Rubber bands are one of the essential office and school supplies. Do you want rubber bands that won’t snap when you use them? We all need rubber bands that don’t take the strength of a bodybuilder to pull and apply. Using rubber bands without aggravating your latex allergy is a dream that we all hope comes true. To choose the best rubber bands, it being one of the essential office and school supplies, it is necessary to select bands that suit your comfort. Also, your budget depends on three key factors:

• Rubber content
• Cut width
• Flat length

The rubber band content and width determines the rubber band strength and elasticity. Despite the name saying rubber band, not all rubber bands are made of rubber. Band elasticity, tensile strength, and weight are affected by the content of the rubber band as so may contain filler materials. The content of the rubber band determines that:

• How many times a rubber band can be used before it breaks.
• How hard it is to stretch and apply rubber band.
• The number of rubber bands you get in a package.
• How tightly the rubber band binds.

The more rubber a rubber band has, the more you can use it, and it is easier to apply and remove. However, this does not mean rubber bands with lower rubber content are worthless. Lower rubber content is ideal for sturdy binding items as they provide the tightest hold. Some rubber bands don’t contain natural rubber at all, they are known as latex-free rubber bands. The non-latex brands are made from synthetic rubber and are recommended for office and school supplies, home, government and medical facilities. These rubber bands offer the same strength and elasticity as bands with high and mid-range rubber content. The higher the rubber content, the thinner the rubber band will be and vice versa. Higher rubber content bands are best for plastic packaging goods and best for fast application and repeat use. The mid-range content bands are used as everyday office and school supplies and also, suitable for sturdy binding items, and the lower rubber content bands are used for single applications and secure holds.

Being one of the most commonly used office and school supplies, picking the right rubber band for your project is extremely important and has got more to do than just the rubber content, even the cut width or the width of the band perpendicular to the length also matters. The thinner the rubberband is, it is softer to hold and more comfortable to apply. Also, the more extended the rubber band is, it is harder to apply, and the hold is tighter. Hence, if you have two rubber bands of different widths and same length, the more extended the rubber band will be, it will be tougher to apply and remove, but will provide a tighter hold.

Rubber band length is measured by placing the band flat and measuring the distance from end to end. The circumference of the article(s) you are tying should be more than half of the level length. A rubber band won’t provide any holding power if it is too long. If you are unsure of the size, you can also use a string to measure the circumference of your bundle.

After picking the right rubber content for you, cut width and flat width for your project, and also make sure you choose the right size. The sizes of rubber bands are universal, example a #64 from one brand would be of the same width and length as any other brand of the rubber band #64. So, next time you when you are buying office and school supplies, you know how to purchase the rubber bands.

Paper is one of the essential and most used office and school supplies. You need to make sure you’re purchasing the right paper for the task at hand and not just grabbing any random paper. Various factors come into consideration before buying the right paper as there are several different attributes and many different kinds of papers.

In this guide, the points outlined are the ones which are commonly and frequently asked regarding choosing the right paper. Office and school supplies offer a full line of paper products for all kinds of printing, crafting needs and publication; from standard printer paper types like color photo, to premium styles, presentation, copy and multipurpose paper, and recycled paper. Some of the features you need to consider before buying paper for office and school supplies are:

• Paper weight and thickness

It is essential to know how weight is determined and how it affects your printed materials so that you can choose the right weight of paper for the job. According to the purpose for which you want to use the paper, you can determine the weight. This factor cannot be ignored as paper is one of the significant office and school supplies. Paper weights are usually expressed in pounds (lb), which is primarily the real weight of 500 sheets of the “basis size” of the paper. Comparing paper weight can be tricky as the basis size may vary. For example, a 28-lb premium or card stock paper will likely not be the same weight or thickness as a 28-lb multipurpose paper. Make sure you examine among different products of the same paper type as it will make things easier. First, choose from among the variety of paper categories, include laser or inkjet printer paper types, cover stock, copy paper and cardstock and more. Then, to compare paperweights, use the navigation bar on the left-hand side. Also note, including 24-lb and 20-lb are the most common weights for multipurpose paper and official copy. The higher the number, the thicker are the sheets. Heavier paper executes a formal air of correspondence and sets a distinctly professional tone for reports, resume and more. If paper thickness and paperweight guide your decision, to ensure the durability and longevity for papers that will often be handled or need to look sharp for presentations of paper, choose a paper with higher weight.

