Back in our former house, we had a plastic bin filled with office supplies. I can’t begin to recount all the contents, but know it included more envelopes, rubber bands, paperclips, staples, pens, pencils, markers, and sticky notes than we would ever use or need.
The cache had slowly accumulated since our college days. And, as is often the case with office supplies, we were hesitant to declutter them–because we were sure we’d find a need for the neon highlighters or A-7 envelopes the day after we threw them away.
The main problem: it’s difficult to purchase most supplies in small quantities. When we had a need for something specific, we had to buy a corporate-size stash of it. The leftovers would then be thrown into the box, “just in case” they’d come in handy in the future.
So the supplies multiplied over time, following us around from state to state, and home to home. It took an overseas move to finally get rid of them.
When we settled into our apartment in the UK, we intentionally did *not* replenish our stash; instead, we made a conscious decision to purchase things only on an as-needed basis.
For the first few weeks, we required nothing more than a pair of scissors and a roll of tape (the latter borrowed from my travel bag, where I use it to secure liquids). Then we had need of a single envelope–but of course, had to buy a whole package. The smallest quantity we could find was a package of fifty. Three months later, we have forty-nine left. At this rate, we’ll use less than four per year; meaning we are currently sitting on at least a twelve-year supply. (!)
Fortunately, we have not yet required a stapler (and the thousands of staples one must purchase to fill it). Nor have we had to buy a lifetime’s supply of paperclips or rubber bands; our strategy instead is to save the stray ones that come into our lives, so that our stash consists of two or three, rather than two or three hundred. We’ve also managed to score two large envelopes and a couple of file folders this way.
When we moved here, the only office item I brought with me was a single pen/pencil combo (I was trying to travel light!). In retrospect, it would have been wise to pack a small ziplock of various supplies (a handful of paperclips, rubber bands, envelopes, etc.), to save us from having to purchase large quantities of them here.
If, like us, you’re an infrequent user of such items, it’s probably better to bum a few off friends or family than hit the local Staples. Alternatively, you can split large quantities with others in need of the same item. (The latter method, however, would require some minimalist friends; others are unlikely to be as enthused over a joint purchase of paperclips!)
I’d love to know if anyone has further strategies for keeping office supplies to a minimum!
Not really strategies, more like commiserations…I actually packed a shipment of STUFF for my big move as this was intended to be a permanent relocation. In the intervening 4 months it’s morphed into more of a sabbatical so now I’m looking everything over for what I actually need to return ship.
yikes
Just office supply related: I bought a printer (not worth shipping electronics and dealing with 110/220 and adapters), a package of envelopes, paperclips, rubberbands, stapler(and a gross of staples), box of pens, ream of paper, pad of writing paper, ruler, cm tape measure, and a roll of clear tape.
add to that the drawer full of this sort of stuff I brought with me (the pens I really like, scissors, another stapler I forgot about, etc…) and I’m virtually overwhelmed with office supplies.
and the kicker is that I don’t work from home (right now unemployed, part of the shift to sabbatical status) and have rarely used most of this STUFF.
sigh
More STUFF to donate on my way out!
Yes, bumming off people is definitely the way to go with office supplies, especially things like rubber bands, in the UK you can practically pick them up off the pavement in the mornings after the postman!
And this is really frugal but things like envelopes can be scavenged from your mail if you’re careful with opening them. Plus it’s good for the environment!
Aaargh! The red elastic bands everywhere! Bane of my life in this street. My cat eats them (or chews them to bits, really) so kids are always running in to tell me the cats killed something and I rush out to rescue… an elastic band.
Karen
(Scotland)
I don’t have ways to keep the office supplies to a minimum except to quit visiting the supply stores as a recreational activity. My desire to have fewer items to store and manage has made this easier. I, too, wish purchasing needed items didn’t involve getting a whole case.
The USPS sells stamped envelopes. Buy 1/2 dozen so you don’t wait in line again for awhile.
