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Does anyone keep a list of school supplies to purchase at the beginning of the school year?


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Even though I've been doing this for seven years, I still feel scattered when I make my yearly run to the store for pencils and folders.

 

:lurk5:

 

Oh, and where do you like to shop? I enjoyed shopping at a small, quiet, well-stocked Walgreens last year. Target (which I usually love) is always a bust for me when it comes to school supplies.

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I don't keep a list. I do a stock take of school supplies at the end of the school year and see what I need to top up or to buy.

 

Art supplies and geometry stuff (compass, flexible curve) - Michaels with coupons

Electronics components - Fry's electronics

Science school stuff if buying in store - Lakeshore Learning with coupon

All other supplies - Office Max, Staples, Office Depot for the penny deals.  usually I buy from the leftover school supplies sales which is about a month after school starts.

 

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My basic list is below.

 

I order most of my paper from Miller Pads and Paper. The shipping is a little bit pricey, but their low prices on everything else make up for it.

 

I get most of the basic supplies from Walmart or Target at their back to school sales when things like crayons are 25 or 50 cents per box.

 

For art supplies, I often get one thing at a time from Michaels or Joanne's and use a 40% off coupon since art supplies are usually expensive.

 

Crayons

Markers

Colored Pencils

Dry Erase Pens

Scissors

Glue Sticks

Lapbook folders

Lapbook cardstock paper

Construction paper

Paper X-grade ream

Paper X-grade pads

Wide Rule Loose Leaf Paper

Journal Paper (vertical)

Journal

Stickers

Binders

Printer Ink

Printer paper

Pencils

Pencil Sharpener

Art supplies for art program I am using

Art paper

Drawing Pencils

Poster paint

Supplies for math program if needed (ruler, protractor, etc.)

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I think I just need crayons and pencils this year... except I might skip the pencils and buy some mechanical ones.

 

And post-its. I need a new stash :D

 

Otherwise, another ream of 24# from Sams Club should have me set..... I'll then hit the after school start clearance sales and buy more stuff I will forget about! I'm set on Comp Books and don't really use them.

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I do.

 

Other than the standard stock up on paper, crayons, and such..

 

Some things I've bought over the years...

 

Binder dividers with pockets (I love those things!)

 

Using 40-60% off coupons at Micheals or Hobby Lobby to stock up on expensive art supplies, both standard stuff I keep on hand and unique items to whatever their curricula requires.

 

Prisma pencils

Sets of multicolored oil, acrylic, and watercolor paints

Charcoal pencils and rubbers (If we had our way, those are the only pencils we would ever use. Even to write with. They are so lovely to write with. Alas, they are too expensive for mundane use.)

Sketch pads

Watercolor pads

Butcher paper (actually I buy it buy the roll at SAMs)

Air dry clay

Tacky Glue

Pastel sticks

Construction paper

Poster board

Card stock

Sculpting clay

Sculpting tools

Cookie trays for doing messy art projects on

Diarama mini kit materials

 

A way to store it all.

 

This is a great time of year to think organization because all that back to college dorm stuff can be great for large family logistics organization too.

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GLUE.

 

We need glue. Thanks for the reminder!!

 

And, I might have to think about the roll of butcher paper at Sam's - we have a roll for the desk from IKEA for now. Love the idea of the cookie sheets for the projects - they 1/2 sheet pans are 2 for $10 at Sam's (or were when I bought them for my mom a year ago). We have some plastic trays from Lakeshore Learning - but the cookie sheets are cheaper.

 

I guess I need to make a list.....

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Love the idea of the cookie sheets for the projects - they 1/2 sheet pans are 2 for $10 at Sam's (or were when I bought them for my mom a year ago). We have some plastic trays from Lakeshore Learning - but the cookie sheets are cheaper.

 

I guess I need to make a list.....

No. Go to a dollar store type store. $1 each. Maybe $2 if they are an expensive dollar store type.

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No. Go to a dollar store type store. $1 each. Maybe $2 if they are an expensive dollar store type.

I've never seen any the there in the "big" size. I just measured mine and they are 11.5x16.5 on the bottom. Drat, I was hopping they would hold the 12x17 paper without trimming.

 

But really, I was thinking I was due new ones since something etched mine up, and so then pass those down to the kids!

 

I will look at the sizes they have though - i'll add it to the list so I don't forget :D

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Where do you all get these coupons of which you speak?

 

And Martha, I'm curious, what do you use butcher paper for?

