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Back to School Checklist 2026: What to Buy and What to Skip

5 min read Home Office

Back to school lists are written by people selling things. The honest version is shorter than the one on the shop wall, and about a third of what people buy in August is still unopened in December.

Quick picks

Prices change often, so check the current price before buying.

This is the checklist organised by who it is for, with the things worth spending on separated from the things worth buying cheap or skipping entirely until the term actually starts.

What is in this guide

Quick verdict

  • Buy first: Ergonomic School Backpack
  • Used daily: Insulated Lunch Box
  • Every day: Leak-Proof Water Bottle

The checklist by age

Stage Buy properly Buy cheap Wait or skip
Primary Backpack, lunch box, water bottle Stationery, folders Branded character kit
Secondary Backpack, calculator, headphones Pens, notebooks, binders Novelty organisers
College, in halls Laptop, bedding, storage Kitchen basics, laundry kit Printer, furniture
College, first flat Bed, desk chair, cookware Utensils, storage Decor before you see the room

The single most common overspend is buying a full dorm kit in July. Rooms differ, roommates bring duplicates, and shops near campus stock everything. Buy the personal items in advance and the room items after move-in.

The picks

Ergonomic School Backpack

Buy properly

  • Straps: Wide and padded
  • Back panel: Padded with a waist strap on larger sizes
  • Weight: Loaded pack under 15 percent of body weight

The backpack is carried every day for a year and loaded with more weight than anything else a child owns. Wide padded straps and a padded back panel are worth paying for; character prints are not.

Guidance from physiotherapists is that a loaded pack should stay under about 15 percent of body weight, and that both straps should be used.

Pros

  • Used every day of the year
  • Prevents the shoulder and back complaints that come from cheap straps
  • Good ones last several years

Cons

  • Character designs get outgrown socially before they wear out

Check Ergonomic School Backpack price on Amazon

Insulated Lunch Box

Used daily

  • Insulation: Keeps food cool to lunchtime
  • Cleaning: Wipe clean lining

An insulated box with a small ice pack keeps food at a safe temperature through a morning in a warm classroom, which a fabric bag does not.

Buy one that opens flat. Deep bags mean crushed sandwiches and things lost at the bottom for a week.

Pros

  • Food safety through a warm morning
  • Wipe-clean linings survive spills

Cons

  • Needs washing far more often than anyone expects

Check Insulated Lunch Box price on Amazon

Leak-Proof Water Bottle

Every day

  • Lid: Genuinely leak proof
  • Size: 12 to 20 oz for children

A bottle that leaks into a backpack ruins books and homework once, and then the child stops carrying it. Leak-proof is the only specification that matters.

Straw lids are easier for younger children; spout lids are easier to clean.

Pros

  • Used every day, all year
  • Cheap enough to replace when lost

Cons

  • Lids need dismantling to clean properly

Check Leak-Proof Water Bottle price on Amazon

Basic Stationery Set

Buy cheap, buy later

  • Timing: After the teacher list arrives
  • Note: Schools often supply more than parents expect

Stationery is where most of the wasted spend happens. Teachers usually issue a specific list in the first week, and many schools supply the basics.

Buy the minimum in August and top up in September against the actual list.

Pros

  • Avoids buying the wrong things twice
  • Cheap when bought against a real list

Cons

  • Requires resisting the August displays

Check Basic Stationery Set price on Amazon

The rest of the back to school guides

Each of these covers one part of the list in detail:

FAQ

When should I start back to school shopping?

Backpacks and shoes in late July while stock is good. Stationery in early September against the actual teacher list, which is when you find out what is genuinely needed.

How heavy should a school backpack be?

Loaded, under about 15 percent of the child body weight, worn on both shoulders with the pack sitting above the hips.

What do schools usually supply?

It varies enormously, but many primary schools supply core stationery and exercise books. Ask before buying a full set.

What is worth spending more on?

Anything used every day: backpack, lunch box, water bottle, shoes and, for older students, a laptop and headphones.

What is not worth buying in advance for college?

Furniture, printers and room decor. Room dimensions, roommate duplicates and what the hall supplies all change the answer.

How do I avoid buying things twice?

Coordinate with the roommate for college, and wait for the teacher list for school. Those two habits remove most duplicate spending.

Which should you buy?

Final verdict

Buy the backpack, the lunch kit and the water bottle properly, because those get used every single day. Everything else can wait until you know what the teacher actually asks for.