I love school supplies. I joke that the reason I homeschool is because I can buy unlimited amounts of paper, pens, pencils, notebooks, sticky pads… because I have a reason to buy them. Though admittedly even if my kids went to school I would find a reason to buy school supplies. Isn’t that why they are called office supplies? School supplies for grown-ups?
I came across an article in the Reader’s Digest that writes about homemade school supplies.
An article which made me laugh. Unintentionally.
Tips included:
Instead of using a label maker to write your child’s name on their books, use masking tape and a marker. Well, hit me upside the head with obvious. Really? That is a tip?
Need index cards? Make your own from paper plates. What? Maybe if you only needed ONE index card this might be helpful. But considering how inexpensive index cards are and how long it would take you to measure and cut up multiple paper plates, this has to be the dumbest idea ever.
Use a three hole punch to punch holes in a ziploc bag and stick it inside the child’s three ring binder to hold their pencils and pens. Uh, I love those little bags that they sell for like a DOLLAR for this purpose. A plastic ziploc bag would never hold up up to the daily use by a kid.
One of my favorite tips: use discarded wine and liquor cartons, with the partitions still inside, in your child’s bedroom for storing their “tennis rackets, baseball bats, fishing poles, and such…” Nothing quite says my parents are alcoholics like decorating your child’s room with a liquor store theme.
Does anyone have some recycling or homemade school supply tips that actually work?
I have one, an obvious one, but I store all the kids colored pencils, markers, crayons, pens etc in tin cans. I love the way all the tin cans look all lined up. I have bought things at the grocery store before based on the size of the can. I bought some canned fruit that came in a can the PERFECT size to hold crayons.
Since I have Staples, Office Max and other major stores near me having great back to school sales, you will NEVER see me making back to school supplies. The carboard box partitions made me laugh. My daughter has a work/craft desk in the playroom and stuff would always fall, get lost, misplaced in another room. It drove me crazy. I found a super cheap 4-drawer box at IKEA. I screwed it to the wall above her desk and labeled each drawer (crayons, markers, scissors/glue, and pencils/erasers) Now it stays put, leaves more room for her desk and is easy for her to stay organized. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00112880
I also put a metal wall magazine rack to hold construction paper, work books and writing materials right near the work desk. As you can tell, I am all about keeping things in ONE place and clutter free. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90117166
Gotta love IKEA. I am curious to see what others do.
Comment by Sue — August 14, 2008 @ 1:49 am
That was good!! I have one that may also be a “no brainer”, but I have 2 drawers from a small broken 3 shelf bin, on a shelf on my desk that holds “new” printer paper, and another that holds “used” paper. When the kids want to draw, or I know that I’m printing something I won’t need for long, we use my “used” paper and then I’m free to toss it while saving the nice printer paper!
I also use wet wipe containers for all kinds of art supplies.
I’ve also used old klenex boxes for pens, pencils, colored pencils, etc. Just stab them into the top of the box and they stand up.
Comment by Alecia — August 15, 2008 @ 2:03 am
I also homeschool and love shopping for school supplies. Just bought the cutest post it notes. Why? Because I’m the teacher!
Comment by joanna — August 15, 2008 @ 10:51 pm
This is hilarious – I guess because it is SO true.
I actually laughed out loud- Thanks
Comment by Stormi — August 16, 2008 @ 1:10 pm
i just can’t believe some of the ridiculous tips they had in reader’s digest. thats just crazy… i too love to buy school supplies but i don’t really agree with the fact that we have to buy the teacher’s supplies as well.
Comment by krysta — August 22, 2008 @ 8:38 am
As a homeschool teacher too, I love coming up with non traditional things to store the millions of gadgets, pencils, erasers, etc. One of my faves is to buy a cheap door shoe organizer and nail to the wall by the desk. Since mine has clear pouches, my kids can see exactly whats there and it’s at a hands reach! Similar sized shoe boxes are fun to wrap with bright wrapping paper and line up on shelves too!
Comment by Stacey — August 22, 2008 @ 3:38 pm
My hubby says that the reason I’m a teacher is because I’m obsessed with school supplies!!
Back to School is like Christmas for me!
Seriously though…I teach at a special ed private school (a specialized program for kids with autism and similar disabilities) and not only do I have to get supplies for my own kids, I have to get all the things for my classroom as well. Our school doesn’t ask the kids to even bring a pencil, notebook, folder etc!!! At least I get to choose whatever type I want, but I really can’t afford much! This year I only bought 1 notebook, and 3 folders for each kid, and a big box of pencils and some markers for the room.
Comment by Val Sped — August 26, 2008 @ 6:26 pm
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