. First, prices are lower right now on most items. That $1 box of crayons will likely be closer to $3 if you try to buy it in January when your little scholar has lost or broken too many of their original set to finish out the year. The bigger problem is that some items will be difficult, if not impossible, to find. It's not just a matter of having fewer color and style choices later in the year. In many cases those items just aren't kept in stock all year long so you'll end up ordering them online and paying a premium price and shipping charges. OUCH! Keep reading for a list of supplies that you should consider stocking up on and some great tips on how to organize and store your supply.
- Notebook paper. Kids will go through notebook paper and it won't be selling for under a $1 after October so grab some extra packs now. Even if you don't go through all of it this year, you'll be ahead of the game next year.
- Crayons, colored pencils, pencils, pens. Again, these are usually heavily discounted this time of year and can be consumed quickly in a school setting so your little ones may need more before the year is out. Grab them while you can.
- Folders. Brads, no brads, pockets, no pockets in every color under the sun. That's what you'll find this time of year. In a few months, however, the choices will be severely limited unless you head to an office supply store. Paper folders don't tend to stand up too well to being frequently shoved into and pulled out of backpacks, lockers and desks. Go ahead and grab some extras while they're 10 for $1 and hold on to them. When your little one starts losing papers because their folder is shot you can magically save the day by replacing it with a brand new one.
- Ice packs. You might expect one set of ice packs to last the whole year, but that's not always the case. Once an ice pack develops a leak, it's time to replace it. You don't want your little one covered in that goo, or worse eating it! Of course, ice packs are always in the stores but the selection will be slimmer after school is in session. Your choices will likely be limited to plain, solid colors meant to appeal to adults. They may also be higher priced later in the year.
- Backpacks, lunch boxes. These won't disappear completely in the fall, but the selection won't be as plentiful later in the year. If you go with a high end bag, it will come with a warranty and you should be good for the entire year. Less expensive brands don't offer any guarantees and the straps could break or the bag could develop holes halfway through the year and need to be replaced. You can wait until the leftovers go on clearance and grab a backup for next to nothing.
Store Smart with Stockpile Quick Inventory Solution
Now, you may be wondering what you're supposed to do with all these extra school supplies. If you have the room we recommend creating a designated school supply area, a bin, drawer or other container that will hold everything. If that's not feasible, you'll need to find other places throughout your home to keep things. Either way, you need Stockpile quick inventory solution to help you keep track of your supplies and remind you of what you already have. Stockpile allows you to use areas and locations so that you can be very specific about where items are stored. If it makes most sense to keep ice packs and lunch boxes in the kitchen, you can do that without worrying that you'll forget you have them. Plus, Stockpile quick inventory solution is mobile compatible so you can check your inventory anytime, from anywhere. If one of your kids texts you that they need a particular supply you can check your inventory on your phone or other device and immediately see whether you already have a replacement on hand, or if you should stop on your way home to pick one up. What a great way to save time and money! Stockpile makes it easy to track your at home inventory so that you can take advantage of great deals. Try Stockpile today!
