Stationery | Office Supplies Info

Top 10 Ways to Annoy Your Colleagues

May 9, 2011 · a bit of fun, office environment, stationery · Comments Off

Typical to any office, there’s always one colleague that bugs you beyond the point of your head exploding. Instead of allowing them to drive you to insanity take a leaf out of Tim’s book (The Office UK) and get that stapler in the jelly!

1. Tapping in time to music

Not only does the tapping rhythm drive your colleagues insane because of its audio qualities, but the kinetic energy that surges through the floor, causing your colleague’s desk to wobble viciously will surely rattle their cage.

2. Unleashing Your Smelly Feet

This is an excellent irritant technique. Your colleague will deal with a parmesan-like stench filling the air and they will probably feel too bad to address you about it, meaning the office can smell like a piece of Stinking Bishop week-in week-out.

3. Oops, butter fingers…

Tipping too much sugar in someone’s brew and not telling them is a method to use if your aim is to watch your colleague’s face physically crumble. This is particularly effective if your colleague is attempting a diet or if you are tired of being the “designated brewer”.

4. Eating their favourite food

If your colleague rambles on about a particular cuisine they have brought in for lunch that they “can’t wait for”, then this is the perfect time to raid the refrigerator and eat it before them. This must be carried out with the utmost care and caution as being reported for theft could hinder your chances of returning to steal more bewildered co-workers lunches.

5. Chewing incredibly loudly

This is a classic tool for annoyance and is great in any situation, so you don’t have to be in the office to annoy people. Simply bring a bag of midget gems in to munch on throughout the course of the day, they are ultra-sticky and will physically force you to chew loud and disgustingly in order to free your teeth.

6. Shift your mess

Onto someone else’s desk! Yes, leaving your crisp packets and chocolate wrappers on your colleague’s desk will really begin to irritate, particularly when their stationery items begin to resemble a confectionary store.

7. Yet more theft

If stealing their lunch doesn’t quite give you full satisfaction it’s time to steal some stationery and desk objects. Particularly interesting items to steal are: planners containing all their important meetings and appointments and their entire pen collection.

Note: the theft of the pen collection should be staggered so they gradually run out of pens.

8. Constantly peer over their shoulder

Standing behind your colleague and peering over their shoulder whilst they work is an idea that should be used more often. By pretending to show an interest in their work you are secretly putting them under pressure by watching from behind, causing them to make errors.

9. Releasing bad smells

This relates to the passing of bodily gases in order to create a bad smell for your colleagues’ to slowly die in. This is particularly effective prior to swiftly exiting the room, causing the odour to spread and allowing you some time to laugh to yourself.

10. The Almighty “Frape”

Yes, I saved the best until last. This could be a one-off opportunity in which your colleague has to leave the room without a chance to log out of their social media account. This is where the fun begins, when you start updating their status to various silly things. In order for it to have comedy value it must be somewhat believable, so think imaginatively!

Please note: I cannot be held responsible for any disciplinary action, hatred or revenge cast upon you as a consequence to you attempting various points referred to in this article. Proceed with caution, determination and guts.

Lower Your Stress – Ditch Your Mess

May 3, 2011 · office environment, office furniture, office supplies, stationery · Comments Off

Organisation is essential in the office. Different projects that cross-over, combined with personal and legal documents can wreak havoc on a worker’s desk. Clutter can cause hard work to get lost in the midst of newspapers and useless printouts. If you look around in your office and see stacks of miss-matched paperwork, broken/chewed stationery all mixed in with lettuce off yesterday’s sandwich it could be time to invest in some equipment to bring a considerable amount of organisation back to your desk.

Lack of organisation is common in office workers. Although organising your possessions may seem like a tedious task, it could save you heaps of valuable time. Being organised is all about maintaining desk tidiness and ensuring it’s a work friendly surface, as opposed to one big clear up when you realise you’ve lost half of your paperwork. If you are organised from your first day of work it will save you so much time in the long run (however, if your desk is already resembling Aladdin’s Cave all is not lost).

Some particular office stationery and furniture can really change your organisational skills with minimal effort:

Ring binders and lever arch files are perfect for storing paperwork, whose sole purpose has become a coaster for your coffee cups. Keeping documents in a safe place is paramount to being a successful office worker, workers who have an untidy desk are less likely to feel at ease and work effectively. Buying packs of folders is the perfect solution so you have different categories which are easily accessible and know exactly where your documents are at all times.

Note: Don’t forget you will also need to invest in a hole punch if using ringbinders, so there’s no excuse for ripped papers.

