How to eliminate a week of stress from the 2018 school year...right now.

This December, I’m heading to Thailand with my husband and two kids (hooray!). But there’s one thing I’m dreading – and it’s not bad tan lines. It’s back-to-school shopping.

The last thing I want to be thinking about while I’m sipping on a piña colada at the swim-up bar is the to-do list that will need tackling when I get back. Back-to-school shopping fills a lot of us with dread, and signals “goodbye holiday glow” and “hello parental responsibilities”.

So, after reviewing my options, I’ve decided to get organised early.

Juggling a part-time job, running my own business and raising two kids means life is insanely busy for most of the year. When I feel overwhelmed by it all (which is often), I’ve learned to press the easy button. I ask for help from a friend, order the occasional takeaway for dinner and outsource whatever I can outsource. So this year, I’m outsourcing my back-to-school shopping through a smart service run by Officeworks.

Their School List Service is a hassle-free way for me win back some valuable time and leave the rest in their capable hands. The time I save shopping for kids' stationery can be put to better use by hanging out with my gorgeous kids.

With Officeworks’ School List Service, I don’t have to aisle hop trying to find the right notepad, scissors and glue. I just upload my kid’s list of back-to-school requirements to the Officeworks website and someone else does the picking and packing for me.

I can create two different lists for each of my kids and customise their individual preferences and requirements. For example, my younger son is left-handed like me and I’m able to select left-handed scissors for him. I can also let Officeworks know that one kid loves red and the other is mad for blue. That means my kids get exactly what they need without me having to face any crowds or queues.

Once I’ve uploaded my lists, I just wait for an SMS telling me my kids’ back-to-school stash is ready for collection. Officeworks can get my stuff ready in 48 hours, but who needs all the goods right away? I've found that I can choose a collection time that better suits my holiday calendar (i.e. before or after my 5kg weight gain in Thailand). I don’t know about you, but by November my brain is completely fried so I’m pretty happy to have a service that is super simple to use.

Like most families, budget is always a factor for us so I love that this service is free. After being an Officeworks customer since forever, I’m also confident that I’m getting the lowest prices on back-to-school items which leaves me with more cash to stuff my kids’ stockings when the fat man squeezes down the chimney. If I do find a lower price on an advertised back-to-school item, I know Officeworks will match the price.

Term 1 is only a Christmas Carol and a NYE champers away. If you’d like to tick a few things off your back-to-school to-do list before the holidays begin, I highly recommend outsourcing to Officeworks. You can choose to get your whole school list at Officeworks or select only a few items and if you don’t want to upload your list online, you can simply drop it off at an Officeworks store.

Then, enjoy a stress-free holiday with your gorgeous family because I’m tipping that’s just what you need.

How do you best prepare for back to school? Share with us below.

This content was created with thanks to our brand partner, Officeworks.