One of my favorite memories growing up was our annual back-to-school shopping trip.
It wasn’t a season of shopping. It wasn’t multiple Target runs, Amazon deliveries arriving every few days, or endless “must-have” lists filling my inbox. It was one big outing. We would get everything we needed for the school year in one trip: clothes, shoes, school supplies, a backpack, and a lunchbox. I remember getting two new pairs of shoes, a new winter coat, one pair of jeans, a handful of basic shirts, and a few other essentials. That was it. Somehow, those things carried us through the entire school year.
We mixed and matched what we had, rewore our favorite outfits, and never thought much about whether we had enough. Looking back, I don’t remember wishing I had more clothes. I remember being excited to see my friends, meet my teacher, and find out what adventures the new school year would bring.
Now that I’m a parent, back-to-school shopping feels a little different.
The moment August arrives, every store, email, and social media post seems to tell us that our kids need an entirely new wardrobe before they even step foot into the classroom. Add in influencer shopping hauls, endless supply lists, and the pressure to buy everything while it’s on sale, and what should feel like an exciting milestone can quickly become another overwhelming item on the parenting to-do list.
I love being organized, so my instinct is to want to have everything checked off before that first day of school. But over these past couple of years I’ve realized that being prepared doesn’t necessarily mean buying everything at once. In fact, slowing down has actually made the process less stressful. Instead of trying to create the perfect “back-to-school haul,” I’ve found that focusing on what my daughter truly needs—and making the shopping experience something we enjoy together—has made all the difference.
Here are a few things that have helped make back-to-school shopping feel a little lighter for our family.
1. Start by trying on everything they already own.
Before buying a single thing, pull every pair of pants, every sweatshirt, every jacket, and every pair of shoes out of the closet.
Yes, it sounds like a lot of work.
But you’d be surprised how many clothes still fit…and how many suddenly don’t.
Kids have a magical ability to grow overnight. One day their shoes fit perfectly, and the next morning it looks like they’re trying to squeeze into toddler sizes.
Instead of making it a chore, make it fun.
Turn on music and host a fashion show. See how quickly they can change outfits. Let younger kids strike silly runway poses after every outfit. Time them to see if they can beat their “quick change” record.
You’ll quickly create three piles:
- Fits
- Doesn’t fit.
- Maybe…but probably not for much longer.
Now you’re shopping from what they actually need instead of guessing.
2. Don’t feel like you have to buy everything in August.
This one has been freeing for me.
Every August, stores are filled with sweaters, boots, jackets, and long sleeve shirts.
Meanwhile…
It’s still 90 degrees outside.
The first few weeks of school often feel more like summer than fall, especially here in the Pacific Northwest. Our kids are still wearing shorts, T-shirts, and sandals while pumpkin displays are somehow already everywhere.
So why rush to buy winter clothes that won’t be worn for another two months?
By waiting, you’ll often find better selections later in the season, and you’ll have a much better idea of what your child actually needs after those first weeks of school.
3. Buy what they need now—and wait on the rest.
There are a few things that really are essential.
A backpack.
A lunchbox.
The classroom supplies.
Maybe a new pair of shoes because, once again, somehow their feet grew while they were sleeping.
Start there.
Once school begins, you’ll quickly discover what gaps actually exist.
Maybe your child suddenly needs another pair of athletic pants because of PE.
Maybe they realize everyone wears hoodies at recess.
Maybe they don’t actually need half the things you thought they would.
Waiting takes away so much of the guesswork.
Instead of buying “just in case,” you’re buying based on real needs.
And that usually means buying less.
4. Don’t overlook thrift stores, resale sites, and garage sales.
One of the wonderful things about kids growing so quickly is that they don’t usually wear clothes long enough to wear them out.
Which means there are some amazing secondhand finds out there.
I’ve found fantastic jackets, nearly brand-new shoes, and clothes that still had plenty of life left in them—all for a fraction of retail prices.
Late summer garage sales can be especially great because families are cleaning out closets before school starts.
Resale sites and local marketplace groups can also be gold mines for backpacks, coats, sports gear, and name-brand clothes that were barely worn before another growth spurt happened.
Kids don’t care nearly as much as we think they do.
They’re mostly excited about seeing friends again and finding their classroom.
5. Don’t let shopping hauls define what “prepared” looks like.
This one might be the hardest.
Open social media in August and you’ll probably see family after family sharing massive shopping hauls.
New outfits.
Matching shoes.
Perfectly coordinated accessories.
Closets full of brand-new clothes.
It’s fun to watch. But it can quietly convince us that our kids need an entirely new wardrobe every school year.
So this year, I’m giving myself permission to slow down. We’ll still make our shopping trip special. We’ll probably stop for a treat, laugh our way through fitting rooms, and marvel at how my daughter somehow managed to grow another shoe size over the summer. But more than anything, I want our shopping trip to build excitement for everything that’s ahead.
I want it to be a chance for us to dream about the new school year together—to talk about the friends she’ll see again, the teacher she’ll get to know, the things she’ll learn, and all the little adventures waiting for her over the coming months. Those conversations matter so much more than whether we found the perfect outfit.
Years from now, I don’t think either of us will remember exactly what ended up in the shopping bags. But I hope she’ll remember how exciting it felt to prepare for a brand-new school year together and how, long before she ever walked through those school doors, we were already celebrating all the possibilities waiting on the other side.
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Read more of Joanna’s contributions to AllMomDoes here.
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