Once folders start getting filled with paper work it’s definitely time to purchase some dividers. Sub-categorising really speeds up the process of locating a piece of paperwork so it’s worth separating them into sections by topic or date.

Many people use their desk top only, rather than the drawers a desk often possesses. All stationery should be stored in a drawer rather than scattered on the desk. As well as keeping the desk tidy, there’s no excuse for your pens “accidentally” appearing on your colleague’s desk…

Note: It’s definitely worth designating one of your drawers for personal possessions. That way there’s less chance of them getting lost, stolen or mixed up with work equipment.

These small, seemingly tedious tasks can really help the organisation and tidiness of your working environment. Ordering your paperwork can save time and ink by requiring less reprints of lost documents. By making a few subtle changes and maintaining your tidiness you can really kick bad organisation habits. Remember mess = stress!

Five Top Tips For Lightening The Office Gloom

April 12, 2011 · Recycling, a bit of fun, office environment, office supplies, stationery · Comments Off

Okay, so you’re thinking how can stationary possibly change the desk dynamic? There’s always going to be drawling silence that only the photocopier manages to break. Or the humdrum lady who enjoys sharing the most interesting photographs of her offspring, wearing a coating of chocolate, on different climbing apparatus in the park. Well at least it’s better than hearing about your male supervisor’s divorce that he just can’t come to terms with whilst trying to avoid the stale whiskey from his breath that circulates the confined space every time the fan chooses to direct gusts into your face. Well, by bringing some colour and contrast to the situation you can leave the Monday feeling strictly for Mondays.

Here, I have conjured up a list of essential stationary do’s and don’ts when spicing up your stationary so you can become the ray of sunshine that slowly tans a smile onto your colleagues’ pale faces.

DO invest in some funky stationary.

Colour is the key here, the bolder and brighter the better. Think rainbow pens which you can lend to the duller of your colleagues which will make for some cheerful note taking. Plus, the vibrant colours ensure they won’t get lost as easily as the regular ball point option. You could even go green, in the eco (and colour) sense, with DGOS as they have an abundance of recycled stationery that covers every category of the colour chart, so you’ll be helping the environment whilst watching everyone go green with envy at your new purchases.

DON’T copy off your colleagues.

Be original! Bring in your original office supplies and before you can say “stationary cupboard” you’ll have everyone chatting to each other rather than cursing at their monitors. Try to bring in interesting stationary that aren’t run of the mill. Never forget a message again with these neon pink and purple pads.

DO have a large clock visible to all involved.

Refrain from chewing your rainbow pens by clock watching instead! Everyone’s guilty of it so why deny it anymore? Plus, it helps you to prioritise your workload more efficiently if you have constant track of the time.

DON’T be surprised if your stationary starts to go missing.

We all know how irritating it is when we can’t place a vital piece of equipment and then it “appears” on your colleague’s desk. An investment into furniture, cabinets and padlocks could curb wandering possessions and reduce the expenditure on replacing equipment.

DON’T use your new stapler as a weapon.

This manoeuvre could undo all the magical stationary dust that has been sprinkled over your newly revitalised work mates. Also, it won’t go down well with a health and safety assessor.

All things said and done, a revamp of your working environment could really give the atmosphere a lift and maybe even spark a whole new passion for work! Fair enough, we’re not promising miracles, but a touch of colour and variety could add some fun and happiness and who wouldn’t want that?

Filling the Office Supplies Cupboard on a Shoestring Budget

March 29, 2011 · news, office supplies, stationery · Comments Off

When setting up a new business there are many things which need to be invested in and with a good number of these items – it doesn’t pay to cut corners or take the ‘budget’ option. Your computing equipment for instance needs to be relatively up to date, resilient and powerful enough to survive a few years of heavy use without becoming mind-numbingly slow to load up programs. Similarly, decent corporate stationery such as business cards should be of such a quality as to provide a great first impression of your company to external parties. Thankfully, there are other office necessities which can be acquired for minimal outlay – office supplies falls firmly within this category; provided you are savvy in your purchasing practices.

Only buy that which is really needed

Although it is certainly nice to have an extensive selection of different sized notepads and pens in all the colours of the rainbow…is there really any need to have such variety? Provided you are well stocked with pens, pencils, memo notepads, A4 paper, printer ink cartridges, paperclips, staples, staplers, files, a hole punch and standard sized envelopes you will be prepared for 95% of all office scenarios…having only spent a modest amount on supplies. Make a list of everything that you think you are likely to need then set to shortening it ruthlessly – if it transpires that you have neglected an item which later turns out to be indispensible then fear not, there’s sure to be a shop nearby to tide you over.

