Back to School Hacks | Lunch Box Essentials at Kawana Shoppingworld

Back to School Tips and Tricks - Packing the Bag

Make the new school year feel easier (and far less stressful)

When the back to school season rolls around, mornings can quickly shift from calm to chaos. Between packing lunches, finding the right school shoes, locating library books, and getting kids out the door on time, it can feel like everything needs military precision — especially at the start of a new school year.

The good news? With a few practical back to school hacks (and plenty of lunch box hacks woven in), you can get organised in one easy visit to Kawana Shoppingworld. From fresh food and snacks to stationery, bags, uniforms and shoes, here’s how to prepare for the school year ahead without wasting time, money or energy.

1) Create a “launch pad” near the front door

School hack: Set up one dedicated spot at home where everything lives for weekday mornings — school bag, lunchbox, drink bottle, notes and homework. This simple habit helps avoid wasted time and keeps mornings calm.

Shop it at Kawana Shoppingworld:

Hot Bargain for hooks, baskets, storage tubs and wall organisers
City Beach or Sportsgirl for hats, hair accessories and bag charms
Kawana News & Gifts for notebooks, labels and stationery essentials

Quick tip: Keep a small back-up kit nearby with bandaids and hand sanitiser from Priceline, so minor hiccups don’t derail the morning.

2) Lunch box hacks that reduce weekday stress

If school lunches feel like the hardest part of the day — especially with picky eaters — the trick is planning once and packing smarter for the entire week.

Back To School Tips & Tricks | Pack the Lunchbox

Shop lunch essentials at Kawana Shoppingworld:

Coles, Woolworths or ALDI for fruit, bread, cheese, yoghurt, snacks and juice boxes
Bakers Delight for sandwich bread, rolls and snack packs
Muffin Break for wraps, toasties and lunchbox-friendly bites

Lunch box hacks to try this week:

Prep once, pack fast: slice apples, carrots and cucumber after your shop and store in the fridge
Freeze-friendly wins: freeze sandwiches or bread so lunches can be packed the night before
Ice-pack trick: freeze juice boxes or water bottles to keep food cool until lunchtime
Two-of-everything rule: spare lunch boxes and drink bottles mean no mid-week panic
Use leftovers: roast chicken or veggies from dinner make easy, tasty lunchbox fillers

3) Upgrade the school bag, not the chaos

A well-designed school bag helps kids stay organised and makes mornings smoother — especially when they start packing their own things.

Where to shop at Kawana Shoppingworld:

BIG W for backpacks, lunch bags, drink bottles and pencil cases
City Beach for lunch boxes, bottles and cool accessories
Sportsgirl for keyrings, pouches and bag add-ons

Hack: Add a name label and keep a spare pen and notebook in the bag — it helps prevent forgotten homework and lost library books.

4) School shoes without the guesswork

School shoes are one of those “leave-it-too-late” items that can cause unnecessary stress. Shopping earlier gives kids time to try styles properly and avoid sore feet.

Back to School Tips & Tricks | The Perfect School Shoes

Where to shop at Kawana Shoppingworld:

Spendless Shoes for affordable, everyday school shoes for boys and girls
Williams The Shoemen, shop HERE, for junior, senior and sport school shoe options
Skechers, shop HERE, for comfortable, machine-washable and PE-friendly styles
Platypus Shoes, shop HERE, for older kids and juniors who want sport-inspired footwear

Hack: Bring the socks your child actually wears to school so the fit is right — no blisters, no complaints.

5) Beat the stationery panic with one-stop shopping

Whether you’re buying for one child or several, stationery lists can feel overwhelming. Keeping it all in one place makes it much easier.

Back to School Tips & Tricks | Prep the Stationery

Kawana Shoppingworld stationery favourites:

BIG W for school supplies, notebooks, uniforms and back-to-school deals
Hot Bargain for folders, pens, storage tubs and bulk stationery
Kawana News & Gifts for printing, colour photocopying and last-minute essentials
Australia Post for stationery, organisation tools and tech accessories

Hack: Create a simple “homework station” at home — one tub with pens, paper, scissors and glue so everything is ready when homework time rolls around.

6) The “spare set” hack parents swear by

Spills, forgotten lunch lids and missing socks happen — usually at the worst moment.

Keep a small spare set ready:

spare socks or underwear
a basic snack
bandaids and hand sanitiser
a spare pen or pencil

Shop it at Kawana Shoppingworld:

Priceline for first aid and everyday health items
Coles, Woolworths or ALDI for snack backups
BIG W or Best & Less for affordable clothing extras

7) Ease kids back into routine before school starts

The final week of summer can feel long. Adding light structure helps kids transition smoothly — and builds excitement for school.

Easy ideas to try:

Pick one afternoon to organise bags, lunch boxes and stationery
Let kids choose one “fun” item — a new pencil case, lunch box or drink bottle
Add a relaxed breakfast routine to reset sleep and mornings

Where to shop:

City Beach for fun accessories and drink bottles
BIG W for activity books, toys and back-to-school rewards

Get set for the year ahead at Kawana Shoppingworld

With the right back to school hacks, mornings can feel calmer, packing lunches quicker, and the school year far more manageable. From lunch box hacks and fresh food to stationery, uniforms and school shoes, Kawana Shoppingworld makes it easy to get organised in one convenient trip.

Back to School Hacks to shop at Kawana Shoppingworld in Buddina