Better Organise Your Stationery to Save Time, Money & Stress

Better Organise Your Stationery to Save Time, Money & Stress

There was something very comfortable in having plenty of stationery. (Charles Dickens)

When you sit at your desk are you surrounded by scribbled post-its, pens that don’t work and a random selection of half-filled notebooks? Perhaps you can never find plain printer paper or ink when you need it but have reams of coloured card for those creative moments. On the eve of GDPR, paperwork, emails and digital landscapes have been decluttered and organised and it’s time to delve into what is lurking in the drawers and cabinets of your home office!

A well organised selection of basic office supplies is a straightforward way towards a working environment that helps you work more efficiently. Clearing the clutter can reduce stress levels and mean you are less likely to spend money on duplicates or stockpiling items unnecessarily. By putting a simple system in place you can save time searching for things and find what you need when you need it.

Here at Better Organised we have a few ideas for getting a handle on your supplies so that you can see what you have and what you need. Sounds good? Read on…

• Gather stationery items from around the office and group by category
• Discard anything that doesn’t work i.e. dried out Tippex, redundant pens
• Consider whether you’ll use remaining items, particularly where you have duplicates, such as bull dog clips, lever arch files or hole punches
• Unwanted items can be donated to nurseries, start up businesses or local arts groups. Alternatively, bundle them for sale online or at car boot sales
• Look at Pens for Kids or School Aid if you want to donate items to schools and orphanages here or overseas. Items for School Aid can be dropped off at The Entertainer stores nationwide by prior arrangement
• Put remaining items back where they belong, grouping like with like so that you can see stock levels at a glance
• Apple product boxes and their lids make great drawer dividers for containing stationery bits & bobs. Mason jars, jam jars or mugs offer simple storage for pens/pencils

As well as potentially saving you time, money and stress, having a good clearout and putting everything in its place can minimise distractions and have a really positive effect on your focus and productivity — one recent client says that her newly decluttered home office is ‘not only much more aesthetically pleasing to sit in, it has definitely increased my motivation for working in it!’.

Better Organised provides productivity coaching and professional decluttering services for your home or business and is accredited by APDO. Please visit www.betterorganised.uk for details of services and client testimonials, or head to Amazon to pick up your copy of A Better Organised Home in 30 Days!