Posted by Cynthia Boris
Back-to-School time is an exciting time even if it’s been years since you last stepped foot into a school of any kind. It’s a mindset that we’ve all grown up with. It’s a time for new clothes, fresh crayons and backpacks that express our latest interest.
It’s also the best time to get super deals on school supplies that you can use in your home business. Here are our 5 favorite, must-have items:
One subject notebooks
You’ll find these handy notebooks for as low as .17 a piece in Target (if you’re okay with red, yellow or black) or bump up to .50 at Staples for a wider range of colors. Grab 12 then use one each month to collect all those brilliant ideas that pop up while you’re working on something else. Digital to do lists and capture tools are fine but nothing beats writing thoughts down on paper with your own hand.
Flashdrive
A flashdrive is a tiny box with a whole lot of digital memory. It’s about the size of your thumb (so we used to call them thumbdrives) and they come in dozens of colors and cartoon character shapes. They normally run in the $15 range but you can get them this week for around $5. Buy a couple. Toss one in your purse and keep one by your laptop. They’re an easy and safe way to backup everything you do or transport images, music or video from one computer to another. If you often share with friends, pick up several then load them with goodies and hand them out as gifts at your next meet-up.
Everything Yoobi
Yoobi is a line of colorful school supplies that are slightly outside the norm; pink, blue, purple or green; chevrons and lines, rounded corners with just a touch of whimsy. These supplies were made for creative kids and grownups. Best of all, when you buy any item from the Yoobi line, they donate a matching item to a classroom here in the US. Yoobi means “one for you and one for me”. Look for the line at Target or shop online.
A good backpack
Backpacks aren’t just for hikers and school kids; they’re the ultimate tote bag for anytime you need your hands free or just want to get a lot of stuff from here to there. Back-to-school backpacks are often lighter, trendier and they’re always less expensive than what you’ll find in December or May. Try them on to assure a comfortable fit and don’t go too cheap if you plan to carry around an expensive tablet.
A plain canvas bag will work for all occasions but don’t dismiss those character bags for kids. If it makes you smile, then it’s worth having.
A planner
Planners are all the rage, not just for planning but for decorating and showing off on YouTube. It’s the new scrapbooking and it’s just what a creative needs to keep her business on track. Planners come out in January and July so make sure the one you’re picking up rounds the corner and includes 2016.
Check out both vertical and horizontal planners; and weekly vs daily. Vertical planners are big with the decorating set but they don’t give you much room to write. If your days are really busy, consider a daily planner where each page is a single day. Target has an excellent line from Day Designer that maxes out at $25. Or you can go wild and buy the Prada of planners; a custom job from Erin Condren.
Now, it’s time to go shopping. You can get deals online but to get the deepest discounts, you’re going to have to step into a real store. Target, Office Max, Office Depot, Walmart – they may be crowded but it’s worth dodging kids with lists because in two weeks, these deals will be all gone. Don’t miss out. Go back-to-school for your office today.
