Back to School Checklist for Parents: What to Buy First

With so much to buy before the new school term, prioritising matters as much as the shopping itself. Start with a proper school bag and shoes, since these take the most daily wear, then move to water bottles, lunch boxes, and stationery essentials. Chase Value's Back to School range covers all of this in one place, making it easier to shop in the right order without missing anything important.

Why Shopping Order Actually Matters

Back-to-school lists get long fast, and trying to buy everything in one go often means rushing through the decisions that matter most. Some purchases, like a school bag or a pair of shoes, need more thought since they get daily, heavy use for an entire term. Others, like stationery or accessories, are easier to pick up quickly or replace later if needed. Working through the list in the right order helps avoid both overspending upfront and scrambling for something forgotten in week two.

Shop the Full Range: Browse Chase Value's Back to School collection to cover everything in one place.

First Priority: A Durable School Bag

A school bag carries everything else on this list, so it's worth getting right before anything else. Look for a size suited to your child's grade, lightweight material, padded straps, and enough compartments to keep books, lunch boxes, and water bottles organised and separated.

Have a look at Chase Value's School Bags collection for sizes ranging from compact bags for younger kids to larger backpacks for older students.

Second Priority: Comfortable School Shoes

Shoes see daily wear through assembly, class, break time, and after-school activities, making them just as important as the bag itself. Comfort, proper sizing, and durable construction matter more here than style alone, since a poorly fitting shoe affects a child's entire school day.

Check out Chase Value's School Shoes collection for boys' and girls' options built for all-day comfort.

Third Priority: A Reliable Water Bottle

Staying hydrated through long school days matters, and a leak-proof bottle avoids one of the most common and frustrating school bag problems. Choosing a size suited to your child's age, generally smaller for younger kids and larger for older ones, makes daily use easier.

Explore Chase Value's Water Bottles collection for leak-proof, easy-to-carry options in various sizes.

Fourth Priority: A Practical Lunch Box

Once the bag, shoes and bottle are sorted, a lunch box that actually holds up to daily use comes next. Look for secure lids, easy-clean materials and a size that suits how much food your child typically eats during the school day.

Browse Chase Value's Lunch Boxes collection for everyday options across a range of budgets and sizes.

Fifth Priority: Core Stationery Essentials

With the bigger, longer-lasting items sorted, stationery is next, pens, pencils, erasers, sharpeners, and a ruler cover the daily basics most classes require from day one.

Check out Chase Value's Stationery collection for notebooks, pens and other classroom essentials. If you're shopping on a budget, our guide on the best stationery sets under Rs. 500 for back to school covers affordable bundled options that cover the basics in one purchase.

Sixth Priority: A Pencil Pouch to Keep It Organised

Once stationery is bought, a proper pouch keeps everything together rather than loose inside a bag, which matters more than it might seem for younger kids who are still learning to keep track of their own supplies.

Explore Chase Value's Pencil Pouches collection for a range of sizes and styles.

Seventh Priority: Socks and Undergarments

These are easy to overlook, but a fresh set of school-appropriate socks and undergarments rounds out the daily uniform essentials, particularly ahead of a new term when older ones may be worn out or outgrown.

Browse Chase Value's Kids Socks and Kids Undergarments collections to round out daily wear basics.

Eighth Priority: Extras That Round Out the Term

Once the essentials are covered, a few additional items make the school year a bit smoother. Colouring tools and craft supplies support creative assignments and quiet time at home. Educational and story books encourage reading beyond the classroom. Writing boards give younger kids a reusable way to practise at home, and hair accessories help keep a neat, put-together look for daily uniform requirements.

These are worth adding once the core essentials are sorted, rather than first, since they support the school routine rather than being needed from day one.

A Simple Shopping Order to Follow

1. School bag
2. School shoes
3. Water bottle
4. Lunch box
5. Core stationery
6. Pencil pouch
7. Socks and undergarments
8. Extras: books, art supplies, writing boards, hair accessories

Following this order helps spread out spending across a few shopping sessions if needed, while making sure the items that matter most for daily comfort and durability get the most attention and consideration.

Shopping Smart, Not Just Fast

Buy shoes with a bit of room to grow. Kids' feet grow steadily through a school year, so a snug fit at the start of term can feel uncomfortably tight by the middle of it.

Choose a school bag size for the grade, not just the child's current preference. Younger kids often want bigger bags than they need, while older kids sometimes need more room than a smaller bag provides for a fuller course load.

Buy stationery basics in slightly more than one set. Pens, pencils, and erasers go missing throughout a term, so having a small backup on hand avoids a last-minute scramble mid-week.

Don't rush the extras. Books, art supplies, and accessories can be added over the first few weeks of term as needs become clearer, rather than guessing everything upfront.

Getting the New Term Off to a Good Start

A back-to-school list feels overwhelming, mostly because everything seems equally urgent. Breaking it down by what actually needs the most durability and daily comfort, bags, shoes, bottles, and lunch boxes, followed by the smaller essentials, makes the whole process faster and less stressful, without missing anything important along the way.

Shop Now: Explore the full Back to School collection at Chase Value, with cash on delivery and nationwide shipping.