Look at generic brands

Having mercilessly shortened your list of required office supplies to a small selection of items it is time to select specific products. Huge savings can be made here by simply opting for ‘generic’ labelled goods as opposed to those of the more widely recognised brands. Provided the specifications are on a par with their branded counterparts – the quality should be of exactly the same level and on a day to day basis you’ll never notice the difference. On the printer ink front it pays dividends to look at ‘compatible’ ink cartridges as opposed to the official manufacturer’s refills – they are often less than half the price and built to the same exacting standards.

Capitalise on money saving incentives

As is the case with many retail sectors, online retailers offer the best value for office supplies purchases. As well as offering more competitive prices than their high street counterparts overall, many retailers also offer incentives to utilise their service. Setting up an office supplies account often brings with it substantial discounts on orders in addition to flexible payment options and high levels of customer service. To get the best possible value on your stationery and office supplies keep a look out for online incentives and ensure to place an order large enough to qualify for free delivery.

By bearing this advice in mind it is possible to fully equip your office with all the required stationery and accessories for a fraction of the cost of those who simply head over to a ‘Superstore’ and buy everything they think they might need with scant regard for their actual business requirements.

The Importance of Professional Branding

March 10, 2011 · stationery · Comments Off

In all areas of business it is paramount that you present your organisation professionally and in the best possible light. It’s true what they say about the importance of making a good first impression; and in the corporate world this rule is particularly appropriate. Getting off on the right foot when meeting face to face is something of a skill and also relies upon all manner of variables – making a great impression by post or email however is eminently easier and considerably more controllable.

The key to making a positive mark remotely lies in perfecting your logo, branding and overall presentation. Creating appropriate, attractive and eye-catching branding immediately positions your company as people who know what they’re doing. In addition to securing that initial positive reaction, investment in consistent branding across all platforms and stationery demonstrates professionalism and attention to detail: attributes which help to win and maintain business. Although you may not ever gain custom purely as a consequence of superb stationery, branding and corporate styling – there is a genuine risk that failure to look at this area may cost you business.

The first stage in developing your corporate look is the design phase – whether performed in-house or by an external design or marketing agency; it is essential that your logo, typeface and layout work well together. Once you have a basic design you are happy with it needs to be rolled out across all of your communications media – from business cards and letterheads through to email signatures and your website.

Whilst larger organisations are likely to invest in bulk stationery orders from professional printers in order to stock up their stationery supplies coffers and issue all staff with appropriate materials; it is not the only option. Once you’ve created digital versions of your letterhead, compliment slips and even business cards you are in a position to embrace eco-friendliness and in the process reduce your outgoings by facilitating printing of these materials yourself as and when required. Provided you have a decent printer (and a stocked reserve of ink cartridges), some high quality paper and any other miscellaneous printer supplies that may be relevant – such as printable business cards; then you are able to issue professionally branded stationery whenever it’s required.

Investing time or money into your logo and branding is incredibly worthwhile, even if you opt to print stationery yourself due to incredibly low demand – it is important to consider the role your branding plays online as well as when physically emblazoned on a letterhead. By ‘making do’ with sub-standard artwork or neglecting to replace inaccurately detailed business cards you may be sacrificing much more than just aesthetics in the grand scheme of things.

The Benefits of Setting up a Credit Account for Office Supplies Orders

February 28, 2011 · news, office environment, office furniture, office supplies, stationery · Comments Off

Those of you who work in an office environment are sure to be at least vaguely acquainted with the regularity with which stocks of office supplies and stationery need to be replenished. In the course of performing daily tasks and duties, consumables such as copier paper, printer ink cartridges and notepads are quickly used up and failure to have the necessary reserves ready can severely impact upon productivity.

Although far from the most exciting of tasks; ordering office supplies is an essential component of maintaining an efficient and functional office environment. Often the responsibility of the Office Manager (alongside a world of other pressing duties) the key to successful and cost-effective office supplies maintenance and replenishment is a thorough understanding of the rate at which different items are depleted alongside a quick and easy means of re-stocking.

Whilst the understanding of an organisation’s office supplies usage is something which can only really be acquired over time – streamlining and getting maximum value during the course of the re-ordering process is an incredible simple activity. In terms of both speeding up ordering and getting the best value on your purchases, setting up a business account or credit account with a specialist office supplies retailer such as DG Office Supplies can have an incredible impact.

By setting up a business account with DGOS you essentially bypass the general issues encountered when ordering online or by mail order. You have your own dedicated account manager who is well acquainted with your requirements and also able to provide accurate delivery timescales. In addition to a high level of customer service, as an account holding customer your company benefit financially on two fronts – payment by invoice to aid cash flow and even more competitive pricing than is available to non-account holders.

