Best Back to School Sales for Staying Organized
For me, the end of summer and sending my kids back to school is the most wonderful time of the year. (No more whining from my kids about being bored!) Now that it's August, it's time to kick lazy summer habits to the curb and get them ready to go back to school. Notebooks, backpacks, pens and pencil are always needed, but what special (and expensive) items are they going to claim to need for this upcoming school year? According to the National Retail Federation, this back-to-school shopping season could cost more than it has in the past. The organization projects that every American family with children in elementary through high school will spend $696.70 during fall 2019 – crazy right?!
I want to be prepared AND keep things organized. Fortunately, this can be done on a reasonable budget by looking at all the back-to-school sales.
Let's check them out:
Savings on basic school supplies
Pencils, pens, notebooks, folders, loose-leaf paper, binders, backpacks, etc. While these are the staples of any kid’s BTS list, they're absolutely essential if you want your kids to organize their schoolwork and keep track of what they're learning for when tests come around. Good Housekeeping cites several particularly intriguing opportunities for deals:
- Amazon: No surprise that the ecommerce giant has a back-to-school promotion going on, currently offering up to 56% off on supplies including backpacks, dry-erase markers, index cards, binders and more.
- Office Depot: Need notebooks and paper? They're as cheap as 25 cents in some cases for Office Depot's current sale.
- Staples: Staples has a wide gamut of back-to-school essentials on sale - from pens and paper to key organizational tools like sticky notes, boxes, envelopes and folders - for as much as 61% off.
- Target: The department store changes its deals frequently, so it pays to keep a close eye on their promotions by regularly checking online and in store circulars. Right now, for example, planners, journals and related accessories are on sale.
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Organization on the cheap
Whether your kids need some shelves to keep their middle-school books in line or compact organizers made for the narrow confines of college dorm closets, you might find exactly what you need in these sales:
- Bed, Bath and Beyond: College kids in particular can benefit from the products Bed, Bath and Beyond has on sale in the weeks leading up to trips back to campus, including closet organizers, laundry baskets, shower totes, bedside caddies and storage trunks.
- The Container Store: A college student mecca, The Container Store is offering a 20% discount on organizational accessories until Aug. 18.
- Discount School Supply: Parents of younger children - and teachers - can find some great deals on shelves and other storage stuff throughout August.
Tips for successful deal-hunting
Sale specifics listed above may change, but no fear. Retailers are fully aware that not everyone shops at the exact same time - due to differing back to school start dates for schools and colleges across the country. Chances are that there will be additional promotions on those sites (and at their brick-and-mortar locations) throughout the month of August. Also, U.S. News & World Report points out that August features a bunch of tax-free days and weekends across the U.S., which can further aid in your quest for savings. States with such deals include Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia.
Early bird gets the worm. So the earlier you search for deals, the better. But if there are no immediate needs, hold off to give your wallet a bit of a break. According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, clothes are a key example of something you shouldn't buy a lot of just before school, because of how much your children will likely grow (or in my teen girls case, a constantly changing fashion sense.)
Need more advice about overall home organizing? These HomeServe articles have got you covered:
- Amazon Products for the Home That Will Blow Your Mind
- The Ultimate Guide to Garage Storage Hacks
- 5 Brilliant Organizational Hacks for Every Room
When it comes to household issues that happen all year, see how plans from TotalHome Warranty by HomeServe can help with the costs of covered appliance and home system repairs.
