As an educator and former student, this has to be one of my favorite times of the year. It’s such a good feeling to have that “fresh start” every September, and purchasing new supplies is 100% part of that feeling. I talked about this a bit in my recent planning post, but I already picked out my Rifle Paper Co planner for the upcoming school year. I’ve used their planners for the last three years, and they are definitely my favorite when it comes to the overall aesthetic and organization of the planner. In the “daily” portion of the planner, there are two sections of lines for each day, allowing me to keep my “personal” needs on one side and my “professional” needs on the other. I love having that visual where I can see the entirety of my day! Additionally, I always pair my planners with Papermate Felt Tip pens – they’re the best ones because they come in a wonderful assortment of colors but they never bleed through the paper. It allows me to doodle and create a happy, personal, space within my planner.
Top is by J.Crew – only a few sizes left! As always, leather Apple Watch band is Etsy…denim shorts are J.Crew – I have been wearing them all summer! I love that they are high waisted. You can’t see them in the photo, but I was wearing one of my favorite pairs of sneakers – from the New Balance x J.Crew collaboration!
A great pencil case is a wonderful thing to have in your bag. I love carrying around a select few favorite pens (because we all know they get stolen, lol!) I have been using a Vera Bradley Roll Case for my favorite pens and pencils for about five years now – the same case! They’ve updated the look of their roll case a bit, but I love this Raspberry Pattern for the new school year if your looking for a pencil case to throw in your bag. I can’t even tell you how many compliments I have gotten on it over the years!
Also: because I’m starting a new job in a new school, I felt like a new lanyard was in order! I purchased this Rifle Paper Co. Lanyard off of Etsy – I just love the Periwinkle Pattern! I already have two great experiences with this seller – she uses Rifle Paper Co fabric to create products for her Etsy account. I purchased the Periwinkle Birch Mini Key Fob for my apartment keys and I absolutely love it! It’s super easy to find in your bag, while also being absolutely adorable.
Now, especially if you’re still a student, I think this Five Star Spiral notebook in a pack of 6 is a really good deal. Throughout high school, college and grad school I had a notebook for each of my classes along with a color coordinated folder. It was a great organizational strategy for me to associate a color for each class. In all honesty, Amazon is the easier (and many times most affordable…) way to get supplies for school. For example: You can get 12 highlighters for less than $5, six scotch tape dispensers for less then $10, and a four pack of white binders for less than $10- I used to love these white binders in high school because I would put print outs in my favorite colors in the front plastic portion of the binder. Do people high schoolers even still do this? I remember everyone used to do that!
ALSO: These preppy and pink folders are catching my eye – so good for organizing but also super adorable!
When it comes to Backpacks & Bags: I have seen pretty much everyone posting about Madeline and Company Backpacks. I have been following the company for the last three years, shortly after they began, and I have to admit: I want one. I am particularly fond of the Navy Classic Backpack with the Pink and White, and can honestly say I have been eyeing it for a couple of years now. However, I regularly use this Black and Blue Northface Backpack and I can’t lie – I love it. It works perfectly for my lifestyle when I need a backpack for my laptop and books. If I am recommending a backpack from regular use – for years – it’s this one. It comes in an array of colors (I kept it simple with the hint of blue) but there’s teal, pink, white, khaki – you name it!
For Teachers: Well, we all need that good teacher bag! I had a student give me a large monogrammed L.L. Bean Tote as an end of year gift this past June, and I 100% intend on using that this year! I have already put in my folders and notebooks and I know I’ll be taking a lot back and forth, so it’s the perfect size. However, before this year, I always used a leather tote. It was very similar to the classic Madewell Tote but it was the old J.Crew version they no longer sell. I still love it and found it to work great the last three years! But if you’re looking for a leather tote for work that has a zipper, this one by Mark and Graham is gorgeous with a gold monogram!
What are your favorite back school deals for the upcoming school year? For me, I’ve always found that when my supplies are both cute and functional, I am at my most productive! Let me know what your back to school essentials are in the comments below!
