Homeschool Supplies to Stock Up on Year After Year
The homeschool supplies, stationery, and fun little extras worth restocking every single year.
Can I let you in on one of my favorite homeschool habits? Every time a school break rolls around, I take a little inventory of what we are running low on and stock back up. Because there is nothing worse than sitting down for a great lesson and realizing you are out of glue sticks, computer paper, or printer ink.
Homeschooling is not like traditional school when it comes to supplies. You are not sending your kids off with a backpack of things that get used up and forgotten. You are building a little collection at home, the same favorites you reach for again and again, replenished year after year. Over time you learn exactly what your family loves and uses, and stocking up becomes a small, satisfying ritual.
This is my running list of the homeschool supplies worth stocking up on, the workhorses you will burn through and the fun extras that make school days brighter. New here and not sure where to begin? Start with our guide to essential homeschool supplies first, then come back here to build out the fun stuff.
The Best Homeschool Supplies Are the Ones You Actually Use
Here is what years of homeschooling taught me: the best supply isn’t the fanciest one; it is the one your family reaches for without thinking. Over time you collect your favorites: the pens that feel just right, the paper that never jams, the markers that survive your toddler. And then you keep them stocked so an empty glue bottle never derails a great school day.
So think of this less as a shopping list to complete and more as a list of contenders. Try a few, notice what your family loves, and stock up on those before the next school year.
Stationery Supplies (My Happy Place)
I will be honest with you: stationery is one of my very favorite things. There is something about a fresh set of pens that makes me want to sit down and learn. If you feel the same, this section is for you.
Erasable pens. Pilot FriXion pens are a homeschool staple for a reason. The ink erases cleanly, which makes them wonderful for kids who are perfectionists about their work. One heads-up: the ink disappears in heat, so never laminate anything written with them, and do not leave that planner in a hot car.
Highlighters. Depending on your homeschool stage, highlighters earn their keep, especially with older students learning to take notes and mark up their reading.
Sharpies. The ultimate project pen. They come in every color and tip size you could want, and they show up in more of our projects than I can count.
Everyday pens. A few favorites we restock without fail: Papermate Flair felt-tip pens, my original love, in a wide range of colors. Pilot G2 gel pens, or the Writech gel pens which write like butter. And Zebra Mildliners, or the Writech liquid ink roller ball pen, which are bright, soft, and so fun for creating notebooks the kids are actually proud of.
Pencils. The backbone of everything, especially math and drawing. Keep plenty of regular pencils on hand, and consider mechanical ones for older kids who are tired of sharpening.
Dry erase markers. How much you use these depends on your kids’ ages, but in the preschool and early elementary years, we go through dry erase markers constantly. So handy for practice without wasting paper.
Clipboards. An underrated hero. Perfect if you do school in the car, on the couch, or anywhere but a desk. They give kids a sturdy surface wherever they land.
Notebooks. Great for organization and note-taking, and a natural fit for methods like Charlotte Mason that lean on narration and nature journaling.
We have a whole line of resources and tools available on Amazon.
Visit the Blooming Brilliant Homeschoolers Author Page to see available titles.
The Fun Supplies (Because Joy Counts)
Not everything on the list has to be practical. A few playful supplies go a long way toward keeping everyone excited to come to the table.
Think novelty staplers your kids fight over in the best way, sticker stashes for celebrating finished work, washi tape for decorating notebooks, reading pointers that make tracking words feel like a game, plus sticky notes, page tabs, paper clips, and binder clips to keep everything findable. None of it is essential. All of it adds a little spark.
Don’t Forget the Big Consumers
A few supplies deserve their own reminder, because they vanish faster than anything else, usually right when you need them most.
Printer ink and computer paper top the list. If you print curriculum or worksheets, you will go through both quickly, so buy extra. Cardstock is worth keeping around for sturdier projects and games. And tape and glue disappear at an astonishing rate once the crafting and projects get going, so stock up generously.
A quick tip that has saved me many times: keep a small back-stock bin somewhere the kids cannot reach. When you run out mid-project, your future self will be so grateful.
Even More Homeschool Supplies
None of the fun extras are strictly necessary, of course. You can run a beautiful homeschool with pencils, paper, and a library card. But the right supplies, kept stocked and ready, remove the little frictions that add up over a long year, and they make the whole thing more enjoyable for everyone, you included.
If you want the full picture of everything a homeschool might use, from the true basics to organization to the day-easier tools, head over to our complete guide to homeschooling supplies. It ties all of this together in one place.
Your Free Stock-Up Inventory Printable
To make your seasonal stock-up ritual even easier, we made a free printable Homeschool Supplies Stock-Up and Restock Inventory sheet. It gives you a simple place to jot what you have, what you are low on, and how much to buy, so you can glance, list, and shop in five minutes flat before each new term. Print one for each break and never run out of glue sticks again.
Free Download
Stock-Up Inventory Printable
Frequently Asked Questions
What homeschool supplies should I stock up on? The ones that get used up: pencils, paper, printer ink, glue sticks, tape, cardstock, markers, and your family’s favorite pens. Stock up on these before each school break so you never run dry mid-lesson.
When is the best time to buy homeschool supplies? Late summer back-to-school sales are unbeatable for consumables. Stock up then for the whole year, and do a quick top-up at each seasonal break.
How do I keep from running out of supplies during the year? Keep a small back-stock bin out of reach and do a quick inventory at every school break. A simple restock list (like our free printable) makes it a five-minute habit.
Do I really need special pens and stationery to homeschool? Not at all. Basic pencils and paper are plenty. But if a fresh set of pens makes you excited to sit down and learn alongside your kids, that joy is worth something too.
Keep Your Supplies Stocked, Keep Showing Up
At the end of the day, supplies are just tools. They are not what makes your homeschool wonderful. You are. But keeping your favorites stocked and ready removes a hundred tiny frustrations over the year, and it frees you up to focus on what actually matters: being present with your kids.
So do your inventory, stock your bin, and enjoy that fresh pack of pens. You have earned it. And you are doing a beautiful job.
More homeschool supply guides: New to homeschooling? Begin with the essential homeschool supplies list. Want the big-picture overview of everything? Read the complete guide to homeschooling supplies. Gathering for specific lessons? See homeschool supplies by subject. And set it all up affordably with our guide to creating a homeschool space on a budget
