What supplies do I need for back to school?

The core set is a backpack, notebooks or a binder with paper, pens and pencils, highlighters, folders or dividers, and a planner. Add a calculator, a laptop or tablet with its charger, and headphones for older students. Always check your school's or teacher's own supply list first, since some subjects need specific items.

How do I organize school supplies by subject?

Assign one color to each subject and stick to it — a blue folder, blue notebook, and blue divider tab for the same class, for example. Keep loose handouts in dividers inside one binder rather than several notebooks, and use a planner or calendar so every deadline lives in one place.

When should I buy school supplies?

Buy the basics a couple of weeks before term starts, when sales are on, but wait on subject-specific items like a particular calculator or lab kit until teachers hand out their supply lists. That way you avoid buying the wrong model or duplicating something the class provides.

Back to School Supplies Checklist

A good back to school supplies checklist saves you two trips to the store and a stressful first week. This list covers the classroom basics most students need across subjects — writing tools, paper, organization, and a small tech kit — so you can check the school's own supply list against it and only buy what's missing. See more study and school checklists.

Curated by the Gisti team · Updated July 2026

Back to School Supplies Checklist · 19 items

Backpack that fits a laptop or binders comfortably
Padded straps matter if your books are heavy.
Spiral notebooks, or a binder with loose-leaf paper, for each subject
Pens in black and blue, pencils, and a good eraser
Highlighters in a few colors and a set of markers
Pencil case or pouch to keep it all in one place
Ruler, scissors, and a glue stick
Sticky notes, index cards, and paper clips
Folders or dividers to sort handouts by subject
One color per subject makes grabbing the right one automatic.
A planner or academic calendar for deadlines
Even with a phone, a paper planner is easy to glance at.
Scientific or graphing calculator, if your math class needs one
Check which model is allowed on tests.
Laptop or tablet and its charger
Headphones for library work and online lessons
USB drive or a cloud storage account for backups
Water bottle and a reusable lunch bag or box
Hand sanitizer and a small pack of tissues
Sticky tabs and a stapler for organizing notes
Whiteboard markers or a small dry-erase board for revision
A reusable tote for gym kit or extra books
A first-day kit: schedule, locker combo, ID, and a bit of cash
Have these ready the night before.

Make it yours in Gisti

Open this checklist in Gisti to tick items off, add your own, set reminders, and keep it in sync across Android and the web. AI can tailor every item to your exact situation.

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