Lately I have been trying to accomplish two things at work: prioritising, and stopping people from taking my office supplies. Because of where my office is, people tend to just grab things quickly and then I have no paperclips, elastics, and thumbtacks. Henceforth, I set out to find things that people would recognise as mine!
Priority List Notepad, Marshalls
This was $4 at Marshalls, and totally worth it! I like that it isn’t a straight list, and has the high/medium/low options. Also, because there are limited spots I am forced to take a good look at my workflow and really prioritise. I would buy another one in a heartbeat!
Bow Paperclips, Marshalls
These were also a steal at $3 for 9 (as opposed to the Kate Spade version that are $10 for 12…) from Marshalls! They are fairly large (close to 2 inches) and hold a fair amount of papers. People know these are mine; all are still with me. VICTORY.
Bow Wall Pins, Michaels
Michaels seems to have a new section of “ready to give gifts”, most of it stationary (with some mugs and make up cases). I saw these and figured that they would also stand out as mine! I like that the bow gives me a good amount of pin to grab, and the pin itself is deep. Michaels for the win! (My apologies for the glare 🙁 )
Do you have any particular stationary items that you use at work?
Until tomorrow,
The Historian!
I absolutely love that list pad! Such a good idea to have high/medium/low priorities 🙂
I find that it makes the world of difference at work! With things to do at home, it’s easy to know what needs to happen, but at work, it really helps to map it out 🙂
I just find that I end of making really long to-do lists but I never really priorities things so I might get a lot done from the list but it’s always the small things that don’t really need to be done in a time limit. I really need to work on making better lists!
I’m a bit of a stationary addict and the stuff you have purchased is adorable!!! I tend to go to Paperchase for cute stuff in the UK but it can be quite expensive x
Oh, I adore Paperchase!! It is *incredibly* difficult to find in Canada, though 🙁 They have so many “To-Do” pads that I need to have!! 🙂
Yeah I spend literally hours in their store! Do their website not ship to you?
Ugh everyone is always stealing my stuff. I feel like I’m the guy from Office Space about my stapler. I pretty much have everyone trained that they can use it and it never leaves my desk, though.
Someone took my stapler puller, and once I found a new one I wrote the Packers cheer on it. Now no one will be caught dead with it (no one likes them except me! Their loss!).
Just when I thought I was doing okay, Thursday I noticed someone had taken my scissors, and replaced them with random, crappy scissors! The thief confessed though, and said they were better than hers and she needed them for a food show…
Maybe I need to try your plan.
However, Thursday is the same day that I figured out I have not only pneumonia (not contagious at this point), but also bronchitis (contagious). Once I got back to report that, I got to go home and no one wanted to touch any of my stuff. We’ll call that plan B.
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I have started putting a stickynote on my desk when I have a cold/flu (and I need to be there), and the supply borrowing definitely stops!
I find it frustrating because I do purchase 95% of my office supplies myself. I know that I am very particular about what I want, and employers aren’t responsible to pay for my quirks. For example, I use Staedtler pens- they are NOT cheap. It drives me absolutely nuts to have 11/12 colours. Please don’t borrow them 🙁 I have started putting my sorority letters on things because people are a) confused, and b) there are no other members in the office. WHY IS THIS A THING???
Ugh yeah I really don’t get it. People also tend to get fired a lot on my office. Then second they’re gone, there are a bunch of people that will go loot their desk. It’s like… Really?! Are you people that hard up for a pen!?
Hahahahaha, I have had that very same thought!!