Opening a new office is exciting. It also means a very long shopping list. You’ll sort out the desks, chairs and computers, and then on the first morning someone asks for a stapler and nobody has one. A clear office supplies checklist saves you from that kind of small, annoying moment.
What follows is grouped by area, so you can walk through the office in your head and tick things off. Treat it as a starting point. Every business is different, so add and cut to suit your own team.
Plan Before You Shop
It’s tempting to fill a trolley at the nearest stationery shop and be done with it. But buying without a plan usually means you’ll overspend on some things and run short of others.
Think about how many people will be working in the office and what they’ll do all day. Will you print a lot, or does most work happen on screens? Will clients come in for meetings? How much storage space do you really have? A design studio might go through paper and printing items quickly, while an online business might need more chargers and headsets and hardly any files. Your answers tell you where to spend and what to skip.
The Everyday Desk Items
These are the small things almost everyone uses daily. Keep a little stock of each in one place so nobody has to go hunting.
- Pens, pencils and markers
- Highlighters
- Notebooks and sticky notes
- Staplers, paper clips and binder clips
- Scissors and a ruler
- Correction tape and erasers
A nice touch is giving each new staff member a small starter kit on their first day. A pen, a notebook and some sticky notes on their desk makes them feel expected, and they can start work straight away.
Paper and Filing
Even if you run mostly on computers, you’ll probably keep some paper records. Invoices, signed forms and letters from the bank all need a home.
You’ll want printing paper and envelopes in a few sizes. Add files, folders, ring binders with dividers, a few document trays and some storage boxes. Labels, or a small label maker, make a big difference once the shelves start to fill. For private papers like staff records, get a cabinet that locks.
Before you file anything, decide on a simple system for naming and sorting. It takes ten minutes now and saves hours of searching a year later.
Tech Bits That Keep Things Running
Computers and phones are the big purchases, but it’s the small tech items that tend to be missing when you need them. Think printer ink or toner, extension cords and power strips, spare chargers, a few extra mice and keyboards, USB drives, headsets for calls and online meetings, network cables and batteries.
Check exactly which ink or toner your printer uses before you buy. Getting the wrong one happens more often than you’d think, and it’s pure waste. Keep one spare set in the cupboard so printing never stops right before an important meeting.
Pantry and Cleaning
A clean, comfortable office makes people happier at work. The pantry is also where staff take a short break, have a teh tarik they brought from downstairs, or heat up lunch.
For the pantry, sort out drinking water or a water dispenser, coffee, tea, sugar, cups, mugs and spoons. Tissues and paper towels go here too. If there’s space, a small fridge and a microwave are well worth it.
For cleaning, you’ll need rubbish bins and bin bags, hand soap, hand sanitiser, surface cleaner, cloths, floor cleaning tools and toilet paper. Ask one person to check the pantry and toilets each week. It’s the easiest way to spot supplies running low before they run out.
Safety Items People Forget
Safety items are easy to leave off the list because you hope you’ll never use them. Don’t skip them. At the very least, have these ready:
- A first aid kit
- Fire extinguishers in easy-to-reach spots
- Clear emergency exit signs
- A torchlight for power cuts
- A list of emergency contact numbers
Follow local safety regulations and guidelines for your building. Your building management may have its own rules on fire safety equipment, so ask them. Check the first aid kit now and then, and replace anything used or expired.
Buying in Bulk Without Wasting Money
Buying in bulk means ordering a large amount in one go. For things you use all the time, it can bring down the cost of each item and cut the number of orders you have to place.
Bulk buying works well for paper, pens, tissues, coffee and cleaning products. It works badly for things you rarely use or that might change. If you switch printers next year, that box of special ink becomes useless.
Before you order big, a few quick checks help:
- Make sure you have enough space to store everything safely and neatly.
- Look at expiry dates on pantry and cleaning items.
- Ask a few office supply companies for quotations and compare them fairly.
- Ask if they give better terms for regular orders, and try grouping orders to get cheaper or free delivery.
Online shops like Shopee and Lazada are convenient and offer lots of choice. A local office supply company may be quicker to help when something goes wrong and can give more personal service. It’s worth comparing both.
Once You’re Up and Running
Setting up is only the first round. Supplies run out, and without a system you’ll only notice when someone’s standing at an empty printer.
Keep a basic stock list in a spreadsheet or even a notebook. Write down what you have and when you reorder. Give one person the job of looking after supplies so everyone knows who to ask. Then pick a regular day each month to check stock and place orders. Keeping supplies in one tidy spot, and gently reminding people to print only when they need to, cuts waste without making anyone feel policed.
Get these basics right and your office will simply work, which is exactly what you want. Nobody notices a well-stocked office, but everyone notices when the toilet paper runs out. If you’re setting up more than one thing for your business right now, Human Web has other practical guides for small offices that are worth a read.
