Picking stationery: how to manage effectively!

If you ask people about me, they will definitely say I am a stationery lover. It’s the one thing I can spend my time and money on very largely and I rarely regret it. But over the years, I have come to realize that I need to start buying more consciously. That’s why I have created 5 simple steps I follow every time I want to hit a bookstore and spend many hours and money picking stationery.

Photo by Camille San Vicente on Unsplash

Let's go...

Check your stock. Even the ones you just want to buy new stationery for the new school/uni year, you first have to check what you already have and can use. Divide your items into two categories. Items that you are already using and will continue to do so and items that you used last year but don’t want to use anymore. Put the latter aside or give them to someone else if they are in a good condition. In the end, you will end up with just the items you are going to use this year.

Find a purpose. In order not to end up with thousands of pens notepads, liners, staples and so on you have to act beforehand. Knowing your stock, you have to be specific what more/else it is absolutely necessary. This also includes how many items of each category you will need. So, you had better be certain about the reason why you are buying the things you are buying and be 100% sure they are going to be used.

Make a list. You found your purpose, right? All you have to do right now is make a list. Don’t we make lists for everything? List all items already in your disposal and count them as well. After having a clear picture of what’s missing, head to the bookstore and make your purchase. Not only will you save money but you will also enjoy the experience more knowing that you are indulging in what you love without the extra calories on top. You get me?

Quality comes first. These days, we are all on a tight budget pretty much. For stationery lovers, we may be saving all year round to buy as much stuff as we can possibly imagine when the time comes. However, my advice is this: choose fewer products of good quality. You should want to aim at higher quality which will guarantee you that your items will last longer on your shelf.

Reuse old stationery. I mentioned it before. Not all old stationery has to go. When separating items you want to keep versus items you want to discard, make a mental note to reuse the items you kept along with the new ones you are going to buy. What’s more give away the items you are not going to use. “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”, isn’t it?

These are the steps I follow every year and make me feel good in the process of picking new stationery. Share your techniques with me in the comments down below.