by Diana L. Martin

To the normal person, office supplies are a mundane necessity of doing business. I, on the other hand, believe that ordinary items can hold extraordinary potential. In this blog, I’m excited to explore the possibilities of standard office supplies beyond their conventional uses. From the simple paper clip that can double as a cable organizer to the versatile sticky notes that spark creativity, I’ll delve into innovative ways to make the most out of these everyday tools. Join me as I unlock a treasure trove of alternate uses that will not only enhance your productivity but also add a touch of ingenuity to your work and everyday life. Get ready to see office supplies in a whole new light!

Picture this: You enter a room and instinctively reach for the doorknob to open the door. As you do, you expect to find the light switch conveniently placed on the right side, just like it is for about 90% of the population. Being right-handed has its advantages, subtly woven into our daily lives, often going unnoticed until they are absent…

by Diana L. Martin

Are you Zoomed out? Tired of the constant video meetings? Do you need a little break in your day?

Just for fun, I thought we’d play a game today. It’s a version of “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader” but all the questions are about office supplies. Solve the riddles below and tell me to which office supply the riddles refer.

by Diana L. Martin

Did I pique your curiosity with that title?

We love talking to our customers and it’s our mission to give you the best possible experience each and every time you contact us. We get a lot of inquiries from you looking for a particular item and sometimes it can be a bit of a challenge to find that certain thingamajig. It can be even trickier though when the item we’re looking for doesn’t really exist.

The holidays are over and now it’s time to put our collective noses back to the grindstone and I thought we could use a little help (and a little humor along the way) so I’ve put together a short list of the top 5 requested items that don’t really exist.

by Diana L. Martin

Do you find yourself dragging through the days lately? Would you like a little pick me up? A little fun in your day? If so, then I have a suggestion for you.

Disclaimer: this isn’t for everyone. Women will appreciate it but it’s really not a guy thing.

Still reading? OK ladies, I know you like a little color and personality in your desks and supplies. Most purchasing managers will only approve the basic styles on internal supplies because they’re all about the bottom line and white legal pads cost less than pastel colored ones, but you may be able to sneak this product past them.

by Diana L. Martin

You spend 8 hours a day (at least) in your office, most likely sitting at a desk. Right now, that may be a home office. Either way, it can be tiresome. So why not liven up your space and make it feel more comfortable or more energetic? Incorporate your style into your workspace - are you traditional, contemporary or somewhere in between? Are you a fun person? If so, show it!

Giving your workspace a personal touch can improve your creativity and productivity as well as creating positive energy. Let’s think about a few of the ways you can accomplish this.

by Diana L. Martin

We’re getting close to the end of winter. The days are getting longer and we’re starting to see more sunshine. That always lifts my mood! It’s the perfect time to revive your office space - infuse it with a little energy. Freshen it up with something new! Bring new life to it!

I have the perfect suggestion for you today. We have a new collection of desktop accessories that will put some zing into your desktop setting. Mesh has been the thing for quite a while now. Clear acrylic is out there too, as well as some wood collections as alternatives to the standard plastic. They’ve all been around for years. If you want to shake things up a bit……………………………………….

Spring is in the air! Flowers and flowering trees will be blooming and it’s time for spring cleaning. It’s also the perfect time to refresh your office and express yourself. Get rid of those boring black plastic trays and run-of-the-mill desk accessories! Update your workspace with stylish new desktop collections and colors!

Want to add some elegance to your personal space? Try the Ellypse Collection. This product line is not only sophisticated, it is also made from extra strong and shock resistant materials.

There are two “red” events in February - Valentine’s Day and American Heart Month. In celebration of those two events, today we’re showcasing a few red items you may like.

Here are a few for your desk:

Last week I wrote about the fact that employees like to feel appreciated.  Well, something else employees like is to have fun at work.  An occasional prank or practical joke helps to lighten the mood and make everyone's day a little more enjoyable.  From time to time, I search the web for posts about office humor and boy, did I find a good one this time!  

From the site 5funfacts.com, I give you excerpts from 23 people Who Know How to Shake Up a Dull Working Day at the Office

Each of us has our own special talents.  Some of us sing, or draw, or dance, or play musical instruments.  Some people have a knack for financials and mathematics, and some.... well, some people have a gift for coming up with very unique solutions.

Did I spark your interest with that title?  Ha ha - fooled you!  You thought I was going to post embarrassing pictures of my coworkers goofing around, didn't you?  (Ok, well, I sort of am.)

Many of you know some of our staff.  You may have a friendly relationship with your route driver, your account manager or the customer service rep you frequently speak with, so I thought it would be fun to do a blog about the things OEX staffers like to do in their spare time.  Kind of a "get to know us better" blog.

So here goes:

It's that time of year - Back to School season!  The kids are depressed that summer's almost over and the schools are gearing up for the new school year.  Teachers are making lesson plans and ordering supplies for their classrooms.

Today's Product Quick Take is a great item for the classroom - Mr. Sketch Stix Classpack Scented Markers. 

Every so often, I post about fun things to do with office supplies and I found some really great ideas recently online that I'd like to share with you.  The people who came up with these are way more creative than I am - take a look:

Creative Uses for Rulers

You're going to love this one!  I was surfing the 'net and ran across a post of unique and funny office supplies on a site called Computhink.com.  These are hilarious!  I just had to share them with you.  Check out some of these:

This one's for the women in my audience.  I don't mean to be politically incorrect, but honestly, I just don't see a guy wanting any of these.  Ladies, if you keep a journal, use a planner or appointment book or just want an easy way to subdivide a ring binder but you don't want or need whole index dividers, this product is for you!

Introducing the Avery Snap-In Plastic Bookmark Dividers.

Here are a few interesting facts that I'll bet you don't know about office supplies:

Yellow fluorescent highlighter ink accounts for approximately 85% of all highlighter sales.  This is because yellow is the middle spectrum of visible light and works well for people who are color blind.

My house is not beige.  I am not decorating it so that somebody I sell it to years down the road will be happy - I am decorating it with what I like so that I will be happy while I live in it.  And I like COLOR.  (Having said that, my decorating kind of stalled and the house is a bit of a hodgepodge.   One of these days I may finish..............)

What does all that have to do with scissors?  Well, Fiskars and Westcott have some totally fun scissors to dress up your desk and make your day more fun when you use them.  They're not your normal, boring, solid-colored scissors. 

Whether you're actually bored at work or just want to see some awesome creations, this is worth a look!

Yep.  I said thumb tacks.  

Creative people never cease to amaze me.  How many different things can you think of to do with a thumb tack?  I couldn't come up with very many, but I'm not a really creative person.  I happened upon a blog post recently on www.brit.co about clever ways to repurpose office supplies and the writer has some really cute ideas.  Here are a few of them: