Oh, back to school season. The smell of freshly purchased notebooks, the gleam of a new binder and a crisp, clean list of classes…can you tell it’s been a while since we’ve been in school? Are we crazy to say that we miss it? Back to school shopping lists have changed a lot since we were in school. Back in our day, it was all about who had the coolest Lisa Frank Trapper Keeper, whose notebooks were the brightest, coolest color, who had the best collection of gel pens. We spent our off time in class trying to inconspicuously pass carefully folded notes back and forth under our desks – these days, kids in school can text quietly without ever getting caught! What a life that must be. Of course, we’d never advocate for goofing off during school; texting should be saved for after hours, and gabbing sessions for lunchtime.

However, it’s not just the presence of cell phones that have changed school shopping lists. Nowadays, kids use laptops and iPads^® in class, favoring technology over pens and paper. Call us nostalgic, but there’s something about completing an assignment with a simple ballpoint pen. That being said, we can appreciate the myriad of options that come with a laptop or iPad^®. The games and learning tools associated with today’s technology are astounding; kids can interact and learn faster than ever before.

That being said, working with tablets, laptops, smart phones and the like means there are a whole lot of chargers floating around the house. Got a kitchen counter that appears to be perennially cluttered by USB cords? We’ve got a solution for you. Our USB outlets replace typical power outlets to double the amount of charging power for USB powered devices. These tamper-resistant outlets offer additional charging power, and they’ve got room for two USB powered devices to be charged simultaneously!

At the same time, they leave the bottom half of the outlet open for traditional 3-prong charging. In short, you get the best of both worlds. Charge two iPads^®, or an iPad^® and an iPhone^®, while also using the bottom portion of the outlet for normal kitchen or office devices, such as landlines, printers, or kitchen appliances. Cord clutter, begone!

So, what else is on our back to school list? Here’s what we’d recommend (feel free to add your suggestions in the comments). Happy shopping!

Leviton’s Back to School Shopping List

• Pencils
• Pens
• Pencil case for easy storage
• New lunchboxes (we love the fun, waterproof, fabric ones at the big box stores)
• Notebooks
• Binders for easy storage
• Bright, colorful backpack (easy to spot your kid in the pickup line!)
• Erasers
• Protractor for math class
• Calculator

Products covered: Leviton USB Outlet

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