Had a stationery drawer previously. It was too big, constantly messy and ended up cluttered and full of unnecessary crap.
Tried a stationery bag, same thing happened. Given the love of having a clean and clear workspace these days, something different was needed. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of madness after all.
Not wanting to be defined as bonkers just yet (or as the man who carries that weird bag) I bought a box.
Surely you’ve been dying to know what’s in the box (or were at least a tincy bit curious) since this picture on the recent zen guide to de-cluttering your workspace?
This box alone can help you to be better prepared, better organised, more agile and more likely to actively participate in meetings, and that’s what makes it the perfect office tool kit…
Whiteboard pens – A picture tells a thousand words…
Chalk Pens – Because sometimes there’s not a wall or whiteboard in sight, but if there is a window or a glass door then these bad boys are perfect.
Highlighters – To highlight stuff. Obviously.
Post it notes – My god, whoever invented these is laughing all the way to the glue factory. No worker or office is complete without a ready supply. Different sizes, shapes, colours, stickiness. Amazing things. (Just don’t get too carried away)
Blue tack – Another way to stick stuff up on walls, especially…
Cards – The little A6 jobbies are perfect for listing tasks that need ordering and prioritising. These are the go to piece of stationary for agile peeps writing user stories for a Kanban board.
Felt tips Pens – Not because I like colouring in (although I do), or have a pen fetish (although I might), but to compliment the post its and cards. Is there anything worse than when people stick a card to a wall with writing in faint Biro that is impossible to read from more than 3 inches away ? (note to self to get out more)
Scissors – You don’t need to use these often, but guaranteed when you need a pair they are strangely hard to come by. There is typically only 1 or 2 people who are ‘the keepers of the scissors’ per office, and they seem to enjoy the power this brings because you have to go and grovel to borrow them. Buy your own and it’s no more grovelling for you.
Calculator – A key part of technology projects is to understand timelines, costs and budget, so there’s often meetings where you need to do a quick calculation. Use an old style calculator rather than an app on your phone because phones are very distracting at the best of times and this removes temptation to quickly sneak a peek at email / texts / social media – oh look a picture of a dog wearing sunglasses…
Smiley face stickers – Ah yes. My favourite little thing. If you want to put a smile on someone’s face, to take them back to a happy moment in their childhood and to do something that sets you apart from the pack, then you need a selection of smiley face stickers (gold starts also do the job). A small thing that can make a big difference. Inexpensive, yet priceless. Stupid, yet fun.
Empty out your drawers. Clear the broken pens off your desk. Buy yourself a box. Be better prepared. Give people stickers. Smile.