I bought a bookkeeping business that actually used a lot of office supplies (there were four of us working). Through unforeseen circumstances the business dwindled to just me with three desks and a complete set of desk supplies to unload. It has taken three years to downsize to a work area with only the supplies I need. Items I use daily are on my desk. The stash fits into a small plastic three drawer unit that fits on a shelf.
Your post has motivated me to purge even more. Your local school might take usable office supplies.
I guess the best strategy for us is to only buy what you need. My husband has worked from home for the last 20 years so eventually everything has gotten used. We only buy the pen that we love, Pilot G2 Bold. So now we don’t have jars and drawers overflowing with misc pens/pencils. Also we always buy our supplies from Office Depot and they regularly send us $10 gift cards for being loyal customers.
This post makes me realize that we actually do use what we purchase for the office. Thanks!
~janet
You have so inspired me. I am going to go through our office drawers after making a list of things we need and use on a regular (monthly?) basis. Everything else can be bummed from work. Also, we are going to get rid of our TV. Such visual and emotional clutter! We can watch movies on our laptop, so a TV is really unnecessary. Thank you!
Jesse, I completely understand–it’s a real bummer to drag STUFF around the world with you. Makes me want to be a Buddhist monk… :-)
Minimal Student, thanks for the rubberband tip. :-) And yes, mail scavenging is how I acquired my two large envelopes. With a label and a bit of tape, they’re as good as new!
Bobbi, I love the stamped envelope idea–I never knew the USPS offered that! (I’ll have to see if they do something similar in the UK.)
janet, how wonderful you have “just enough” in your home office! I like how with Staples’ and Office Depot’s fast delivery, there’s really no need to stock large stores of office supplies.
Thanks for the nice words, ms.v.! I’m thrilled to hear about your decluttering plans–please keep us updated on your progress.
We have a mini stapler, but if you are a really infrequent user, just get the staples themselves and punch the holes with a needle. Then use a finger nail to bend the staple.
ERE, what a cool idea–that’s exactly what I’ll do for the handful of things I’ll need to staple this year. Only a true minimalist would think of this! :-)
I have a stapler (I inherited it), but before I got my stapler, I just stitched my documents togetherwith double sowing thread.
Nice blog! I feel like I move every six months–and I’ve made several transatlantic moves, so I know what you mean about the office supplies. That said, in France, you can often buy just one envelope or whatever it is you want at a ‘papeterie.’ That’s pretty refreshing. Also, I find that once you just learn to do without paperclips and rubber bands, you don’t ever really ‘need’ them. I have a stapler and the ‘lifetime supply’ box of staples is actually pretty small. And I saved it over from the last time I lived in France–along with my lifetime supply of tacks. I don’t think my in-laws minded having that stuff in their house while we were stateside. . .
Thanks, Trish! A “papeterie” sounds like my kind of place. :-)
I’m looking forward to reading your blog, and learning about your expat experiences in France!
You could have handmade that one envelope of a piece of paper! :-)
But maybe you didn´t have paper for that (A4 is a bit too small) or glue…
I LOOOVE your blog!
Kai, I never even thought of that! But you’re right, the only paper we have is A4, and we don’t have any glue. Great idea, though, if the supplies are on hand!
when sending letters written/printed on A4 paper, an extra sheet of the same-sized A4 is just fine for making an envelope!
place your A4-envelope-sheet upright on the table/floor.
fold your letter in half twice, so it’s A6.
hold it in landscape format & place centrally at the lower end of your sheet.
fold the excess paper left and right to the middle, snuggling the letter inside.
hold letter and sheet together and fold up, so the letter is inside the sheet.
– already see the neat envelope? :)
now just fold the excess paper above the ‘envelope’ into a nice flap:
take the left edge and fold it to the middle in a 30°angle, repeat on the right.
now just fold over to close the envelope.
one strip of tape is enough to secure the flap to the back of the envelope, if you wanna be extra-sure, add two more strips on the sides :)
I do that all the time, either with clean white sheets or recycle paper that’s been printed on one side…
Thank you, srii, for the fabulous instructions! I’m so grateful to you for this — what a perfect minimalist solution. :-)
I donate leftovers to the local school in our area, calling first to make sure the items will be of use. The staff and teachers always appreciate the pencils, especially. The beginning of the school year is the best time to donate.
