Office Supply Heaven
Do you like gift cards? And what’s your favorite store to have a gift card for?
Starbucks? Target? Best Buy?
It might sound strange, but I LOVE getting gift cards for office supply stores! Office Depot, Office Max, Staples, Erin Condren, See Jane Work, Paper Source—it doesn’t matter.
I always loved back-to-school shopping too because it meant I’d get to take home a big stack of fresh notebooks, pens, and planners.
Office supply stores have the same appeal to me as the Container Store; they make me imagine how organized and productive my life could be. *sigh*
I went to Office Depot the other day because I needed a few binders. Sadly, I didn’t have a gift card, so there was no mad dashing through the aisles dumping random office doo-dads into my cart.
The wall of binders is so cool.
I think an office supply store would be a great fashion shoot location for one of those fancy style magazines. I could just imagine some stick-thin model in a $20,000 gown lounging on a bed of bubble wrap and manila folders.
I have a few mason jars at home that are full of Sharpies in various colors and thicknesses. This doesn’t stop me from ogling all the new colors.
I couldn’t resist getting a pack of the Sharpie pens. They come in amazing colors, and (bonus!) don’t bleed through paper so I can use them in my planner.
Office Depot also has a small section of real art supplies. I found this pack of Prismacolor pencils.
For those of you who don’t know, Prismacolor is the Rolls-Royce of colored pencils. They’re about $2 a piece and are creamy like clay, not hard as a rock like Crayolas.
I used to have more than 100 Prismacolors when I was in high school and was considering going to art school. Some days I think about getting back into drawing, if only for my own amusement.
Oooh, stickers!
I used to have huge sticker collections as a kid, and I still use stickers from time to time, mostly to keep track of my habits.
And you can never have too many notebooks.
I especially like project notebooks that have 2 columns: a sidebar section for to-dos and a larger middle section for notes and planning. What kind of notebooks do you use?
For reasons that are beyond my comprehension, nearly every office supply store has an enormous display of candy right near the registers.
Are Snickers really an office supply? And how exactly do peanut butter crackers contribute to worker productivity?
Maybe the candy stash is for small businesses or work-from-home types who lack the usual vending machines. Personally, I’d rather feed my craving for more Sharpies.
What are your favorite office supplies?
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I’ve always loved back to school time of year for the same reason, new supplies! I can’t get enough notebooks. I love office supplies stores, and the stationary section of Target. It’s so inspiring to imagine the possibilities!
I share your love of office supplies. We have a terrific local store with a wide selection. I’ve become friends with the owners and they’re nice people.
Definitely Sharpies! One time I had my gigantic collection with me when I was traveling cross country and I got stopped by airport security and my tins got searched. Passerbys were probably like, “Who travels with 200+ pens…only insane people!”.
Hey, Gillian! Thanks for stopping by. That’s hilarious! Who travels with Sharpies? Awesome people, that’s who! People don’t understand my obsession with office supplies, but it’s all about aspiring to be a better organized version of myself. And Sharpie colors inspire me to think creatively.
I loved office supplies when I was a kid and would get so excited to go into stores like this. Stickers were especially exciting (I still have my collection).
I still love notebooks and tend to purchase small ones when I need a new one. I mostly use them for food journals and for hauling around in my purse.
If you get back to creating art, I’d love to see it!
Hmm…maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned that I used to draw because now everyone’s expecting me to post some of my art. I promise I will if I start creating again!
I LOVE office supplies! I always get really happy when I walk into Staples and I love that you share my joy!! I am a big fan of notepads because I’m a major list maker and I also really love post its. I feel like such a nerd haha but I love it!
I would love to see some of your art!! That is, if you feel like sharing of course 😉
I have sooo many notepads, but I can always justify buying more. 🙂
I’m feeling the itch to get back to my arty roots, so we’ll see where that leads me. I almost studied art, but PE won out. I did work for the art department, but I miss that time in my life when I was creating my own work. I do all the web-stuff for my business, but it’s different.