• Paper brightness

Paper brightness is marked on a scale from 0 to 100; brightness is the amount of light reflecting off a sheet of paper. The whitest and brightest papers are often actually made with a bluish tint, it gives a brighter-than-white appearance to the eye. Also, consider what you’ll print onto the paper while selecting paper brightness. The brighter the paper is, the more vibrant and livelier the image will look. Such papers are the perfect kind of office and school supplies. However, a combination of bright paper and less-than-optimal photographs will result into a washed out look. With more brightness, dark text will stand out. So, the optimal brightness level is from 80 – 90 for text documents to look perfect and satisfactory.

• Paper quality

Paper is one of the day-to-day used office and school supplies. Choosing the right quality of the paper is essential. Choose a paper with a moderate weight of about 24-lb or above, the crisp brightness of 92 or above and a desirable composition of both if quality matters to you. A paper that has the luxurious feel and is made to last is made from a blend of wood pulp and cotton commonly consisting 75% and 25% of both respectively. The combination of fibers and the way it feels when handled helps convey the quality, giving more weight to the page in the real sense!

One of the most basic and essential office and school supplies are pens. Despite the vast shift in technology and the use of computers for most purposes, writing by hand is not yet irrelevant. Many office employees find that pens are yet more convenient for writing down messages and for taking important notes than computer keyboards are. In some cases, it makes more sense to use pens despite the speed with which people can write on their laptops and computers. Buying office and school supplies like pens and other stationery can be a challenging task. However, by reflecting on a few guidelines and by becoming aware of the different kinds of office pens, consumers can buy the correct amount of pens that their offices need.

Some guidelines for distributing pens:

The number of rooms and employees in an office determine how many pens are needed as office and school supplies. Here are some guidelines you need for distributing office and school Supplies like pens:

• Employees

Every employee should have at least five pens handy. Depending on a few factors like employee preferences and needs, balance the distribution of pens. While some may prefer to use laptops and computers over old school stationery; for other employees, their work may deliver that they need more pens or more pencils. It makes sense to furnish the employees with more than five writing implements for the job that requires them to do more hand writing than average. It is easy to misplace pens so keep some extras to ensure that employees have enough pens and pencils to last them, especially for last minute until they can replace lost pens. However, distributing too many pens can also result in a cluttered office, and the mess might tend to lower the ambiance of the agency. One solution is to have a supply closet that is stocked with pens so that employees can instantly and easily replace the ones that they have lost.

• Rooms

Some pens that the office requires also depends upon the number of rooms in an office. Any office that has too many meetings and similar occasions should have many pens stocked. Office managers may even want to encourage employees to bring their writing implements to conferences, and it is helpful to have a pair of extra pens and pencils in case anyone is remiss in carrying their own. Also, any meeting room should have markers, a writing board, such as a dry-erase board that is appropriate to the writing surface along with other similar office and school supplies. Relevant to the surfaces of the writing boards present in the room, there should be at least three markers. Also, one should ensure that the dry markers are replaced promptly.

It is essential to be familiar with the different types of office and school supplies that are available. There are various options when it comes to pens, highlighters, markers, and pencils. Office managers must ensure that their offices are not only well-stocked with pens and other stationeries, but also that the pens employees use are efficient and smooth. This can be done by guaranteeing the purchase of quality products. Some pens may also be more accessible and convenient to use than others. There are various types of pens, and the writing quality that they produce can vary greatly. Some of the main types of pens are ballpoint, rollerball and fountain. For high-volume writing, rollerball and ballpoint pens make the most sense. Rollerball pens may create more ink bleed-through on paper, but office administrators should balance that with the ease with which they write.