In addition to making long-term financial sense, there are also immediate cash benefits to setting up a credit or business account for office equipment purchases. New account sign-ups who register now will receive not only 20% off their first order (order value up to £500) but also a credit rebate of 15% of the total value of all purchases made within 3 months from the creation of their account. In essence, by signing your company up for a credit/business account with DG Office Supplies you will get the equivalent of more than 15 % discount off your orders for the first 3 months.

If you would like to find out more about DGOS Office Supplies Business Accounts and register with them then simply visit their new office supplies credit accounts page.

Add A Touch of Romance to Your Office Supplies Order

February 14, 2011 · a bit of fun, office supplies, stationery · Comments Off

I’ll be the first to admit that although office supplies can be considered to be many things – romantic isn’t necessarily one of them in the eyes of most people. Given that it’s Valentine’s Day though, today seemed as good a day as any to try and uncover some office trinkets, accessories and stationery which provide at least a glimmer of heart-warming sentiment.

After a little searching I’ve managed to uncover a selection of little items which should help to set the scene for office romance…whilst also serving a legitimate and useful office function.

Heart-Shaped Post-It Notes

These heart-shaped, sticky memo notes are just the ticket for spreading a little love round the office on any day of the year. Whilst the more traditional yellow post-it note often induces a sense of dread for the recipient, these bright and cute sheets will warm the cockles (whilst also demanding they write a report within 2 hours). Spread naughty messages around the office, decorate your monitor with attractive reminders or indeed write ‘kick me’ on one and affix it to a nearby jacket.

Heart Pattern Filofax

The Filofax is an institution; it evokes memories of outrageous hair, even more outrageous suits and a time before the laptop and mobile phone monopolised our attention. You’ll be glad to hear that this iconic scheduler extraordinaire is still very much alive and kicking but clad in contemporary covers – including an ‘awww’ inducing pink with hearts design. Give the gift of well organised love and your anniversary will never be forgotten again – alternatively get it as a gift to yourself to show sensitivity and a flair for nostalgia to all who glance in your bag or briefcase.

Pink Rollerball Pen

The pen is at its mightiest over the Valentine’s season. For a start, how romantic can you really be with a sword? (Please don’t answer that). From scribing sweet nothings in a card through to jotting down pertinent thoughts in your new heart clad Filofax; a suitable pen is an absolute must. A two-tone pink, ergonomic rollerball is precisely what you need. A specially contoured grip prevents aching while you pen a heart-felt sonnet and a rollerball tip which prevents blotting means no unsightly ink spots and blotches. Furthermore, if you do decide to treat your sweetheart or colleagues to heart shaped post-it notes then they’ll need something to write on them with.

So there we have it – office (supplies) romance at it’s very best. Best of all, as opposed to calorific chocolates or a soon to wilt bouquet, all of these suggestions offer functionality year-round as well as lashings of mirthful sentiment.

5 Gift Wrapping Tips

December 22, 2010 · a bit of fun, news, stationery · Comments Off

Hopefully you’ve managed to buy or make the vast majority of your Christmas gifts by now (if you haven’t then be sure to read our previous post). All that remains to transform a thoughtful purchase into a dazzling gift is the application of gift wrap of some sort. Wrapping presents is an art form, with some people able to craft intricate and beautiful presents in minutes, whilst others struggle with the paper, wrestle with the adhesive tape and ultimately turn a carefully selected object into a visual carbuncle. If you’ve been considering handing over your presents in taped up carrier bags to hide your wrapping deficiencies then hopefully these 5 tips will help give you the means and confidence to join the wrapping elite and produce sensational packages.

1 – Buy Decent Wrapping Paper

Be thrifty by all means but thin and listless wrapping paper will make the wrapping process all the more awkward. A more heavy duty wrapping paper is less likely to crease, wrinkle or split when being used to wrap awkward shapes. Not only is a decent wrapping paper likely to sport a more attractive design or finish, but the extra thickness will also provide a more professional result – regardless of your wrapping dexterity.

2 – Equip Yourself

In addition to wrapping paper and that which you intend to wrap, you will also need a few other essentials. Although standard Sellotape is sufficient, for a truly great gift with minimum fuss and mess you’re best off using a specialised gift wrapping tape dispenser which will dispatch with common problems such as trying to find the end of the tape on the roll and tape teeth tearing by furnishing the user with ready cut strips. These tape strips are also pretty much invisible on gift wrap.

3 – Less Is More in Some Cases

Make sure to measure out your wrapping paper before cutting it- not only to guarantee that the piece is long enough but also to check that it isn’t too long – using an excessive amount of paper often has scruffy and bulbous repercussions. Similarly, don’t get carried away with the sticky tape or your recipient will be struggling for hours to remove the laminate covering.

