What office supplies are essential?

[nanette1985]

My new pain meds are beginning to kick in so I'm cleaning my desk, which is a huge pile of random stuff at the moment. (no before pics because my camera is buried there)

Anyway I seem to have a LOT of office supplies - I stock up every time Staples or someplace has stuff for cheap. Time to streamline & donate the rest.

What do you absolutely need in terms of office supplies? What's the minimum I can get by with?

 

[The_Dude8]

3 pens, 1 blue, 1 red, 1 black. need pictures of your cluster of a desk.

 

[DesiPower]

Pen, pencil, pad, stapler, tape, clips.
Although, I don't remember when is the last time i used any of that except for the pen... that too is used to sign time sheet of the contractors... Printer has stapler inbuilt so I dont need that either, but that would be something I would have used frequently otherwise.

 

[MotF Bane]

A large drawer full of supplies, an endless supply. On the desk, Post-It notes, a pad of lined paper, and a couple pens.

 

[AstroManLuca]

 

[nanette1985]

I actually have one of those - it was a gift. I use it all the time. That's essential.

 

[Macamus Prime]

Nerf gun + ammo.

 

[AstroManLuca]

I find a smallish notepad with tear-off sheets to be one of my most-used supplies. Post-its are too small for me; I write big. Spiral bound notepads get way too messy.

 

[lozina]

Clear the desk and leave only the laptop.

Everything else is just clutter.

Staplers? I can't even remember the last time I used one.

Even paper is alien to me now.

Hell I once had to write something down by hand recently and then when I stopped to read what I wrote it looked like frickin hieroglyphs.

 

[dank69]

astroglide and kleenex

 

[zebano]

Computer...

maybe pen + post it notes

 

[BoomerD]

EVERYTHING!

There's no such thing as too many office supplies for your home office. You just never know what you're going to need...or when.

You're supposed to raid your company's office supply closet/room/cabinet/warehouse at every opportunity.

 

[sourceninja]

I have 1 black pen, 1 pencil, 1 stapler, 1 cup of paper clips, post-it notes, 1 spiral notebook, and a easy button.

 

[InflatableBuddha]

Notepad, a black and blue pen, stapler, paperclips, post-it notes.

Surprised no one mentioned a high-lighter - I use one occasionally.

Also, I don't think scissors are necessarily essential, but they don't take up much space so why not have a pair kicking around?

 

[highland145]

Fridge, beer.




I've got more crap than I care to think about. I deal with the public.

...the above+
envelopes, toner cartridges, printer paper, file folders, coffee.

 

[thraashman]

A jar of pennies to peg people with who piss you off. It's simple because you can hit someone with something metallic that stings a bit and it only costs you one cent to do it.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Pens. There is no such thing as too many pens. I started this semester with like 40 black pens, and now I'm down to a dozen. I have no idea where the othe r28 went.

 

[nanette1985]

Fridge, beer.

One advantage of the home office is that I'm always just steps away from the beer.

Oh, and "what essentials do you need in the fridge" is gonna be my next post.

 

[bruceb]

Red, Black, Blue, Green pens. Stapler and staples. Scotch tape. Push Pins. Post It Pad, Highlighters. General purpose writing pad. And since I use a cordless mouse, some AA batteries for mouse and keyboard (if a wireless type). And in some cases, a small dedicated halogen desk lamp like this one:

 

[InflatableBuddha]

Pens. There is no such thing as too many pens. I started this semester with like 40 black pens, and now I'm down to a dozen. I have no idea where the othe r28 went.

LOL, do people steal/borrow them, or do you just lose them? I think I went through 2 pens a semester, tops...and only because I actually wrote enough notes to run out of ink.

 

[God Mode]

Playboy magazines, rubberbands, mini slingshots etc. Also, you should always have a gaudy conversation piece on the desk. A bong shaped like a giant penis would be ideal.

 

[Leros]

Pads of paper. Pens. Sticky notes.

I like have to graph paper and pencils too, just in case.

 

[highland145]

LOL, do people steal/borrow them, or do you just lose them? I think I went through 2 pens a semester, tops...and only because I actually wrote enough notes to run out of ink.

Been here nearly 6 years and haven't had one run out of ink yet. Customers.

 

[Leros]

LOL, do people steal/borrow them, or do you just lose them? I think I went through 2 pens a semester, tops...and only because I actually wrote enough notes to run out of ink.

I was trying to get through grad school with one pen. It broke yesterday. It still had 2/3 of the ink left too.

 

[highland145]

I was trying to get through grad school with one pen. It broke yesterday. It still had 2/3 of the ink left too.

Sorry to hear.

Take your pick.