Back to School with Hilroy and a Giveaway

Monday, September 05, 2011

Yes, it's that time of year again! Tomorrow is Back to School. Can you believe it? Where did August go? September just seemed to creep up on me this year. Our family had a very eventful summer and I enjoyed every day of it. And it's not that I'm dreading going back to work. It's just that I had so much I was planning to do before the summer ends. One of those things was sharing all the really neat Back to School supplies for 2011 by Hilroy.

There are few things I get excited about when going shopping and school supplies is right near the top of that list. Unlike clothing, you don't have to worry about trying them on for size. The hardest part is picking the style you like the best. With Hilroy, there's sure to be something to suit every personality. Check out some of the Shape-It Up fashion options.

My daughter's jaw dropped when she saw her brand new Jolie pencil case and notebook. The girls on the cover are absolutely adorable, each one accompanied by their playful pets. There are three different Jolie characters and you can find them on binders, pocket and prong portfolios, and a casemade notebook, complete with stickers. The lined pages of the notebook are also beautifully adorned. This year, they have added gold foil for extra sparkle.

Now, my daughter isn't the only one who gets to start off the new school year with some cool gear. With this handy Five Star Xpanz Zipper Binder, I'll be walking around from class to class with this bright blue binder that I will use for securing test papers and results. The front pocket will be perfect for extra pens and pencils (because you always need extras) and it will fit a calculator quite nicely. The expanding file on the inside is great for storing handouts that aren't hole punched and to help me keep organized. I love that it is a bright blue so I can find it easily on those many occasions I leave my things behind in the classrooms. (One of the joys of teaching à la carte.)

Recently, during one of the Teacher Appreciation Days at Staples, I noticed the Hilroy zippered binders were on sale for $2 off. They're still pricey but they are so durable, I'm sure they will last the whole year and still look as good as new.

UPDATE: Just saw these on sale for $15.98. (9/8)

If your child loves to personalize their supplies, they will love the Customizable Fashion Line. We received a customizable binder last year from Hilroy and I thought it was so neat, I had to share the newest styles. Butterflies and guitars. Very cool.

Hilroy has to continued their commitment to the environment by offering students the highest quality products, created using sustainable materials. Their Eco-Friendly Products for Back-to-School include their retro-inspired Recycled Fashion line. Their portfolios are made with 30 percent post-consumer waste (PCW) and their notebooks are filled with 100 percent recycled paper, made with 30 percent PCW. The casemade binder has a cover made from 100 percent recycled chipboard, and a matching pencil case made of recycled PET materials.

Recycled Fashion Eco-Friendly Binders by Hilroy

The new Five Star 7-Pocket Expanding File has seven pockets which is suitable for a typical student’s class load. It comes with pull-up tabs to help mark and remind student what they need to be do. It's also great for teachers like me that teach multiple classes and grades, and since I'm always on the go. The clearview cover of the file and binder allows for easy customization, which I love.

Finally, to help keep the family organized, check out Mom's Utlimate Family Fridge Calendar. It comes with five magnets that are strong enough to keep the calendar in place. Our fridge is not magnetic but the back door to the house, which is in the kitchen, is magnetic. We're always opening and closing it, and it hasn't moved at all. It's big enough to record all the important dates for the upcoming school year.

Mom's Ultimate Family Fridge Calendar by Hilroy

Don't forget about the “Win with Five Star” Contest!

As a way to reward loyal consumers this back-to-school season, Hilroy and Five Star will relaunch a
successful consumer reward contest. “Win with Five Star” gives consumers the chance to win a piece of $20,000 each day with an online instant win contest. By visiting www.hilroyfivestar.ca between June 6 and Sept. 11, 2011, and entering the UPC code from any purchased Five Star item, entrants have the chance to win one of 101 Citizen Visa Gift Cards in either $100 or $250 denominations. For complete rules, regulations and additional information, visit www.hilroyfivestar.ca.

Find Hilroy on Facebook at facebook.com/hilroy.ca.

This contest is now closed. The winner has been announced below.

One very lucky Toronto Teacher Mom reader will win a super huge Hilroy prize pack full of all the cool school supplies I was sent for review. This includes:

Recycled Fashion Binder
Recycled Fashion Pencil Case
Mom's Ultimate Family Fridge Calendar
Customizable Window Binder
Five Star 7-Pocket Expanding File
Five Star Xpanz Zipper Binder
Shape It Up Notebook
Jolie Notebook
Jolie Pencil Case

How fabulous is that! Enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck and all the best for an easy transition to Back to School! You may need to click on "Read more" in order to view the form.

Disclosure: I received products from Hilroy to help facilitate this review. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.