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The back-to-school hack people are loving: 'Need this in my house'
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Once you’ve gone to the effort and expense of buying everything on your child’s back-to-school list - uniforms, books, stationery and bags - the last thing you want is for them to be lost in the first week.
Parents are raving about a device called the Cricut Joy, which lets them label all of their children's belongings.
The Cricut has exploded in popularity in recent years for DIY items for weddings, parties, small businesses and organising your home.
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It's a tabletop cutting machine - hence the name - that cuts out designs from leather, vinyl, and many other materials.
There are different types, blade sizes and compatibility.
Unless you’re an avid crafter or plan to use yours for a side hustle, the Cricut Joy is the perfect, compact machine with a fine point blade, smart mat-free cutting capabilities and a foil tip.
It can be synced via Bluetooth or the Design Space app to your phone or tablet and can can cut, write and print labels, decals, greeting cards, phone cases and more.
The lightweight crafting gadget is small but mighty.
Parents and teachers get ready for school
Parents and teachers have realised the brilliance of the Cricut Joy to prep for the new school year.
Ordering custom labels for uniforms and stationery can be pricey, and the results never look quite the way you planned.
Social media shows off clever hacks
If you’re stuck for Cricut ideas, get yourself over to Instagram!
Mum blogger Sophia - Instagram handle @twinsandablog - has shared all of her Cricut Joy back-to-school hacks.
She customised lunchboxes for her twin sons, one featuring a metallic silver tiger and the other a shiny gold lion.
In another post, she displayed her custom-designed back-to-school whiteboards.
Using her Cricut, Sophia made reusable signs her sons could hold up for their first day photos, with gaps to fill out the date, their age, their favourite things and what they want to be when they grow up.
This is perfect for watching your children progress and age, and will become a timeless family tradition - and so easy to make!
“Another enthusiastic first-time school-mum project," Stophia posted.
"I made these templates myself using 'Luna' font and 'Futura' font, rectangles and vine images.”
Sophia shared her cubby hole storage hack for school bags and other supplies, using IKEA shelves and Cricut labels.
“Name decals made by my Cricut with Brushed Metal Vinyl (on cabinets) and Matte White Vinyl (on baskets) in Magnolia Sky font,” she posted.
Commentators were enthusiastic.
“I Iove this, I need this in my house,” one said.
“Oh, I absolutely love this locker system! I think every family needs one,” another wrote.
Teachers can label student folders, make a first-day-at-school classroom sign, organise desks, and so much more.
The Instagram account @teacherishappy, run by Sydney primary school teacher, Sarah, shared a fun idea: a photo of pimped-out paddle pop sticks labelled with her Cricut machine.
Sarah explained the innocuous sticks were “awesome for formative assessment, calling upon for questioning, group making, etc”.
Commentators loved her hack.
“Such a good idea to use stickers,” one said.
“They are so helpful! And the kiddos LOVED them,” said another.
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