4 – Hide Messy Areas with Bows and Ribbons

If you do happen to tear, scuff, crease or mark your paper then a self-adhesive bow is your best friend. These shiny little adornments both hide problems and add an extra special touch to your gifts. Even if your parcel has been perfectly wrapped, a metallic ribbon and bow can give it that extra wow factor – so whatever your level of gift wrapping proficiency, these little touches are a worthwhile investment.

5 – If All Else Fails, Use a Gift Bag

If in spite of these titbits of advice you’re struggling to wrap a present in a manner worthy of its contents then a gift bag is always an option. With decorated bags of all sizes widely available, they may be something of a cheat, but they’re sure to look good and are a very quick and easy option.

Happy wrapping and have an exceptionally Merry Christmas!

Top Tips for Small Ebay Sellers Sending Multiple Parcels a Day

December 14, 2010 · news, office politics, stationery · Comments Off

Padded Envelopes

A lot of small start up Ebay Sellers and start up Ecommerce businesses can find the daily trip to the Post Office to despatch the packages sold is a tedious and unrewarding event. Not only do you get charged full retail prices at the counter but there is the long wait as normally queues are involved. This gives many eBay sellers the overall feeling of being a hindrance rather than valued customer. You can pre-pay with the Pay Pal account; but again you are paying top whack for you parcel to be dispatched and in a cut throat EBay world where delivery is given free, this can be a crucial part of your margin. What I recommend is the following:

Contact Royal Mail directly and ask to set up an Online Business Account. They will explain that there is a £5,000 per year minimum spend on an Online Account. This will level out at around £20 a day. Do not worry if you are not sending out these quantities. Many small businesses I’ve spoken to have told me due to the sheer size of Royal Mail they rarely chase up customers not reaching this criterion. It’s a service they provide so there is no fine or ‘Top Up’ fee involved if you fall short. Just tell them on the phone that the £5,000 minimum is certainly something you can see yourself heading toward this financial year and they’ll have no problem setting you up. The Online Business Account (OBA) will give the smaller Ebay seller access to business rates for the parcel traffic with no fees. These rates are what you would normally only get from a franking machine (an online account is also a good alternative to a Franking Machine as there are no fees involved). For example it’s over 50p cheaper for items between 700grammes and 1 kilo.

How the Online Business Account works: They give you a Pre Payment Indicia number which you can print as a jpeg onto Avery labels. Weigh your parcels and label them up at your place of work. Log all the information onto your Online Billing Account and drop it off your local post office.

What are the main advantages of this? This method not only gets you away from the queues but it gives you business rates. These rates are not shown on the parcel as it’s stored online. Your customers will never know how much it cost to despatch the item to them (crucial for those whiners who complain as you charged them £5 for delivery but the printed label on your padded envelope showed £1.40). All this on 30 days credit! Their online account is constantly being improved with monthly summaries to provide good visibility on your ongoing costs.

The only downside is you’re taking valuable revenue from the local Post Office, which is probably why it is not readily advertised. Still, if your conscience can handle that, then go for it.

Far From Rubbish – It’s Remarkable

December 7, 2010 · Recycling, news, office supplies, stationery · Comments Off

Eco-geniuses Remarkable (Remarkable Pencils Ltd) are a company who truly and fully live up to their name by creating unique and exciting products…from waste! These British based pioneers started on their green journey a number of years ago when they found an effective way of turning discarded plastic cups into pencils. Having refined and expanded the process they now produce somewhere around 40,000 or these ex-cup pencils a day.

Recycled Pencils

Not content with merely transforming plastic cups into something genuinely useful, Remarkable have turned their attention to recycling a world of other disposable and discarded objects into funky, new and eco-friendly items. From rulers made out of recycled CD cases, to notebooks of recycled paper with covers that were plastic retail packaging in a previous life and even ballpoint pens made out of obsolete games consoles.

Recycled Notepad

By making a point of the provenance of the recycled material within their products, Remarkable are pushing the boundaries of recycled office supplies. Their commitment to converting useless items into useful ones and using this as a selling point sets a great example to other companies and helps the end user to feel that they have made a positive impact on the environment. With a constant stream of new Remarkable products hitting the market and all manner of new materials being used (including recycled car tyres and corn starch), this UK business are a breath of fresh air…and have an ethos to help maintain fresh air for the rest of us!

If you would like to stay up to date with the remarkable folks at Remarkable then be sure to visit their blog.

To get great deals on a range of Remarkable products click here.

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