Whether you work from home or as part of a busy office, having the right tools for the right jobs is an essential part of the day-to-day running of your business. While what’s needed will vary between companies, at Avansas we’ve compiled an office supplies checklist that should cover all the basics. You can even download it for easy reference.
Office Stationery
These are the absolute essentials that no office or home office checklist should be without.
Writing Instruments
Despite technology taking the spotlight, there’s still room for pens and pencils in the office. While pencils and ballpoint pens come top of the list, don’t forget to check out items such as highlighters, flipchart and whiteboard markers. If you use refillable pens, be sure to stock up on refills, and it never hurts to have some pencil sharpeners and erasers in the store cupboard.
Paperclips & Fasteners
Disorganised paperwork can cost you up to 2.5 hours each day looking for misplaced documents. Paperclips & fasteners are a quick and convenient way to ensure that all the right papers are together. For more secure fastening, check out our range of staplers. However, if you want to ensure that documents are all where they should be, put a hole punch on the list, and use it in conjunction with one of our ring binders.
Diaries, Calendars & Planners
Need to keep organised? Diaries are ideal for individual appointments, while calendars and planners are perfect for keeping everyone informed about what’s happening and when. However, memo blocks and sticky notes are a superb way to take notes and ensure they’re not overlooked. They can be stuck in diaries, calendars, and planners until an official entry is made.
Desk Tidies & Organisers
Running your desk as a tight ship not only helps you be more productive but can also positively impact your mental health. Those desktop essentials will need a home, such as pen pots and mesh organisers. To help you stay on top of what’s been done and what’s yet to do, letter trays and filing drawers should be near the top of any office supplies checklist.
Mouse Mats
Computer mice are essential in any 21st Century office but won’t necessarily respond to any given surface. Make sure yours is always on the ball, with a responsive mouse mat. If you’re short on mice, check out our range of mice and pick the one that works best for you. However, whether you use a mouse or track-board, you risk soreness in your wrists. It might be worth investing in one of our ergonomic wrist rests to minimise that potential.
Filing & Archiving
There’s little point in having important paperwork if you don’t know how to locate it. While the cloud offers digital storage, it always helps to have a hardcopy backup. Archive boxes, presentation files, and folders don’t need passwords to access them and won’t fall foul of viruses or power outages. To make access within files that much easier, add some dividers and indices to your office or home office checklist.
Notepads & Notebooks
While tablets and mobile phones might be de rigeur, there’s little to beat the reliability and convenience offered by a notepad or notebook. Pop one in your inside pocket or briefcase, and you’re ready for action as soon as the need arises.
Paper
Although many businesses are pushing to become paperless, there are significantly more customers that aren’t. Paper remains the backbone of any office, used for printing documents, letters, invoices, contracts, and even posters. Check out the Avansas paper range for everything from copy and printer paper to speciality paper.
Mailing
Emails can be quick and convenient, but there are times when only letters will do. Be sure to add envelopes to your office essentials checklist. If items need to be protected, we offer a range of postage and packaging supplies, such as padded envelopes. To give your business that professional edge, address labels are a must. We can even offer you label printers and tagging guns to ensure quality and consistency to all your mailing needs.
Ink & Toner Cartridges
There are few businesses without an inkjet or laser printer bearing the brunt of the printing duties. However, they’ll only last as long as they’re topped up with the correct cartridges. While we offer a range of ink and toner cartridges for a selection of the biggest brands in the industry, we can also supply you with compatible cartridges. Just as effective as their original counterparts, they come at a fraction of the price, making them perfect for those who want to save money while doing their bit for the environment.
Cleaning
It doesn’t matter whether you work from home, in an office cubicle, or a busy, open-plan bureau, keeping your working environment clean and tidy is all-important. Disorganised and dirty workspaces can harm physical and mental health and even present hazards for visitors. Ensure that the first impression your visitors get is the right one by checking out our range of cleaning supplies. We can offer everything from single bottles of spray-cleaner to air fresheners and janitorial supplies. In addition, don’t forget the importance of waste bins. From paperwork to cardboard coffee cups, they’re indispensable for keeping clutter down to the bare minimum.
Food & Catering
This entry on the office supplies checklist tends only to apply to businesses rather than those working from home. Keeping your workforce refreshed and hydrated is essential. It shows your team that you value and care about their well-being. From water dispensers and small kitchen appliances to tea, coffee, and soft drinks, we can help you keep your employees topped up with their favourite brew. We can even offer a selection of snacks, from crackers and crisps to indulgent cookies and biscuits. If you work in an industry where food is stored, the Avansas range of food storage solutions is favoured by caterers, cafes, and restaurants worldwide.
Facilities
Each workplace has its own requirements, but some are noticeably more dangerous than others. In 2022, The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations were amended. Regulation Four states that “every employer shall ensure that suitable personal protective equipment is provided to his employees who may be exposed to a risk to their health or safety while at work except where and to the extent that such risk has been adequately controlled by other means which are equally or more effective.” This means that, as an employer, you can face significant fines or prosecution if you fail to supply your employees with the necessary PPE. Browse the Avansas collection to find the right protective equipment for your industry and protect yourself and your employees from unnecessary problems.
Meeting & Presenting
Even the owner of the smallest business can find themselves having to make the odd presentation or host the occasional meeting. To ensure you’re prepared for all eventualities, you might want to consider investing in flipcharts, easels, and pads. Alternatively, whiteboards are a superb office accessory, allowing you to evolve ideas in brainstorming sessions with just the wipe of a whiteboard eraser. Similarly, for smaller businesses, they can be used to keep tabs on tasks that have been done, those that need doing, or even to leave reminders for yourself or your staff.
Health & Safety
Keeping your business and employees safe and secure is paramount. First aid kits should be a staple of any office supplies checklist to deal with minor accidents during working hours. Cash boxes and key cabinets are another often-overlooked essential, but one you’ll quickly be aware of if you don’t have it.
Office Machines & Accessories
The choice of accessories or machinery you’ll need in your business will depend very much on what your company does. However, there are some absolute basics that no 21st Century office should be without:
Shredders
While these are important for disposing of sensitive paperwork, they can also help make your wastepaper easier to recycle.
Mobile & Tablet Accessories
Even if you’re a one-person band, technology plays an enormous part in our professional and private lives. Ensure you’re never without power by investing in USB cables and chargers. If your job requires a lot of travel, keep topped up with a power bank.
Calculators
Another often-overlooked part of the office supplies checklist, a calculator can be indispensable, particularly if you’re on the move or your office suffers a power outage.
Keyboards & Mice
Whether you favour wireless or corded, keyboards and mice are literally part of the furniture of any contemporary office.
Computer & Laptop Accessories
According to database company, Statista, 57% of the UK population owned a laptop in 2020. While they’re a space-saving essential for those working from home, they’re also crucial for on-the-go employees. However, they need to be cleaned and protected and powered. Our accessories collection offers everything from laptop bags and cleaning equipment to computer cables and privacy screens. If you use a laptop for any aspect of your business, you should consider including at least some of these on your office essentials checklist. It’s also worth buying a flash drive or two, either to keep your essential information backed up or to exchange data with colleagues, employees, or customers.
This office supplies checklist is by no means exhaustive. However, check out our website if you think of something we haven’t included. As Europe’s best value office supply brand, we can offer bulk buys for big businesses and individual purchases for those who want to add single products to their home office checklist.
