Do you like that creepy baby hand? Charlie couldn't stand that I was 'setting things up' and had to get his grubbies involved. #toddlerlife
1. Rebecca Minkoff Tote / 2. Rhodia Meeting Notebook / 3. Poppin Ruler / 4. Modern Calligraphy by Molly Suber Thorpe / 5. Crane & Co's Wedding Blue Book / 6. Gold Paper Clips / 7. Washi Tape / 8. Rhodia Dot Pad / 9. 3M Mini Post It Note / 10. Uni-ball Vision Stick Rollerball Pens / 11. Tombow Brush Pens / 12. Yoobi Highlighter Pencil / 13. Delfonics Mechanical Pencil
It took me awhile to discover that surrounding myself with beautiful, functional office supplies would bring me such joy. Let me be clear, I always always always loved school supplies, but I was pretty frugal when it came to purchasing them for myself. Once I began splurging a little, I felt like I had depriving myself from the good stuff for too long.
So I decided to share a list of my tried and true favorites -- I use all of these products nearly every day that I work.
It should be noted that I do most of my project management on physical lists, so writing tools and paper are a priority. I've tried several online apps and programs, but I've found that I stay most organized when I have a hard copy of my to-dos. I keep a weekly list for project status, and a daily list for tasks that I hope to accomplish that day. And then, it's likely that each client file (yes, a literal FILE) has an internal list. Smooth-writing pens and buttery papers are nothing short of fantastic when you live by the list system.
1. Tote. Fancy lady briefcase disguised as a purse. Has an internal pocket for my laptop, and is spacious enough for my large meeting notebook and client file folders.
2. Rhodia meeting notebook. Made in France, the paper is silky smooth without being shiny. Each page is dived into three sections: a few lines at the top for the objective, a large column in the body for notes, and a side column for tasks. My left-brain needs this kind of organization during meetings.
3. Poppin Lucite Ruler. As a wedding stationery designer who doesn't always follow the standard stationery sizes, I use my ruler A LOT to make sure everything fits the way it's supposed to.
4. Molly Suber Thorpe's Modern Calligraphy. This book is my go-to reference when I'm doing hand-calligraphed graphics.
5. Crane & Co.'s Wedding Blue Book. The standard for wedding paper etiquette. I've read it all the way through once or twice, but I constantly check this book as new questions arise with each wedding suite. I would absolutely recommend this for anyone going through the wedding planning process.
6. Gold Paper Clips. Always in need, so they might as well be gold, right?
7. Washi Tape. Pretty patterned tape to seal up envelopes and small packages.
8. Rhodia Dot Pad. A smaller notebook that I use for small lists, and quick client sketches. The dotted paper makes sketching straight lines a little easier.
9. 3M Mini Post It Notes. These little notes are full stick so there's much less risk of a flyaway. My office is usually covered in stacks of envelopes, stacks of paper waiting to be printed on, stacks of printed materials waiting to be shipped, so these post its notes keep each stack labeled properly.
10. Uni-ball Vision Stick Roller Pens. Like true love, when you find the one, you just know. I heart this pen. The day I bought a bulk box of these babies, I felt like such a responsible adult.
11. Tombow Brush Pens. I've professed my love for these pens before. When I'm packing up a client's shipment, I like to use this dual brush pen for pretty addressing and labeling.
12. Yoobi Highlighter Pencil. I'll admit, I bought these chunky highlighters because they looked cool, but I quickly learned to appreciate that they'll never dry out or bleed in my purse. Plus, very eco-friendly.
13. Delfonics Mechanical Pencil. Pencils are not really my jam, but sometimes they're just practical. My husband turned me on to this superfine mechanical pencil that writes like a pen.
What are your go-to office supplies? Please share your favorites!