Get the Jump on Back-to-School Season

For kids and the college-bound, the lazy days of summer will soon come to an end. School starts as early as mid-August in many parts of the United States, so it’s goodbye to campouts and cookouts and swimming pools and pickup games, and back to the books.

Parents will want to take advantage of the many sales. Retailers are promoting back-to-school #deals earlier to tap the average $875 parents will spend this year to get each child outfitted in new clothes, computers and backpacks.

College students need even more to set them up for success: $1,365, according to the National Retail Federation, because they also need basic housewares such as sheets and minifridges. Whatever the student’s age, Good Housekeeping offers a guide to the things they might need.

You’ll want to get your students looking the part, from outfitting them in the latest styles (baggy jeans and leopard prints are back) to getting them a fresh haircut. (Great Clips is offering 24,000 free haircuts and a glossary of Gen Z slang to get parents up to speed.)

“It’s tough to keep up with the latest slang kids are using, but it is important because you can’t help your child succeed if you don’t really know what they want,” says former NSYNC singer Joey Fatone, who stars in a promo with his teenage daughter.

Parents who want to cut the #clutter will also want to prepare for the inevitable onslaught of student projects. Now’s a great time of year to work with your kids to #clean out #closets and make room for new #clothes, #organize a desk and #file last year’s school work.

Set aside any #clothing that still has some useful life in it and contact ClothingDonations.org to schedule a #free #donation #pickup. Other parents appreciate the deals they can find at the #thrift stores supplied by those generous #donations, and #veterans benefit from the resale proceeds.

So (attempting Z slang here) don’t do back-to-school mid — gas up your kids for the new year. If your beige flag is organization, it’s a good time for you to cook. But start right away — letting kids start school unprepared is delulu!