The Ultimate List of Homeschool Supplies You’ll Need This Year

These supplies for homeschoolers are exactly what we’ve bought and used in our homeschool for years.

Full confession: I LOVE shopping for homeschool supplies. I always have.

As I kid, I couldn’t wait to get my new school supplies at the end of each summer and organize my new erasable pens, number two pencils, and fresh-smelling Crayola crayons in my pencil box.

I’d lovingly arrange my dividers in my binders according to rainbow order and do my best printing as I labeled each divider according to the school subject.

Picking out new folders, labeling my school assignment planner, and zipping it all carefully into my new Jansport backpack brought real joy to my little organized heart.

I’d double and triple-check the school supply list to make sure I had everything I needed.

Now that I’m a homeschool mom, I’ve never received a list labeled “Supplies for Homeschoolers,” and I have to admit, I feel like I’m missing out just a little bit.

So that’s what we’ve done here at the Reluctant Homeschool Mama: we’ve created a list of recommended homeschool supplies for you!

You can read about all of our favorite supplies for homeschoolers below to get the skinny on how we save money here and there, and to find out what items are worth investing in a little more.

Then be sure to join our Free Resource Library to get your hands on your very own Homeschool Supply List for 2022-2023.

Ah, can you smell those fresh crayons already?! Let’s do this!

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Free Printable Homeschool Supply List

To get your free copy of our Homeschool Supplies List, click on this link right here or on the image below!

You’ll also gain access to over 90 other free resources to help you organize your homeschool!

Recommended Homeschool Supplies

Pencils

There’s a reason why pencils are first on the list: we use TONS of pencils!

This giant pack of 150 pre-sharpened number two pencils from Amazon Basics has lasted us two years. They’re high quality, inexpensive, and a great bargain.

Lined paper

With all elementary schoolers around here, we’re big on the wide-ruled notebook paper too.

Amazon Basics offers the best deal we can find right now. We’ve been purchasing this 6-pack of 200 sheets every year and we always have just the right amount we need.

Printer paper

It’s highly likely that you’ll need LOTS of plain white printer paper.

Not only will you use it for copies, worksheets, and more, but it’s also good to have on hand if you have any kids who like to draw or doodle while they listen to you read.

We often get ours at Sam’s when we need it ASAP, but this 3-ream pack from HP is the best price you can find at the time of this writing.

3×5 index cards

We use 3×5 cards all the time for making flashcards, timelines, and more.

These lined index cards are great because the back is unlined.

Use the unlined side for the vocabulary word or historical event, then flip it over and use the lined side to write the definition or extra information on the back.

Binders

For homeschooling elementary school, we’ve found that 1.5-inch binders are where it’s at!

They’re not too big and can hold a lot, but they also don’t get too heavy or unwieldy when they’re full.

I usually plan on one binder per child for up to 2nd grade, and by 3rd grade, I use two binders per child.

We really like these Avery Durable View Binders that come in a 4-pack of assorted colors. They’re heavy-duty, and the rings clip easily so they’re standing the test of time at our house!

Finally, I must say that investing in good binders is absolutely worth it! If there is one area where I’ve learned not to skimp, it’s here.

Dividers with pockets

Similar to binders, dividers will take a lot of wear and tear during the homeschool year, so I think it’s best to get the nicest dividers your budget will allow.

These plastic Avery dividers with pockets are super high-quality and have lasted us for years!

They come in packs of 8, so we typically use one set of dividers for 2 different binders.

Crayons

After buying numerous sets of crayons in the 48-count, 64-count, and even 24-count boxes, I found that we kept running out of the basic colors like red, green, and yellow, and had a crayon box full of burnt Sienna and yellow-green.

So last year I purchased this set of 12 boxes of the basic 8-pack of Crayola crayons that contains red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, brown, and black.

Now we no longer run out of the basic colors my kids use the most!

Colored pencils

Sometimes my kids do like to mix media a little bit, so colored pencils are a great option.

This 50-count of colored pencils from Crayola has been one we’ve purchased every other year for 6 years now.

Glue sticks

We’re definitely fans of the disappearing purple glue sticks from Elmers. This handy pack of 12 glue sticks means you’ll have whatever you need when you need it.

Scissors

We love this super colorful 4-pack of scissors because it’s easy to keep track of which scissors belong to which child!

Supply caddy

Our supply caddy that we use daily is actually a Pampered Chef kitchen utensil caddy! It can be hard to find now, but this bamboo rotating art supply caddy is almost exactly like it!

We place our caddy in the middle of our large school desk and everyone has easy access to all the pencils, crayons, colored pencils, scissors, glue sticks, etc.

It might be crazy to say this, but I couldn’t imagine our homeschool day without our supply caddy!

Paper clips

Here’s one of my super simple homeschool hacks: instead of bookmarks to keep your place in each curriculum manual, use a large metal paperclip.

They never fall out and you never lose your place!

This pack of 100 jumbo paperclips is definitely on my most-needed supplies for homeschoolers list!

I rarely use paper clips to clip papers together – but I use tons of them daily as simple and effective bookmarks!

Dry-erase markers

We use our whiteboard all day long, so dry-erase whiteboard markers are a must on our homeschool supplies list.

I love these Expo Dry-Erase Markers so much that I’ve even been happy to get them in my Christmas stocking a few times!

Dry-erase eraser

Obviously, a dry-erase eraser is also important if you’re using your whiteboard often.

