Office Supplies Buying Guide
from Overstock.com
Every professional and home office should be well-stocked with basic office supplies and materials that complement your business office furniture and make work more efficient and profitable. Buying office supplies that will do these things effectively can seem like a difficulty, but it needn't be. This office supplies buying guide will help you decide which office supplies you need.
There are more and more people working from home, and to keep up with those numbers and to make the most of your business while competing with those numbers, you'll need your home office to be in tip-top working order. Aside from office furniture, every office needs the extras that keep it moving. These basic office supplies may seem obvious, but you may find there are office supplies you never thought about.
Depending on your company and work needs, there are basic office supplies that your home office will use every day.
Office electronics
Printers, fax machines and copiers
Printers are a home office supply must. With printers you can print out professional-looking forms for your records, packaging labels and other documents. Many printers can be found combined with fax machines and copiers. Combination printers will save space, but remember that they will be a bit larger than a regular printer.
Fax machines are needed for home offices that need to send information, signatures and hard copies of documents quickly. With a fax machine you can send and receive the needed signatures for contracts.
Copiers and scanners are handy, but not always necessary. A copier or scanner can make backup copies or as many copies as you need if you don't have the original document saved on your computer.
Don't forget to pick up extra ink and toner cartridges for your printers, fax machines and copiers, including both black and color ink.
Telephones
Telephones are changing rapidly. If you have a dedicated phone line for business and don't have a fax machine, a simple phone will serve your purposes well. However, if you have more than one line, and don't always like to use your cell phone, purchase a multi-line phone. You can answer calls and receives faxes without losing business.
Shredders
Shredders are vital for security reasons. No matter what your home office is for, identities are a tempting steal. Protect your personal and business life by shredding anything you plan to dispose of that may have personal or business information on it. Some shredders can also shred CDs.
You might also consider some other office electronics that can help around the office:
Label makers can keep file folders, shelves and drawers more organized.
Laminators can prepare helpful, durable visuals.
Cash registers keep your money safe.
Calculators help you keep numbers balanced.
Basic office supplies
To help your home business run smoothly, a few of these other general office supplies are needed:
Scissors and paper cutters will keep edges nice and neat. They are perfect for office visuals, signs, forms and general office tasks.
Planners and PDAs keep your schedule organized. Never forget an appointment again. Some can integrate nicely with office PCs, making organization and scheduling even simpler.
Pens, pencils and sticky notes are great for jotting down ideas and notes. You may use your computer for all other writing tasks, but it's better to have a pen handy than to forget your messages or ideas.
Computer and copy paper is vital. You'll want to have backup paper for peace of mind. You won't worry about running out of paper at a critical moment.
Trash cans seem unimportant and obvious, but you'd be surprised how often trash cans are forgotten. However, if you're throwing away personal or business papers, use a shredder instead.
Clocks will keep you punctual, but if you forget one in your office, you run the risk of missing important meetings and calls.
Audiovisual and presentation accessories go beyond large poster boards, presentation remotes, projectors and OPEN signs. If you're conducting meetings with new clients or hosting away meetings, have name tags for guests and clients and skip over awkward name exchanges.
Office lighting
The best lighting for offices is natural light. Natural lighting reduces eyestrain that is caused by glare and distortion on books and computer screens. With desk lamps that mimic natural light you will have increased contrast, detail definition and accurate color rendering. Natural light lighting is often recommended by doctors for people who are prone to eye stress and fatigue.
Shipping and mailroom Supplies
Another way to increase the efficiency of your home office is to skip the post office with mailing supplies. With a mail scale, stamps, envelopes, stationary, shipping packages and tape, you can save time not standing in line. For larger scale home offices, you need a bit more heft. Dollies, carts and hand trucks will help you move large packages where you need them, keeping them out of the way.
Office chairs
Every good work day will be the end product of the office chair you have, so choose a comfortable chair! Both rolling and stationary office chairs have ergonomic designs to keep you comfortable while working at your desk. Ergonomics is an applied science of equipment design. It is intended to maximize productivity by reducing operator fatigue and discomfort. If you are uncomfortable, you'll be more likely to stop working. An ergonomic office chair at home will set the whole mood and posture of how you work. For more information read our office furniture buying guide.
Computer assists
To ease the discomfort of typing at your laptop or desktop computer, add a few computer assists. With memory foam mouse pads and keyboard supports you can help protect your wrists against tension and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Memory foam or gel mouse pads help with relieving points of pressure in your wrists and improving circulation and blood pressure.
Another computer assist that is helpful in a home office is a lap table or mat. These mats are perfect for resting your laptop on your lap. They have a gripping top and a soft conforming bottom that is comfortable on your legs. They also protect you from your laptop's heat!
What is the best arrangement for office furniture?
Although your home office furniture arrangement will be decided based on office size, available space and furniture type, there are a few tips (a bit of Feng Shui) to arranging your office to be more inviting:
- Keep the items you use most often within easy view and access
- If you have natural light, try to use it as much as possible; avoid fluorescent lighting
- If possible, your desk should always face the door and be placed at a slight slant to the door
- If you have a small office, remove unnecessary items and place your desk as far from the door as possible
- Place extra office chairs and sofas to form a triangle facing your desk, with the chairs arranged to face each other slightly
Avoid distractions
If you are easily distracted, you can do a few things to avoid this. Buy a solid desk; if you can see through a glass desktop you'll probably find something on the floor to stare at. Overstock.com has a wide variety of quality, good-looking desks that fit your home office. If you already have a glass desk there are things you can do to keep focus; place a map, paper or cloth under the desk on the back of the glass. (If you're bold and your desk is old, you can even spray paint it a great color to match the rest of the room.) Since you're working at home, don't forget to tell your family when you have office hours; that way they will know not to interrupt until you're done for the day.
Buy in bulk
It's true; you can buy office supplies from Overstock.com in bulk, including ink and toner, mailing supplies, batteries, pens and pencils, markers and more. You will save a lot of money buying these items in bulk, especially paper products. Some of the most expensive office supplies to buy are paper products, and these are the office supplies you use up the quickest. You will also find school supplies in bulk, so shop the wholesale store and save on your school and office supplies.