Post-It Notes Bring An Office To Life

We've always been big fans of using office supplies for art materials (or as the canvas itself). We're also fans of taking steps to make an office your own. Some people do this with expressive desktop items like staplers or tape dispensers. Some equip their workstations with stylish organizers instead of drab plastic. Some use Post-It Notes. Eight thousand Post-It Notes.

Over one weekend and with the help of 8,024 Post-Its, a San Francisco designer gave his office a complete makeover, turning boring walls into murals of his and his team's favorite superheroes.

It's worth pointing out that this project uses the Super Sticky notes, which has almost the entire back covered in adhesive rather than a small strip. That's necessary for keeping the notes in place, and recommended for anything where the Post-Its are meant to have a mostly permanent home.

Super Sticky Post-It Notes

The designer also emphasizes pulling the sheets from the pad so that they don't curl, as that reduces their ability to stick long term. Sage advice with any adhesive products that should be applied to labels as well.

Has The Toilet Paper Roll Debate Been Solved?

A while ago we stuck our noses into the debate between whether restrooms should have paper towel dispensers or air dryers (verdict in favor of towel dispensers). At the time, we mentioned the eternal debate over the proper way to position a roll of toilet paper. There hadn't been much reason to butt into this argument, as it's clearly a matter of personal preference. What sort of empirical evidence could exist that gives more credence to one side over another?

Uh oh.

That is the 1891 patent for the toilet paper roll, clearly showing that the original inventor of the product is the founding member of Team Over. Side note- 1891?! The telephone was patented before that! Ponder the implications.

The Older Technology Is On The Left

So after a coup like that, all that's left for Team Under is to concede defeat and resignedly switch their rolls over, right? Somehow we don't see that happening. Even as the debate is settled, personal preference will still win out, no matter how wrong one side is. That or Team Under refugees will all gravitate towards center-pull dispensers.

Welcome To Team Compromise

As of press time, there is no word on whether the patent addressed the problem of cats, or if special dispensation is granted to allow cat owners to continue going under.

The Emergency Charger For Your Phone... And Your Car

Nobody can get anything done with a powerless mobile phone. If the battery dies, so does your productivity. Thankfully, power banks and portable battery packs are now available, offering a way to take a few extra hours of life with you wherever you go.

Weego BP52 Battery Pack

These battery packs are potential life-savers. Smartphones aren't always able to get through the entire day without a recharge, especially if you do a lot of work away from your computer. So it's easy to see the benefit of carrying spare power around. There is another place where extra battery power can make the difference between a productive day and disaster- your car. It doesn't happen as often, but the effects of a dead car battery are expotentially devastating.

Without an auto service or the combination of a helpful friend with jumper cables and the knowhow to use them, you're stuck. Now imagine if supplying your car with emergency power was as easy as charging your phone.

Weego Jump Starter Battery Pack+

That's right, Weego now has battery packs that charge both electronic devices and engines! Not only your car or truck, but also your boat, motorcycle or ATV as well. All three of the Jump Starter models will recharge phones, laptops and tablets, but depending on the engine of the vehicle you want to keep charged, you may need to upgrade beyond the standard pack. This comparison chart will help you determine whether you need the standard, heavy duty or professional pack.

Get Free Stuff From Acco and Enter To Win a Trip to Florida!

Acco products cover a wide range of office needs, representing major brands like Swingline, Quartet and At-A-Glance. Acco also wants to give you free stuff, possibly even a free trip!

It's Even Nicer In Real Life

Let's start with the free gifts. For qualifying purchases of $125, you can get a rebate for a free red Swingline stapler. For $250, it's a 24” x 18” glass marker board. For $500, you can get a free Stack-and-Shred Shredder. So what qualifies? There are plenty of products to choose from. You can order any combination of these Quartet boards, Wilson Jones binders, At-A-Glance planners, Cambridge notebooks, or Swingline staplers, hole punches or shredders.

Yours For Free... Without Stealing From Co-Workers

Acco is also giving away a trip for two to Fort Myers Beach, Florida! To enter, all you need to do is go to their Facebook page and upload a photo or video showing how you get your work done using Acco products. Add a caption, fill out the information and you're in! The best entry gets to spend three nights relaxing on the beach. You've got until April 15 to enter the contests or take advantage of the free gifts.

Taking Post-It Notes Digital with the Post-It Plus App

Post-It Notes have been easy, versatile means of communication for decades. Their small size makes it easy to have some handy, and when they are it allows you to put down your thoughts instantly before they leave your head. Add in the ability to position them anywhere and the bright colors and these thoughts can be transmitted to yourself or anybody who needs to see them. They're sort of a primitive, short-range prototype of Twitter when you think about it.

