In Michigan we don’t sart the back to school madness until about mid-August since our students  don’t go back to school until after Labor Day. I know that back-to-school can be very stressful for some parents, but I want to share some tips with you to keep it calm and enjoyable.

1. Avoid the crowds and consider shopping online. You all know I prefer online shopping over box stores and back to school is no exception. One place you may not have considered shopping is at eBay. eBay has lots of great deals for back to school.

2. Don’t feel obligated to buy a lot of clothes for back to school. I have friends that get caught up in the craziness and think their kids need all kinds of new outfits for school. Not so. School starts back when its still hot and humid out. I would bet that the clothes in the closet will suffice for school until there is a change in season (sadly, this tip doesn’t apply for schools that require uniforms). I buy an outfit for the first day of schooland then wait until later in the year when the kids needed warmer clothes AND when all the back-to-school clothes are on sale. I do love saving money.

3. Watch for back to school sales for school supplies. We have an usual love affair for office and school supplies so we buy them throughout the year and tuck them away for back to school. Some of the big box office supply stores offer great deals during this time so make sure to at least glance at the ads. Also, make sure you are buying supplies from a list provided by the teacher and not a generic list you can pick up at the store.

4. About a week before school starts we begin our back to school routine. Going to bed early, getting up and ready for the day, and having breakfast all before the “bus” is scheduled to arrive . This gets the kids in the mode for school and helps them adjust their sleep schedule for the school year.

5. The night before the big day be sure to prep everything for the morning. Set out clothes, pack backpacks and lunches (or have lunch money ready) so that you have a smooth transition. I prep breakfast as well because something always happens the day of to throw us off our schedule.

To help you with your back to school shopping eBay is hosting a Pinterest Backpack Sweeps until the end of the month. Ebay will award daily winners a $100 eBay gift card to shop for essentials on ebay. com. Enter: http://bit.ly/L9bAil

In addition to the Pinterest Sweeps there is also a Facebook Instant Win Game for a chance to win a $50 eBay gift card. This sweeps also ends August 31. Enter: http://bit.ly/M35ILD (I played, didn’t win today, but I’ll try again tomorrow)

Also, if you love a good twitter party (I know I do) there is one being held TODAY from 12-2 PST RSVP at: www.ebay.com/schoolparty We’ll be talking about taking the stress out of this hectic back-to-school season!

disclaimer: I was compensated for this campaign by Splash Creative Media on behalf of eBay.

Cheers,