The Fetch Checklist of Must-Have Teacher Classroom Supplies

What do you need in your classroom to feel like you’ve started the school year off right? We’ve got the list of must-have teacher classroom supplies as well as some nice-to-have extras that’ll help keep your classroom well-stocked and organized. And if that’s not enough, we have some tips on turning your everyday shopping into free school supplies using the Fetch app.

Use Fetch gift cards to get free school supplies

We hope you already know that snapping your receipts in the Fetch app turns shopping trips into points all year round, which you can easily turn into gift cards to your favorite stores. When it’s time to stock up on must-have classroom supplies, why spend your hard-earned money on them when you can get free school supplies using your Fetch gift cards?

With gift cards available for places like Target, Amazon, Staples, Office Depot, Walmart and The Container Store, you might be able to clear your whole classroom checklist with gift cards from Fetch.

Classroom supply checklist: teacher essentials

Whether it’s your first year teaching or your fiftieth, it’s good to make a classroom checklist of supplies so you can start the year off on the right foot. Most of our must-have teacher classroom supplies will be familiar, but we also have some “nice to have” supplies to help organize your classroom and your students’ things.

Must-have teacher classroom supplies

• Pencils
• Pencil sharpener
• Erasers
• Pens (blue, black and red)
• White-out
• Highlighters
• Index cards
• Sticky notes
• Folders
• Gradebooks
• Lesson planners
• Loose leaf paper
• Printer paper
• Construction paper
• Paper clips
• Stapler
• Staples
• Staple remover
• Scissors
• Tape
• Tape dispenser
• Facial tissue
• Disinfecting wipes
• Hand sanitizer

Nice-to-have teacher classroom supplies

• Composition notebooks
• Three-ring binders
• Three-hole punch
• Paper cutter
• Printer
• Ink cartridges
• Small whiteboards
• Dry erase markers
• Clipboards
• Stamps and stickers
• Glue dots
• Command strips and hooks
• Magnets
• Plastic bins and bags
• Supply caddies
• Pen organizer
• Metal rolling cart

Printable teacher classroom supplies shopping list

When is the best time to buy school supplies?

Common wisdom is that the best time to buy something is usually when other people aren’t trying to buy it, but that’s not true here. The best time to buy school supplies is usually a month or two before the start of school, when places like Target and Office Depot and Staples buy composition notebooks, pens, pencils, and most of that “must have teacher classroom supplies” list in bulk. Price trends show a nearly 10% drop in essential school supply prices after the July 4th holiday!

If you’re the type of teacher who likes to plan, you’re far from alone. It’s why this blog is going live toward the end of the current school year: so you can make your checklist and be ready when the sales hit. You’ll also have plenty of lead time to snap your receipts in the Fetch app and turn them into gift cards to help you get free school supplies. And remember, if buying your school supplies in the few weeks before starting the school year seems a little stressful, buy in bulk from stores like Amazon or Walmart so you have a jump start on next year (or the next few years)!

These must-have classroom supplies can fuel your next coffee run

There’s something appealing about turning your grocery trips into free school supplies with the help of Fetch gift cards, but you deserve to treat yourself, too. Once you’ve checked every item off of that classroom checklist, don’t forget to snap that receipt, too, and make some plans to celebrate. 

It doesn’t have to be World Teachers’ Day for you to reward yourself or the teachers in your life. You can turn your classroom purchases into the morning Dunkin’ or Starbucks coffee you need to make it through those tough days. If you think you’re due for a big treat, save those points up for a nice night out at a favorite restaurant or a home or classroom upgrade from Crate & Barrel.

Add “snap my receipts” to your classroom supplies checklist

The Fetch app is your ultimate ally for earning rewards while shopping. We’ve got a list of essential teacher classroom supplies for you, and you should add to it in the Fetch app so you can be tipped off to any special offers for extra points. Remember to snap that receipt from your next school supply run and cash in some of those points on a reward for you, because you’ve surely earned it.