Back to School Classroom Supplies Checklist – Homeschool Edition!

Okay, so I know that the majority of the nation seems to have started school in early August (what happened to summer break?!), but here in Washington State, the public school system doesn’t start school till the first day after Labor Day. I like to keep my homeschooled kiddos on a schedule similar to their neighborhood friends, so we are following this timeline. Which means…. School starts TOMORROW!!

While my neighbors have been counting down the days for the big yellow bus to whisk their kids back to school, I’m over here counting down the days till my life as a mum gets 1000x times more complicated, stressful and.. Okay, I gotta admit… rewarding, exciting and FUN! It’s a wild feeling, the simultaneous joy and dread that comes with being a homeschool mum in the weeks leading up to the first day of school!

This year I have a 4th Grader, a 2nd Grader and a Kindergartener, and so being organized is ESSENTIAL to my not losing my mind by Day 1. (I give myself permission to lose my mind somewhere down the line, of course, lol. Hey, just being real here!) I am a firm believer in “a place for everything, and everything in its place”, and this helps keep school supplies and projects from getting spread across the house. Everything stays in one space (the schoolroom) so that we can start each day knowing where everything is, and we can easily identify when school supplies run out or run low.

I’ve whipped up this Back to School Classroom Supplies Checklist (Homeschool Edition!) that I’ve used to get prepped for this new school year. I’ve found it tremendously helpful, and in the hopes that you will too, here it is:

Unique, Specific and Random Items

I always start here, looking about 2-4 weeks into the curriculum to find any random supplies that aren’t so obvious. (For instance, one of my kids first projects requires paper plates, crackers and salami slices… not exactly homeschool supply 101, haha.) Get these obscure items taken care of first to make organizing the obvious much easier!

Bins, Baskets, and Boxes

I am a big fan of those cloth cubes that fit into bookshelves and cubbies to hold my assorted school supplies and kids school toys, and then I rely on little metal pails and plastic cups and boxes with solid clasps to hold pencils, crayons and paint brushes. There is a vast array of milk crates and boxes and tubs for holding books and notebooks and everything in between. Whatever you choose, you do need something to hold you supplies and keep everything separate and organized and within reach when you homeschool. If you don’t have individual desks for your kids with their own storage space (this is what we have), then make sure each student has their own storage area. Now just make sure all your supplies find their way where they belong at the end of every school day!

Binders, File Folders and Zipper Containers

These are also stuff holders of a different kind. Record keeping, curriculum planning and weekly task management is infinitely easier when you know where to find your students’ completed work. When it comes to your kids folders, you can let your kids express their creative side when purchasing these – there are so many fun options to choose from! (I vividly remember all of my favorite binders and folders from the 4th grade onward, lol!)

Pens, Pencils and Crayons

So we are generally well stocked with pens, pencils and crayons, but somehow a new school year just doesn’t seem complete without fresh packages of pens, pencils, and crayons – if even only for that new school scent they effuse when you open them! It’s these little things the kiddos will remember and treasure years down the road.

Tape, Glue and Pokey Things

There are all sorts of reasons to need to stick things to other things when you’re homeschooling, so having a variety of adhesives and glues is helpful! Do a quick inventory of your tape (transparent tape, masking tape, duct tape), glues (glue sticks, Elmers glue, adhesive putty, specialty glues), and pokey items (staplers and staples, thumb tacks, hook and loop fasteners, etc.).

Markers, Highlighters and Sharpies

Especially helpful for older students, highlighters are one of the best study tools ever invented. My kids aren’t quite there yet, so what I find myself needing a TON of is dry erase markers to replace the ones my kids use and then forget to put the caps back on. (Grrrr!) Do an inventory of your basic markers and sharpies and keep them in an area that little fingers can’t get into!

Cords, Batteries and Computer Supplies

This category includes all those items you need to make the technology in your house run smoothly. Think ink cartridges, printer paper, AA and AAA batteries, phone and laptop charging cords and extension cords. My kids recently acquired their first cell phones and my oldest has a laptop now, so adding extra charging ports to the school room is now a must!

Notebooks, Cardstock and Paper

This right here is the category you can’t buy TOO much of. Homeschooling means LOTS of doodling, experimenting and basically blazing through paper goods. In addition to computer paper, you’ll want spiral-bound notebooks, composition notebooks, packages of 3-hole punched, loose-leaf paper and an abundance of construction paper and cardstock for crafty projects. Go nuts here!

So there you have it! This covers the main categories of school supplies you’ll want to inventory and check off your list for a smooth transition back to homeschooling – I hope you find it as helpful as I have!

Do let me know if there is anything I missed, or anything you would find helpful in addition to the items listed here!