If they don't come in the mail or a Sunday paper, you can go online and sign up for promo emails. I prefer that bc then I can open the email with my iPhone and use the coupons that way. No more forgetting/losing the coupon. :)

 

I use butcher paper for painting projects. One side is lightly waxed, so it works just fine for elementary painting projects and is tremendously cheaper than the books of painter's paper.

 

Also SAMs also sells what I call "paper bag" paper by the roll. That's cheaper than using up all my construction or computer paper for random art stuff. Granted, I've also just cut up paper bags, but I don't get enough paper bags for all my kids anymore.

 

Which reminds to add to the list:

 

Snack and sandwich sized ziplock plastic bags. (Generic is fine, but the ziplock brand does hold up better for long term use.) These are great for storing things cheaply and easily. Crayons. Flashcards. Tokens. Whatever.

 

And lunch bag sized paperbags. One package has lasted me iirc 3 years. But they are nifty. I use 2 of them to be the "hat" for drawings. Lasted all year with daily use. I could label them but no one could see through them. These and the butcher and bag paper rolls can also be used as wrapping paper. To give a gift... To cover a diorama shoe box...

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If they don't come in the mail or a Sunday paper, you can go online and sign up for promo emails. I prefer that bc then I can open the email with my iPhone and use the coupons that way. No more forgetting/losing the coupon. :)

Download their apps too - there are coupons in them!!

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Mine are not big but they hold what I have needed them to. Bigger stuff would get the newspaper the table effort.

 

However, if you strike out at dollar stores, go to goodwill and thrift stores. They will likely be cheaper than $5 ea and better quality than the new $5 ones.

 

Which brings me to another item I have.

 

Plastic deviled eggs trays. Again. Dollar store find. They are perfect paint trays. A Dan of color in each egg spot and the center dip spot is filled with water.

 

I've never seen any the there in the "big" size. I just measured mine and they are 11.5x16.5 on the bottom. Drat, I was hopping they would hold the 12x17 paper without trimming.

 

But really, I was thinking I was due new ones since something etched mine up, and so then pass those down to the kids!

 

I will look at the sizes they have though - i'll add it to the list so I don't forget :D

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Mine are not big but they hold what I have needed them to. Bigger stuff would get the newspaper the table effort.

 

However, if you strike out at dollar stores, go to goodwill and thrift stores. They will likely be cheaper than $5 ea and better quality than the new $5 ones.

I'll look - but I honestly haven't found anything to match the quality of the Sam's for the price. They are more commercial restaurant type!

 

 

Which brings me to another item I have.

 

Plastic deviled eggs trays. Again. Dollar store find. They are perfect paint trays. A Dan of color in each egg spot and the center dip spot is filled with water.

This I did!!! You can buy watercolor tubes (with a coupon) and make your own sets this way too :D
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Even though I've been doing this for seven years, I still feel scattered when I make my yearly run to the store for pencils and folders.

 

:lurk5:

 

Oh, and where do you like to shop? I enjoyed shopping at a small, quiet, well-stocked Walgreens last year. Target (which I usually love) is always a bust for me when it comes to school supplies.

 

Walgreens has been good to me the past two years.  They have been well-stocked and organized.  I cleaned up on the 5-pack highlighter deal last year when they were 39 cents w/in-store coupon. 

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Ohhhh! Yes. I missed that fine bit of info. Sorry.

LOL, it evolved!

 

I will say that the Lakeshore Learning plastic trays made it possible for my youngest to develop her love of play dough. Because, she got very good at keeping those crumbs on that tray!!!

 

What I really want is a drying rack for their art stuff.... I guess I need to research making that.

 

 

On the topic of the thread, I realized that I have no idea when sales are here - I can't get the paper, I don't buy it weekly and I never check the online versions of the ads. I should do that....

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I have an old kiddie easel in the garage that I store the brown paper on. The butcher paper I have on its end in a closet.

 

If space is limited, just set them on their side and turn them like a dial to get paper. Cut with scissors. It's a bit clunky to do it that way but it's no big deal

 

I used to store them on the tile floor under the center of my square kitchen table and send an older kid to crawl under and cut off what we needed. :)

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Tacky glue doesn't dry like that. At least none of mine have.

 

The Elmer's brand purple glue sticks work really well.

 

The cheap knock off stuff isn't worth even 1/2 their cheaper cost.

 

The only thing I use knock off bottle glue for is to make puffy paint and paper mâché.

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  • 3 years later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Where do you all get these coupons of which you speak?

 

And Martha, I'm curious, what do you use butcher paper for?

 

Not to be naughty, but by accident really: I have 2 email accounts (one personal, one for home school), so I get double the coupons.

Certainly don't use them all, but super nice to have at this time of year or when I need something crucial mid-year.

 

 

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