Growing up, I always loved going back to school because it meant all the new school supplies. My folders always matched my notebooks, and my tab dividers were always organized. Now, as an adult, school supplies have become office supplies.
I’m a bit of an anomaly at work in the fact that I have to write things down, and I love printed things. I print out monthly calendars so I can do email planning in pencil to make sure everything works together. I write notes in all of my meetings to be sure I don’t forget things (and to have a record to remind someone of something they offered to do).
It has taken me years to find my favorite office supplies, but I am now set in my ways. I do have a favorite pen and a favorite planner. I have a process for laying out my binder for the year. You can take these recommendations to the bank because these products are QUALITY.
Writing Utensils
I write most often with pen, though I do a lot of my planning and web/design mockups in pencil.
The Everyday Pen: Papermate InkJoy Gel Pens, Fine Point | I love the fine point version, but have used medium point as well. Technically, I prefer the black pens in fine point and the colored pens in medium. (See? I have FEELINGS about office supplies.)
The Decorative Pen: Fineliner Color Pens Set | Now, these are most often used for bullet journaling and the like. That’s actually why I had purchased mine originally. Now, I use them to color code in my planner and call out important notes and action items from meetings.
Planning Pencils: Papermate Profile Mechanical Pencils | I prefer the “thicker” pencils. My hands aren’t as young as they used to be. I also NEVER use the attached eraser. #smudges I have a small reserve of bigger erasers that I’ll use.
The Planner
Good gracious. Finding a planner that I love has been a CHALLENGE. This year, I thought I was going to have to make my own because I thought the one I liked wasn’t being made any more. Enter Day Designer.
Why I Love Day Designer: This planner helps keep me organized. Each day, I have a schedule where I add my meetings. Then, there’s a checklist of priority items and additional items. I write work at the top and personal at the bottom. I can write things as they come up, or plan in advance for projects due on certain dates. There’s also an area where I can add whatever meal I’m making for dinner, and any reminders I may have.
My Chair
My chair is a very recent addition. After my dad made my desk (keep reading), my old office chair wasn’t cutting it. You may not buy into ergonomics, but I do now. The new desk is about an inch taller, and I had back problems for a week before I could find a new chair.
I searched everywhere for chairs. I wanted it to be both comfortable and “stylish”. Hey, I need to be inspired when I work, and no one was ever really inspired in one of those black mesh chairs.
The Desk
Have you ever tried to find a desk? When I moved out entirely on my own for the first time, I bought an IKEA setup secondhand. I wasn’t working at home, and I just needed to “fill” a second bedroom. My needs were basic.
As I started working from home, I realized the setup just wasn’t working for me anymore. The desk had no storage! I had dealt with crates at my feet and rolling Rubbermaid carts to store all of my fun office supplies.
I found a desk on Pinterest (bless Pinterest), and fell in love. As I was looking for out-of-the-box desks, I realized that nothing would measure up to “the desk” I had found. Praise all that is good, my dad is AMAZING and was able to make it.
You can find the desk design and plans here. It was a bit shallow for my purposes (I write a lot, so I needed space for a binder and more than just a keyboard), so we added a 2×6 to the depth. That adjusted a lot of the rest of the dimensions, so there was some adaptation.
Binder Setup
I told you that I like paper copies of things. I take physical notes. With physical notes, you need somewhere to put them. With the exception of large events that I’m coordinating, I can generally get most of a year’s worth of notes into a single 1″ or 1.5″ binder.
Yes, I do include tab dividers. I also write on copy paper, not lined paper. Have you ever tried to purchase lined paper when it isn’t back to school time? Seriously…it’s $1 a pack (instead of $0.10 or whatever). I needed printer paper for my printer, so I just use it for my notes too.
Miscellaneous Office Supplies
Blue Light Glasses: These have been an absolute godsend. My role demands focus on data points and flows and a lot of pattern recognition. So much staring at the computer screen was giving me daily headaches.
Quilted Mason Jars: While this isn’t technically an office supply, these have been great for organization!
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