I didn’t think I had much of an opinion on dry-erase erasers … until I bought one randomly on Amazon last year that was literally just a block of foam with a felt pad on the bottom.

It felt super cheap, and I didn’t like it.

So, this dry-erase eraser from U-Brands was a huge step up and one that I really like a lot! (And it typically retails for around $2, so it’s won’t break the bank either.)

Magnetic whiteboard

We highly recommend as big of a whiteboard as you can fit in your homeschool room. Our framed whiteboard that we found on deep discount at Mardel is 48” inches by 36” inches and it’s perfect.

This whiteboard here isn’t framed with wood like ours, but it is the same dimensions and a pretty decent deal on Amazon.

One more thing: I didn’t think I’d care whether or not it’s magnetic, but I actually really love it and use magnets with it all the time.

Three hole punch

Some homeschool moms swear by the electric three-hole paper punch, but we haven’t ever found that our 10-sheet three-hole simple paper punch was lacking in any way.

Why spend more than $35 on something that doesn’t take that much effort when you can spend less than $10?

Electric pencil sharpener

On the other hand, we have found that an electric pencil sharpener IS 1000% worth the money!

It makes pencil sharpening SO much easier, quicker, and something every single kid in our house can do by themselves.

I am not kidding when I say that getting an electric pencil sharpener like this was a game-changer for our homeschool!

Map

If you’re short on space, this 2-sided desk map has been a dream come true for us! It has a world map on one side and a US map on the other.

We pin it on our bulletin board so we can pull it off easily when we need to flip it to the other side.

Globe

My son received a super-fancy interactive, talking globe as a gift before we started homeschooling, which we still use today.

If for some reason it ever goes out of commission, we’d get a simple, large globe like this one right here.

Microscope

No longer are the days that you need an expensive microscope for homeschool!

We LOVE this wireless digital handheld microscope that sends images to a phone screen.

Not only is it super-affordable, everyone can see what is being magnified at once – no crowding around and taking turns around a tiny eyepiece anymore!

(I’m not the most tech-savvy person and setting this up wasn’t hard at all.)

Calculators

Your upper-elementary kids might need a calculator from time to time. This pack of 5 dual-power calculators has been perfect for us.

Laminator

Owning a laminator felt like a rite of passage for me as a homeschool mom. Laminating is one of the best ways to preserve anything that you don’t want to have to create more than once – think flashcards, cut-out construction paper shapes, preschool learning file folders, and more.

Save yourself some valuable time and get this awesome laminator. Mine’s been going strong since 2009.

Laminating pouches

Laminating pouches, or sleeves, are a necessity if you have a laminator.

(While the laminator brand will recommend that you use only their brand of laminating pouches, I’ve used the less-expensive Amazon brand for two years and have had no trouble at all!)

Printer

A good home printer and copier is an absolute MUST on the list of homeschooling supplies!

If you can afford a laser printer and have the space for it, definitely go that route! Not only will you save money on toner over ink, but the quality will also be much higher than an inkjet printer.

At this point, we’re using this Epson EcoTank inkjet printer, but we’re hoping to transition to a laser printer in the future!

Corkboard

A pretty cork board is a great way to display your kids’ latest school work, your daily homeschool schedule and family reading list, and much more!

We use this 24” by 36” cork board from U-Brands and love it!

Nice-to-Have Supplies for Homeschoolers

This is a quick list of supplies for homeschoolers that aren’t essential, but definitely nice to have. Keep a lookout for homeschool sales on Facebook Marketplace and in your community!

Markers

While I don’t keep the markers in our caddy, we do use markers for writing out flashcards, making larger illustrations, etc.

Buying a fresh pack of markers is nice to do for each new homeschool year.

Index card holder

An index card holder is super helpful for keeping all your index cards organized.

Additionally, it’ll keep your cards in better shape than if they’re simply rubber-banded together and thrown in a drawer somewhere.

Calendar pocket chart

We absolutely love our calendar pocket chart and have used it for many years!

My younger kids love the bright colors and I love that it’s extremely durable!

Alphabet line

While we try to keep our homeschool room less cluttered, I do feel it’s helpful to have an alphabet line for my younger kids.

This alphabet line isn’t too over-the-top and would be a good addition to your homeschooling.

Clipboards

We’ll be adding these pretty plastic clipboards to our homeschool supply list this year!

They’re perfect for any time we’re doing a science experiment in the kitchen or a scavenger hunt outside, or anytime your kids need a break from the rigor of sitting still at a desk!

Erasable colored pencils

We really like these erasable colored pencils. My kids use them often for their Institute for Excellence in Writing work and their grammar curriculum, Editor-in-Chief.

Handwriting paper

All of my younger kids have used this Zaner-Bloser handwriting paper from kindergarten through the end of 2nd grade.

It gives them a lot more space to learn to write more legibly.

Final thoughts about this list of homeschool supplies:

We hope you’ve enjoyed this list of supplies for homeschooling!

Of course, if you’re just getting started with homeschool, you may not be able to purchase everything at once. Take your time and start with the essentials like paper, pencils, crayons, and binders.

And be sure to download our Homeschool Supply List from our Free Resource Library before you go!

What would you add to our list of necessary homeschool supplies?

$The Ultimate List of Homeschool Supplies You\'ll Need This Year$

Hi there! I’m so glad you’re here! I’m Jen, a former reluctant homeschool mom who is ready to help you actually enjoy homeschooling too. Read more here…