The first time I did this, I had tons of things that my children had used over the years: stencils, art supplies, waterproof markers, paper, notebooks, etc. The school took what they needed and gave the rest to the onsite daycare.
You can get staplers that don’t use staples–they make sort off folded-over punch.
http://www.amazon.com/Made-By-Humans-Staple-Stapler/dp/B0014WIB9U
Any other ideas for what to do with all the extra supplies we have, besides schools?
I have eliminated almost all my envelope and stamp needs. I usually need stamps for mailing my rent checks, but then I found out that in addition to electronic transfer they offer a service where they also mail checks for you.
Besides schools, certain non-profits, Boys and Girls Clubs, etc.
I read this and noticed how you said you don’t use a stapler. My Geography teacher uses a “stapler” that doesn’t need staples. Its small and circular, and works by pushing the corner of the first page through the rest of the pages, or something like that. The class thought it was pretty cool (I live in Vancouver so we’re warm to green and eco friendly things like that)
This post has made me laugh so much so have felt the need to comment. I would be Sooo enthusiastic about a joint purchase of paperclips or similar:) but you are so right. I can’t think of one of my friends who would feel the same!! Haha. Love your blog and slowly working my way through the posts for inspiration. Thank you!
Great post! I’ve tried to avoid buying a box of envelopes as well and have been saving whatever few return envelopes (even with the windows) that are included with incoming bills (just the very plain ones that have the lines for a return address and nothing else). I think it works for us so far because we only have had to use an envelope to send very minimal things like rebates, etc. which is few and far between. :)
The only supply we buy is padded envelopes to ship the occasional package overseas. Everything else is “found”. A package of staples has so far lasted 13 years.
When I needed a few business sized envelopes I bought some from a place I volunteer at and gave a donation. It was 3 envelopes for a quarter donation which I thought was a good deal. I think the post office also sells envelopes. Everything else we find.
I keep the big envelopes that come in the mail with addresses on them when I am saving coupons for someone. Also my neighbors collect the labels for me for my grandsons’ school. I know lots of people use small plastic bags but I use my junk mail when I am saving things for other people.
We get a lot of envelopes in the mail. Some are business sized. I give the cards away and keep the envelopes. I also save paper clips and stickers so I can avoid buying tape.
There are many ways to travel. We usually each take a carry on and and a tote bag.
Office supplies were one of the first things that I tackled when I started eyeing things with a minimalist mindset. We had a ream of paper, stapler, staples, envelopes, glue sticks, pens/pencils/markers, two printers, one flatbed scanner, and desktop PCs (and probably more miscellany that I can’t remember right now). Almost all of that stuff was donated, freecycled, or recycled, and eventually, we even “got rid of” the desk. I use quotes there because the only parts that are truly gone are the desk’s top plus some un-needed hardware. The wooden top was cut into pieces are burned in our fireplace insert in the winter. The two “legs” of the desk are actually cabinets that hold shelves and drawers. We repurposed them into mobile cabinets, complete with casters, for storing the minimal amount of papers and office supplies that we need.
For me, at age 18 I went from having a large plastic bin of office supplies to now just a knapsack worth. I switched from a massive Brother printer (I still love the brand) to an HP M15W (smallest laserjet available) for less than 50$. I also bought a handheld brother scanner for documents (more detailed/precise than just using phone), a small brother label maker, and a very mini bag of the supplies: black pens, black markers, scissors, envelopes, and stamps. I do have packing tape as well for shipping/online shopping purposes. I keep the printer because it’s too much hassle to constantly go to a library or somewhere else just to print legal forms or return postage for online orders.
Much simpler to just buy printer paper at costco once every few years and a new toner from amazon every once in a while. Never buy inkjet, colour isn’t vital to most people (if you want real photos, just order them, inkjet doesn’t do photos well anyway). But I rarely print a photo, so for me, the black and white with no risk of ink leaking is the best solution. Anyway, point is, if you get a very tiny printer and downsize the office supplies to just a small bag, you will do well. Good luck.