Pencils, highlighters, and markers are the essential office and school supplies, apart from pens of course. Using pens and pencils is definitely an old school thing we do; but most people usually prefer taking notes and writing down messages in binders and planners over laptops and computers. Here’s a guide that will assist you while buying good pencils, highlighters, and markers:

• Pencils

Pencils are one of the necessary office and school supplies. Using pencils in an office depends mainly on the needs and preferences of the employees. While some people like the feel of writing with a pencil, most people prefer to write with pencils as they can erase their mistakes. Employees may need pencils to record their brainstormed ideas as they do a vast deal of thinking, where ideas quickly grow and evolve. All the plans that such sessions produce could be for nothing if they are unreadable. An office needs pencil sharpeners if it is has pencils as it becomes one of the necessary office and school supplies. Sometimes, if pencil tips are dull, it can be tough to read content written with a faint pencil. It is essential to stock erasers as most pencils may not include erasers. Also, purchasing mechanical pencils over regular ones is a better option. These have a thin length of lead inside of the pencil’s body that users can push through the tip to write. Precluding the need to substitute the entire pencil when the edge of a mechanical pencil is consumed, it is easy to restore it with another length of lead. The erasers on mechanical pencils may exhaust over time, and the answer for this is to buy separate erasers.

• Highlighters

Highlighters are useful office and school supplies for recognizing salient points in records, making it easy to return to those points later. When it comes to highlighters, the choices are vast as highlighters come in a variety of colors among which yellow, orange, blue, pink and green are amongst the popular ones. What distinguishes highlighters from other office and school supplies is the brightness of their ink. Highlighters make it easier to draw attention to relevant text and enable readers to see the subject through the highlighter ink. The ink inside the highlighter can be either water based or gel based, and water based ink requires less pressure to dispense however it takes more time to dry. The widths of the highlighter tips can usually vary from 1mm to 4mm. The width of some highlighters dispensing ink over important areas is different compared to other highlighters.

• Markers

Markers are one of the most common office and school supplies used. Markers are exemplary for writing on boards during conferences and meetings so that all of the members can focus their concentration and address to a general point in the discussion when needed. Markers like a few other office and school supplies come in a variety of colors, however, black remains the most popular and prefered one. Markers come majorly in two types – permanent and non-permanent. The permanent markers are designed to write on paper, plastic, metal, and glass, and it is not possible to erase whatever is recorded with that ink and it stays permanently. The non-permanent markers are designed for writing on dry-erase boards, and it is possible to wipe the ink quickly. Also to erase the marker’s ink one needs an eraser that is designed for a dry-erase board.

In order to manage your time in spite of various tasks and schedules, choosing the right calendars and day planners are essential. They not only help you track your time but also trace your long-term and short-term goals both personal and professional. Some of the few factors that you need to consider before you make the purchase are:

• How do you prepare? Do you schedule by the minute, the hour, the week or the month? According to your requirement, you have to choose your office and school supplies appropriately.
• Do you need a planner on the go or a planner only for your desk? That’s when the size will matter.
• Do you plan to manage only your private schedule or of many people? In consequence, you will need office and school supplies in a certain number or of a specific kind.

The various types of office and school supplies regarding planning are:

• Day planners:

To help keep busy schedules in order are daily planners, weekly planners and monthly planners. Day planners are best for administrators, detail-oriented perfectionists, and those who schedule their appointments. Some of the recommended day planners are Blueline Notepro undated daily planner, at-a-glance weekly appointment book and the house of Doolittle which is a 14-month ruled monthly planner.

• Group appointment books:

Group appointment books help to track multiple schedules in busy offices. Group appointment books are best for the reception, medical rooms, and law practices. Some of the recommended group appointment books are At-a-glance eight-people group daily appointment book, At-a-glance four-person group practice updated daily appointment book and the House of Doolittle eight-person group daily.

