No matter how old I get, September will always remind me of shopping for school supplies. Who doesn’t love the fresh start that comes with crisp notebooks and sharp pencils?
Though back-to-school sales are typically geared toward students, there’s nothing that says adults can’t do a little fall office supply shopping of their own. So we polled WeWork members about their workspace must-haves.
Get organized
Studies have shown that physical clutter negatively affects your ability to focus and process information, so when it comes to the setup of your workspace, it’s important to have a clutter-free area that allows you to clear your mind and concentrate on your work.
A name that came up again and again in our poll was Muji, and it’s not hard to see why. Rinat Sherzer of fisbo and Dave Fano of WeWork both recommend the Japanese company, whose products have a simple, natural aesthetic. Another member favorite: Poppin, says Jill Krupnik of Jane Rotrosen Agency. The products’ vibrant colors—plus the company’s mantra, “Work happy”—are sure to brighten any desktop.
Although a little pricier than Muji or Poppin, Grovemade also offers beautiful desk organization supplies, says Brittany Thornburg of Madsen Consulting Engineering. Ordning&Reda is also a great option, notes Peter Bodum of Dobeo.
Many of us have gone digital with our calendars and planners, but a hard copy of each can be helpful. I’m a sucker for the selection at Paper Source, but Kate Eldridge of Riad Represents recommends supplies from Rifle Paper Co., while OneSource Worldwide’s Christina Tscherteu says her go-to is See Jane Work. Products from each of those places make me want to organize not only my desk, but also my life in general.
Take note
Though many of us bring laptops to meetings and opt to use Evernote or Google Docs for note-taking, there’s something to be said about writing your thoughts down by hand. (And is there anything more gratifying than crossing items off a to-do list manually?)
If you’re looking for a classic option, try Moleskine notebooks, suggests member Rudy Suminwa of Airwane. Want a notebook that’s a little more creative? WeWork’s Victoria Taylor loves these James Jean journals with their funky designs.
For those of you who like spiral notebooks, Blurb Appeal’s Lisa Thide recommends Miquelrius (those fun patterns!), while Buzz Andersen of Brooklyn Computer Club swears by the Behance Dot Grid Book—simple, classic, and available in multiple sizes.
Two excellent options if you want to ensure your purchase benefits social good: Public – Supply and Baron Fig (suggested by Thornburg and Ron Morris of Blamo Corps, respectively). Public – Supply donates 25 percent of the profits from every sale to support creative arts classrooms in our country’s public schools, while Baron Fig plants a tree for each Confidant notebook purchased.
But what’s a notebook without a pen to accompany it? WeWork’s Jen Lin swears by the G2 pilot pen (“the thinner the better”), while Thide raves about Paper Mate Flair felt-tip pens.
Have a little fun
Actual office supplies are awesome, but sometimes you need some extras to liven up your workspace and/or boost your creativity. Enter Canopy, which bills itself as “Amazon, curated,” where experts comb Amazon for beautiful and functional products to save you time. (Thanks to WeWork’s Ruby Anaya for the tip!)
When it comes to stress-busters, Lauren Mahoney of Space Chimp Media recommends Aaron’s Thinking Putty. “I used to work at the Apple Business Center, and all of the employees are crazy about it,” she explains. “It’s a great ‘fiddle tool’ that keeps you focused and releases pent-up energy from sitting at a desk or cube all day.”
And, of course, there are always good ol’ Trapper Keepers. “Everyone knows it’s all about the Trapper Keeper,” says Travis Vance of Summit Trail Advisors.
Photo credits: Muji, Lauren Kallen