YOUR FAVOURITE STATIONERY ADDICT
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THE SECRET DIARY OF A STATIONERY LOVER
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A s a dedicated stationery enthusiast, I believe that the right office supplies don’t just help you work more efficiently—they drive the entire workplace experience. Some people say I take it too seriously (Emma, I’m looking at you), but I say they simply don’t understand. So, in the hope of educating those who foolishly see stationery as “just stationery,” I present to you my Top 6 Favourite Stationery Items—the tools that bring me joy, efficiency, and, occasionally, great personal distress when I see them misused. 1. THE POST-IT NOTE (A Weapon of Justice)
5. THE OFFICE SHREDDER (The Final Line of Defence Against Chaos) Few things give me greater satisfaction than feeding a confidential document into a high- powered shredder and watching it transform
Not just for reminders, but for ensuring office accountability. Coffee cup left on a desk overnight? Post-it reminder. Printer left
jammed with paper? Post-it reprimand. Someone borrowed my highlighters and failed to return them? A strongly worded Post- it warning. I once made a full A4 poster from Post-it notes to express my dismay at the misuse of the office laminator. (It was well received, if only by me.) 2. THE MECHANICAL PENCIL (Because Sharpeners Are a Flawed Concept) Regular pencils? Please. Who has time for sharpening? The mechanical pencil is a miracle of engineering that ensures consistency, precision, and zero wood shavings in my workspace. There was a time I considered carrying a pocket sharpener, but that would suggest I tolerate the archaic flaws of wooden pencils. I do not. 3. THE ERASABLE PEN (A.k.a. The ‘Undo’ Button of the Stationery World) For years, the bane of my existence was making a tiny mistake in an otherwise flawless handwritten document. Then, I discovered the Pilot FriXion Ball+, a pen that lets me write with the freedom of a maverick while knowing that, should disaster strike (such as an incorrectly written date), I can erase it without a trace. It’s as close to magic as office supplies get. 4. THE WHITEBOARD MARKER
into tiny, untraceable strips. The Fellowes AutoMax is my personal favourite—its automatic feed lets me load a stack of paper and walk away, knowing that no sensitive information will be left lingering on someone’s desk. I once spent an entire afternoon experimenting with how many pages it could handle at once before jamming. (For the record: a lot. But don’t try feeding in a takeaway menu just to test its limits. Apparently, that’s “misuse of office equipment.”) 6. THE CORRECTION TAPE (For When Even the Best of Us Make Mistakes) correction fluid, but after an incident involving an overturned bottle, my keyboard, and a two-hour emergency cleaning operation, I made the switch to correction tape. It’s mess-free, instant, and has saved me from many a crisis (mostly caused by others who fail to check their spelling). HONOURABLE MENTION: THE LAMINATOR Though it pains me to admit, even I am not infallible. There was a time I swore by While it didn’t make the top 6, it holds a special place in my heart. If I could laminate every important document I own, I would. In fact, I do. You wouldn’t believe how durable my shopping lists have become.
I hope this list educates and inspires my colleagues to take stationery more seriously. And to those who mock my passion—just wait until you need to borrow a pen. Because I keep track of who borrows what. And you will be getting a Post-it reminder if it’s not returned.
(And the Battle for Whiteboard Etiquette) A great tool when used correctly. However, I have a zero-tolerance policy for people who use permanent markers on whiteboards. I’ve
dedicated a section of my desk drawer to whiteboard marker testing, ensuring no accidental misuse occurs in our office. If you ever hear me shouting “WHO DID THIS?” on a Monday morning, it’s likely related to an unauthorised Sharpie incident.
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