• Personal organizers:

Refillable personal organizer books help you trace appointments, contact information, with space for notes and even storage pockets. Best for people who multitask, business travelers, and salespeople. Some of the recommended personal organizers are day-timer Avalon leatherlike vinyl starter set, Franklin Covey original organizer deluxe starter set, and Ability-one day max time management system.

• Calendar boards:

One of the best office and school supplies are calendar boards. Calendar board planners are perfect for managing people, even vacation schedules, project timelines and student assignments. These kind of planners are the best for human resource managers, project managers, and educators. Some of the recommended calendar boards are a quartet motion cubicle dry-erase monthly calendar, the House of Doolittle all-purpose planner and the Board Dudes magnetic dry-erase calendar board.

• Desk calendars:

One of the office and school supplies that are useful for everyone are desk calendars. Desk pad calendars keep the month or the day in sight and offer plenty of space to jot down appointments and reminders. Recommended desk pad calendars are At-a-glance compact desk pad, visual organizer executive monthly desk pad calendar and the House of Doolittle black-on-white photo monthly desk pad calendar.

• Wall calendars:

Hanging wall calendars portray a month or more so multiple people can efficiently cooperate. This way of planning is best for long-term planners when you want to plan the prominent picture and to track your long-term goals. Some of the recommended hanging wall calendars are House of Doolittle Earthscapes reversible/erasable yearly wall calendar, At-a-glance black and white wall calendar and brown line twin wire-bound wall calendar.

• School calendar planners

A school calendar planner is one of the office and school supplies which is not only best for educators, students, coaches but also for school administrators. These planners are meant for a 13 or 14 month academic year. Most of these books double as assignment books. Dayminder 14-month ruled monthly planner, Riegle press national school calendar daily planner and At-a-glance recycled daily academic appointment books are some of the recommended school calendar planners.

Whether you are going back to school or going to work, it might feel monotonous. After a while, it feels like you are following the same old boring routine. Sometimes it feels like you are dragging your feet. Other times you are unwilling to get out of bed. What if you made your life more interesting? To stir things up a little bit, you can get a new office and school supplies that help you want to go to work or school. And get things done for good.

You don’t need to step out of the house. The websites that are recommended provide you your favorite supplies right at your doorstep. Without further ado, let’s explore the websites that offer some of the best office and school supplies.

10 amazing websites for office and school supplies

Paper Source

This is for the art lovers out there. It provides all types of office essentials such as planners, personalized stationery and custom made items. Be sure to check out their popcorn erasers and a beautiful floral designed to-do list.

Yoobi

You are going to feel good if you buy any supplies from here. The reason is they provide a product to a school in need when you make a purchase. Their range of supplies is colorful and will cheer you up regardless of how sad you feel.

Dollar Tree

The idea behind this supplies store is unique. They provide you with an affordable range of school and office supplies. They have magnet clips, push pins, desktop accessories and mailing supplies to name a few. They also have sales so that you can save more.

Oh, Hello Friend

This website consists of lots of fun ideas for supplies. It has decorative magnets that are quite uplifting. From ‘You are loved’ magnet to camera shaped tape dispensers, you are going to love their products. They have a wide range of supplies for office and school.

Poppin

Love a dash of color? You are going to fall in love with Poppin. The website has all types of office supplies. It has combinations of stationery in the same color! The designs are sleek and innovative. Take the sticky memo ball that is so colorful, you will smile.

Amara

There are limited supplies that are available from this store but they are very attractive. For example, they have a transparent stapler with golden sides. How appealing! Their products are for those who are looking for something different yet uniquely subtle.

CGD London

This website is a blessing for anyone looking for high-end products. They have a fascinating range of products. Take for example their notebooks that have “Make Things Happen” written on their cover. Another example is their rose gold pen that has ‘Getting Things Done’ written on it.

