Office Supplies You Can't Live Without
 You
have your office ready for work. You have your computer, monitor,
printer/fax/scanner, and a desk just begging to be covered with stuff.
First, take heed: don't give in and pile
everything on your desk. Keeping your office clean and uncluttered can
help keep you from feeling overwhelmed with work when you walk in.
Each day, your office should say, 'Welcome to a brand new, fresh day."
Some
people think that clutter makes them look very busy. Really, having a
bunch of office supplies covering a desk can make a person look
frazzled and unorganized.
So, before you start thinking
about what office supplies to buy, consider purchasing a wall shelving
unit, modular shelves that can be added to (on top of each other at the
back of the desk), and other office storage solutions such as caddies.
Think about what office supplies you will actually use each day according to the job you do. Don't make the mistake of buying everything you think you might need or what you think are the "right" office supplies to have.
For example, a draftsperson may need a variety of sizes of pencils and erasers, but you may not be a draftsperson. Maybe you do everything
on your computer, and even prefer to make little notes in a word
processor instead of on scraps of paper. In that case there's no need
for Post-It notes, dry erase or message boards, tacks, or white-out,
let alone stationery. Unless you do a ton of printing or faxing, you
may not need five or six reams of copy paper. In fact, many people use
online faxing services and hardly need paper at all, much less a fax
machine.
The Ultimate List of Recommended Office Supplies
Without further ado, here is a list of essential office supplies that will make any job more productive and easier to manage. 1.
Envelopes and stamps. Not everything goes through the Internet, so
among your arsenal of office supplies, have a box of each size of
envelope and a roll of stamps. Today, most of these postal office
supplies can be purchased directly through USPS
and some items, like shipping boxes, are free. Your carrier can deliver
them to you, and you can schedule pickups for your carrier through the USPS website.
2. Three-ring paper hole punch. Sooner,
rather than later, your office supplies will include 3-ring folders or
binders, so invest in one of these.
3. Highlighters of
different colors. You will want to highlight documents and other
projects. Highlighters should be among your first purchase of office
supplies. Also include a black permanent marker.
4. "Flags"
of different colors. Flags are self-adhesive tabs let you mark pages in
documents and books. You will want a pack in your office supplies.
5.
Binder clips and paper clips. Your office supplies should include both:
binder clips for larger stacks of paper and paper clips for smaller
ones.
Staplers are being used less often because staples are
difficult to remove and pages copy "dirty" where a staple bent the
paper. Besides grouping paper, paper clips can be twisted into instant
multitools when you need something small to pry something loose or push
something into something else.
 6. Scissors. Your office supplies should include at least two pairs of scissors. One pair will inevitably disappear from your office.
7. Paper stand or holder. Save your neck, by investing in a paper or document holder.
The best I have found is called "Page Up," and you can find it at various office supply stores and here. This type of paper holder is indispensable and inexpensive enough to purchase several.
8.
Tape dispenser and tape. You will want to fix things, so among your
office supplies include a sturdy regular tape dispenser (with tape) and
a pack of clear shipping tape. Sturdy, clear tape can extend the life
of all sorts of stationery-type office supplies.
9. Rubber
bands of various sizes. You'd be amazed at what you can use rubber
bands for, including binding office supplies, like pens, together.
10. Glue stick and double-sided tape. These can do wonders when posting notes and putting up posters.
Things to Remember When Buying Office Supplies
- Don't buy what you think your desk needs; buy what you need to do your work efficiently.
- If you will be buying office supplies a lot in your business, consider getting a membership at a discount store and buy in bulk.
- Don't buy things just because they're cool.
Stick to your plan and if you have money left over in your office
supplies budget, invest in more of the stock you will really use. You really don't need a USB lava lamp for your desk.
- Save time and gas by purchasing office supplies online. Try sites like eBay and other office supply discount stores like Overstock.com. Watch the shipping cost to make sure its worth your while.
Additional Resources for Office Supplies
Staples
Office Max
Cool Safety Products
Amazon.com
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