Office Supplies

Office supplies are highly essential to the day to day operation of an office.  They help a business to function more efficiently.  Every year, a business entity spends as much as thousands of dollars on office supplies such as pens, papers, pads, toners, files, among others.  Office supplies can have a major effect on the bottom line of any business.

Office supplies refer to all supplies used in offices by businesses and other organizations.  They are generally associated with any “paper work”.  In a broad sense, office supplies include small, replaceable everyday use items such as staples, writing instruments, paper, computer and printing supplies.  They may also include more expensive equipment like computers, printers, fax machines, typewriters and adding machines before the advent of computers and calculators.  Office furniture like cubicles or armoire desks may also be part of office supplies.  Below is a sample list of office supplies.

Administrative Supplies – phone message pads, calendar and planner refills, business card holder, wipe-off board, wall calendar, bulletin board with push pins
Desk Supplies – pens and pencils, paper clips and binder clips, tape and glue, stapler, staple remover and staples, erasers, scissors, hole punch, stamp pads and ink
Filing Supplies – file folders, file labels or labeling machine, plastic label tabs, index dividers, ring binders
Paper Supplies – pads, computer and copy paper, stationery or letterhead and envelopes, fax and adding machine paper, graph or grid paper
Mailing and Packaging Supplies – business-size envelopes, padded envelopes, shipping labels, brown package wrapping paper, bubble wrap, packing tape, shipping forms
Marketing Supplies – business cards, brochures, flyers, customer thank you cards, promotional gifts and certificates
Computer and Printer Supplies - toner and ink cartridges, CD Roms, cable organizers, CD and disk rack, disk cleaning and repair kit

A well-organized office starts with a good inventory of these basic office supplies.