3 Tips For Back to School Shopping

hayden’s romper  ||  hudson’s tee + jeans

In all my years of being a mom, I never thought Back to School could be such a hot topic. With this endless summer, we have wondered if  “back to school” will ever come, and when it does what will it look like? Our district just announced we will be going back to school 4 days a week, with a lot of new rules and ways of doing things in place. While part of me goes through feelings of worry/stress about it all, another part of me is so excited for the kids to be able to get back to a hint of normalcy, learning, and seeing their friends.

With back to school comes one of our favorite traditions, back to school shopping! While it looks a little different this year with most of our shopping done online, that doesn’t mean you can’t make it fun! So today I am teaming up with Walmart to share my tips on how to have the most successful back to school shopping experience + some of our favorite go to basics!

:: TAKE STOCK OF WHAT YOU HAVE/NEED FIRST

Before I will start any Back to School shopping, I sit down with each of my kids and we do a closet clean out. We take every single thing out of the closet and put it in categories. Then together, not just me, we go through each category. First we go through and take out everything they say they don’t like anymore or will not wear. I’ve learned there is no point keeping it if it isn’t something they love. They aren’t going to wear it and it is just going to take up space!

After we’ve separated out the pieces we aren’t loving, we then go through and try on EVERYTHING else, so we can weed out the items that don’t fit right anymore. From there I make a list of each category and the needs per child so we are never over stocking the closets. Simple, minimal wardrobes is always my goal.

:: BASICS ARE BEST FOR BACK TO SCHOOL

When it comes to shopping for my kids, I have found that basics are best. Not only are they so versatile, but they are usually a lot more affordable as well! With this year looking a little different, I love knowing that basics are something my kids always need, and can wear whether they are at school or distance learning from home. Walmart is such a great place to find go to basics on a budget. Last year we were so impressed with the selection that we gave it another try this year and were just as happy! We found tee’s for boys as low as $7, and ___for girls as low as ____.  You can shop some of our favorite finds for both boys + girls below.

favorite girls basics : romper  |  backpack  |  sweatshirt  |  jeans  |  overalls  |  skirt  |  shorts

favorite boy basics : backpack  |  basic tee 2 pack  |  light gray hoodie  |  jacket  |  graphic tee  |  black jeans  |  hoodie  |  basic tee  |  shorts  

:: MAKE A DATE OUT OF IT 

Last but not least, make it fun. Everything is so new and different this year for our kids, so try and bring in fun whenever you can. If you’ve been here for a while, you know one of our favorite things are our kids dates. Each month we try to take the kids on one on one dates with Joe or I. It is such a great time to connect, see how their doing, and enjoy them. One of our favorites for summer is back to school shopping. While I don’t think we will do as much in store, you can still make it fun + personal. Set aside a time where you and your child can sit down together.  Grab your favorite treats,  uninterrupted, and make a wish list. Let them take the reigns and feel a little more grown up navigating the websites and finding what they love! Walmart makes it super easy with everything categorized into great fashion picks and school supplies.

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I hope these tips help make your back to school shopping successful and fun for everyone! No matter what, remember your kids are always going to look to you on how to feel in new situations. While you may be feeling stressed and overwhelmed try to show them that positivity always wins and will get you through!

in partnership with Walmart