RAD AND HUNGRY

This website provides you with office supplies that have been sourced locally. Their collection is distinctive. They have vintage pens, pencils, ink pots, paper supplies, and school supplies. Their range is for those who are into understated stationary.

Quill

If you want plenty of options to choose from, this website is for you. It has over 1 million products! There are all sorts of school and office supplies. Their range is fun and trendy. So if you want your supplies to be eye catchy, this is where you need to shop for your supplies.

Office Depot

For affordable office and school supplies, this is your go-to website. You can find all types of files, folders, storage and basic supplies. There is a wide range of supplies that you can choose from. This is for you if you want simple supplies that are not too out there.

There is nothing better than owning a beautiful range of supplies. They tend to make you want to become more productive. You will definitely love getting things done when you have different kinds of supplies on your desk or your bag! Treat yourself to the best office and school supplies today. Turn your office into a place you love to go to. Make going to school and learning fun all over again. It is never too late to get inspired. How about starting today?

School-going and college students regularly need new stationery, including notebooks, pens, papers, calculators, diaries, staplers—the list goes on. These supplies help facilitate the workings of a student or an employee as they would need to use stationery supplies for different tasks during the day.

Supplies that are regularly needed at the workplace, like toners and ink for printers, staplers, printing paper packs, etc. can also be ordered at once from one of the many office and school supplies dealers online or from the neighborhood store. Both office and school supplies are integral for the smooth functioning of offices and schools without disruption of schedules and duties.

Stocking up office and school supplies well in advance, by making a bulk purchase, can save you a lot of money. You can save on any sort of inconvenience that may arise in the case of no stationery stores being available when you need one the most.

You will have to make a list of the office and school supplies that you need if you want to make sure you do not leave anything important out. Most common items on the list are binders, book covers, dry erase boards, erasers, calculators, storage boxes, folders, toners and ink for printers, scissors, envelopes, tape, timers or stopwatches.

Some stores that offer special office and school supplies include Quill, Office Depot, The Green Office, Best Buy, Mead, Rifle Paper Co., Poppin, and Shoplet. A majority of these stores have a large range of supplies and announce great discounts from time to time.

Poppin

If you like your stationery in bold and lively colors, Poppin products are likely to catch your fancy. Poppin is a brand that offers personalized office products like self-inking letter address stamps, return address stamps, stow 2-drawer file cabinets, stackable letters tray, Present Yourself Interview Portfolio Collection, hanging file folders, zip folios, clipboards, tape dispensers, file boxes, business card holders, staplers in a range of attractive colours, pen cups, etc. Most of the Poppin office and school supplies are available on various online stores at great discounts.

Office Depot

Office Depot also has an online store now and ordering from here is quite convenient. They have prompt shipping options. OfficeSuperSavers.com offers bulk deals on office and school supplies from top brands. Their Craft section is a major draw for school-going kids. Regular discounts are available for quilting, scrapbooking, painting, quilling, and other hobby activities.

Mead

Mead is another popular office and school supplies store that has created a recall value for itself over decades. It is a trusted go-to place for all office and school supplies needs. They also source innovative and unique supplies that are especially appealing to college-going kids.

Concord

Concord supplies specialize in selling a dynamic range of ink and toners. So, if you need to place an order for the office, ordering from here is likely to get you good products at great discounts.

Rifle Paper Co.

Rifle Paper Co. is famous for its customized stationery; they often have a great range of eco-friendly paper products, attractive diaries, and journals in different designs, including eco-friendly materials, themed calendars and planners, and a whole range of other office and school supplies.

Target

Target has an exhaustive range of office and school supplies. What’s more, there are excellent discounts on these products from time to time. At Target, you can select from a vast range of organizers, writing supplies, tools and equipment, filing materials, notebooks and journals, boards and easels, calendars and planners, labels and label makers, locker accessories, paper, sticky notes, tapes, adhesives and fasteners, ink and toners, and many other supplies.