Celebrity Stalking Not Yet Available

As a collaborative tool, Post-It Notes have incredible value. Imagine brainstorming sessions where every suggestion is written on a Post-It. Imagine a single note representing an individual idea that can be organized with other ideas until a full plan starts to take shape. The applications would be endless if not for one problem: at the end of the day, all these ideas are still stuck on one wall. Nobody outside the room can play with them and nobody can take them with when they go. It's a limitation of putting things on paper. At least it was...

 Post-It Plus App

The Post-It Plus App does more than capture pictures of Post-Its. Any camera will do that, but any camera wouldn't be able to identify what parts of the picture are 3x3 Post-Its, much less realize that the text on them is what's important. The free app does this. Take a wall following a productive, albeit slightly scatterbrained, brainstorming session that might include some actionable items.

Standard iPad Camera Photo

Send a picture of it and people scratch their heads. But one snap of the app returns this:

Same Scan with Post-It Plus App

Clean, enhanced images of all of the Post-Its, which can then be manipulated and grouped.

Post-Its Arranged and Categorized

These can be shared and exported to other formats, allowing access to everybody that needs it. This app is currently available for the iPad and iPhone, and Android support is expected in a couple months.

Writing On The Wall To Improve Efficiency and Promote Collaboration

Outside of technology, two of the most significant innovations to hit the office in the last half-century might have been the Post-It Note and the dry erase marker board. This is evident in the way both have endured through, and integrated with, the wave of technology in the modern office. For all of the e-mail, instant messaging, and remote conferencing that happens, every desk still has a stack of Post-Its and every conference room either has a whiteboard or seriously needs one.

It Just Ties the Room Together

Truth is, whiteboards are useful anywhere. Thanks to Post-It's new Dry Erase Surface, now they can actually be anywhere. On one side is a removable adhesive that can be applied to many surfaces. On the other is a quality dry erase surface that resists ghosting better than a standard melamine board. This allows companies to put the sheet anywhere they want, horizontally or vertically. A wall can become a whiteboard, a table can become a whiteboard... an old chalkboard can become a new whiteboard!

Since the sheets can be cut to any size, the applications here are endless. Factories and warehouses can use them anywhere for communication and direction. Conference rooms can be outfitted with new dry erase surfaces or have their old ones repurposed. The most exciting prospect is collaborative flexibility. Collaboration happens everywhere at the office; minds do not always meet in meeting rooms. Whether at a desk, a set of cubicles or just the hallway, two or more people can start hammering out ideas anywhere. Having more whiteboard space available in such locations allows employees to write their ideas down, work off each other and come up with solutions and breakthroughs more easily.

Post-it® Dry Erase Surface - IT + Development

Take a look at the linked videos and see how the Post-It Surface can help your company.

The Year In Office Supplies

As we head into the new year, experts are always trying to predict where the office supply industry is going. It's a weird business we're in as the same innovation that is necessary to stay competitive in any industry also makes it harder to survive in this one. The more technology grows, the more it becomes an essential part of every office. That means companies are printing less, which means they need less ink and toner, less paper, fewer presentation materials and even fewer staples and paper clips. And the industry also has to adjust to the increased role of online and mobile shopping.

So with this shifting landscape in the industry, what were OfficeSupply.com's best-selling categories in 2014? Same as 2013- printer cartridges, copy paper, and binders. That's not to discount the industry-wide trends, which are supported by reliable research and, well, common sense. The lesson here is that the change is more gradual than seismic, and that just because businesses are printing less doesn't mean they've all gone paper-free overnight. There is always a need for traditional office supplies, and for now there is plenty of demand for top categories like classification folders and notebooks. The trick is helping customers find what they want, offering it at a good price, and getting it to them quickly. That part of the equation has never really changed. We just want it easier, cheaper, and faster now, and the companies that keep up will succeed.

In our list of top categories, one of the changes that is noticeable is the increased attention on cleaning and breakroom products; paper towels and bathroom tissue are both climbing up the charts. Businesses are starting to realize their source for copy paper can just as easily be their source for toilet paper, and there are plenty of benefits to getting it from the same place. Diversification can be seen all over the industry, with an increased selection in technology, safety gear, and craft items. Still, none of this changes our commitment to providing the classic workhorse items of the office, and there's no reason 2015 will be any different.