The start of a new school year can be exciting and chaotic. One of the most common small dramas us parents face is the “lost property graveyard”: mismatched bottles, uniforms, and lunchboxes with no name or faded writing.

The good news? With a few smart habits, hacks and tweaks and ahem...a personalised, 100% leakproof Dragons & Daisies bottle (with a free handle or sports lid), most of that chaos can be avoided.

Here are 7 tried and true hacks to keep your likkle dragon's stuff found, not lost.

Personalise Boldly (and Early)

A name in a tiny, faint font is easy to miss. Go big: use clear, contrasting vinyl-style names or emojis on bottles, lunchboxes, and uniform tags. Dragons & Daisies personalisation options are designed to stand out so bottles don’t blend into a sea of the same.

Use Colour Coding

Assign each child a colour palette or accent (ombre favourites, bright handles, or matching lid colours). This works especially well for families with multiple likkle dragons. Grab the same size in different ombré hues or add a coloured handle so even at a glance you know whose is whose. Our time is precious so scanning a space by colour can shave precious minutes spent in the playground or lost property scouring for your little one's goods.

Layer Labels

Names on the bottle, lunch pots plus a small waterproof sticker on the underside of the cap, and a tag in their lunchbox or uniform pocket gives you backups if one label fades or gets scuffed in the wash.

Create a ‘Drop Zone’ at Home

Designate a school prep station by the door where personalised bottles, handles/lids, uniform pieces and lunch kits live the night before. That reduces morning hunting and reinforces the habit of putting things back in their place.

Routine ‘Check & Seal’ Before Leaving

Make a quick ritual: before heading out, a five-second check—name visible, lid snapped, handle secure, lunchbox closed. Saying a fun phrase (“Bottle? Name? Lid? Go!”) helps kids remember and makes it a game.

Wash Smart, Not Hard

Avoid losing names in the wash by following care tips: gentle hand rinse or top-rack dishwasher (if label-safe), dry thoroughly before reassembling, and replace worn name stickers early. Keep a small “repair kit” of extra name decals on hand so you can reapply before things fade.

Use Photos for Emergency Identification

Take a quick snapshot of their full kit (bottle with name visible, lunchbox, uniform) and stash it in a shared notes app or your phone. If something goes missing, you can quickly show teachers or lost property staff exactly what to look for.

Back-2-School doesn’t have to mean lost mornings. Start strong with apersonalised, 100% leakproof Dragons & Daisies bottle (each comes with a free handle or sports lid), and pair it with these hacks for serious lost-property defence.