Gadgets to Start the New School Year

Are you getting ready for a new school year? Perhaps you're setting up your classroom or office. Maybe you are thinking of lessons and activities for your students. 

If you are like me, you might be considering purchasing a few gadgets to start the new year. Here are a few of my recent purchases.

one, two, three, four

1.  Earlier this summer I was driving on my way to a Google training and needed to stop for gas. And what do I find right by the check out? A selfie stick. I just had to have it. And let me just say, it has been so much fun.  Look for a blog post on selfie sticks very soon! I paid $11.99. 

2.  I have a 45 minute commute to work each day, and the traffic can get a bit hairy. This cell phone car mount is perfect for keeping me updated without taking my eyes off of the road. I've been using this for about a week and I'm really happy with it. The suction cup sticks well to my textured dashboard and the cell phone does not move or shift while driving. I can easily attach or remove my phone and it fits great even with my phone in the case. And I can still charge my phone while it's in the car mount. This picture was taken in my actual car. I paid $14.99.

3.  A wireless bluetooth speaker   at home is a must for me. We use the speaker all of the time out on our porch or patio. I decided to get a wireless speaker for at school for playing music in a classroom, using the speaker in a conference call on my cell phone or projecting audio from my computer.  I decided on a Soundbot, mainly because of the great reviews and the affordable price. We've been using this speaker outside by our fire pit and also at the ball park. I'm super impressed with the sound quality and ability to project outdoors. I paid $26.99. 

4.  Lighting is very important to help create a comfortable, well lit environment. I haven't purchased a desk led lamp yet, but I'm considering this one for $39.99. The features look really nice:

I'm still debating this purchase, but I definitely plan to have some form of good lighting at my desk this year.

Bonus: Although this is not a gadget, my son and I created a baseball hat rack in our garage to help organize the 60+ hats that we have lying around. I love organizing and cleaning up the house before we go back to school. This hat rack makes me happy because I know that my sons will be able to find their hats easily in the morning and after school. 

Are there any gadgets you're considering purchasing before the start of the school year? If so, please share. So far, I really like the choices I've made with a selfie stick, cell phone car mount and bluetooth wireless speaker.