It’s special offer week on this fantastic build up to the Easter holidays! With everyone buzzing and extremely excited to enjoy all the extra time off due to the bank holidays, Royal weddings, Good Friday and May Day; we seem to have caught that holiday feeling here at Office 365 and have been bringing you some ridiculous offers this week. On Monday we brought you the cheapest prices in the UK for Sharpie permanent markers – perfect for wring up your Easter egg hunt clues for the kids and today we’re bringing you THE CHEAPEST DL white envelopes in the UK, great for sending out all your Easter promotions or Easter egg thank you letters.

These 5 Star White DL Office Envelopes are literally not available cheaper anywhere else in the UK! But what’s more, if you’d like to order them in bulk, you’ll get even more knocked off the price! All you have to do is add them to your basket and select, ‘get a quote’, or simply call one of the team on 0870 766 1624. These cheap DL envelopes feature;

• Medium weight 90gsm Envelopes
• Suitable for all kinds of general correspondence and mailings
• White with blue opaque interior for security
• Press Seal
• Wallet style
• Size: DL 110 x 220mm
• Boxed 500
• 84% Off – Now just £7.50!
• Buy x6 and get free delivery!

5 Star came in at 1^st place for our Best Supplier For Price category, and is it any wonder with prices like these! They are a brand who is committed to serving their customers every need in terms of affordability, innovation and quality. The 5 Star range is now firmly established as one of the best-known office products brands in the UK; with 15 years experience behind them, they can now easily be credited with the title of expert in their field. With confidence in their products quality, 5 Star offer a 12 month no quibble quality guarantee on all their products, leaving the customer wondering, ‘why use any other brand?’

The Green Bit

Each 5 Star product now has attractively designed packaging for clearer product display and product information, plus they also have a fantastic choice of ‘Green’ options for those who are economically aware.

Sharpie permanent markers where invented in 1964 by the Sandford brand and almost overnight became a worldwide success, so much so in fact that in some areas of America, a permanent marker is referred to as a Sharpie – another example of a brand becoming a household name, just like Hoover and Sellotape. The Sharpie writes on almost any surface from glass, wood, fabric and stone, to plastic, metal, leather and of course, paper. Did you know that David Beckham is now one of their top celebrity endorsers? Sharpie pens are now available in 24 different bold colours and inks, line widths and styles; we have a great range of those wonderful varieties available here.

Featured are our Sharpie Permanent Marker assorted pack 12 and our Sharpie Permanent Marker assorted pack 4. The 12 pack comes in colours black, blue, red, green, aqua, berry, brown, lime, orange, purple, turquoise and yellow, while the 4 pack comes in colours black, blue, red and green. Featuring:

• Permanent on most hard to mark surfaces
• Durable fine fibre tip
• Line Width: 1mm
• Assorted wallet of 12 or 4
• 12 pack – 39% off and just £6.99!
• 4 pack – 44% off and just £2.21!

We can safely say that these prices are the cheapest you’ll find in the UK, unless of course you go to a car boot sale! And if you’re looking to buy a few packs, you could save yourself even more with free delivery on all orders over £40.

Sharpie Tip of the Day

Got Sharpie ink somewhere it’s not supposed to be? Spray WD-40 on a rag and then apply it to the stain in a circular motion softly scrubbing the marker ink. Next get a clean rag and continue to wipe away the marker until it is all gone. It really works!

Did You Know?

Sharpie is the brand of permanent marker chosen by celebrities globally as the autograph tool of choice.

Currently, more than 400 million Sharpies are made each year. That’s enough for 4 Sharpies per household in the US.

Coloured sticky dots can come in very useful for a range of different purposes and here at Office 365 we highly recommend that you keep a packed in your draw at all times. We were all first introduced to these coloured stickers at school, given them as rewards for good behaviour or stuck on our work with a smiley face drawn on top if the work was up to standards. To this day, the sight of a packet of coloured sticky dots still has an impact on us having the power to give butterflies in the tummy…or is that just me…There is more to these sticky dots than this however, take a look at the many uses they have:

• Library book coding i.e. Green stickers = history books, red stickers = fiction, yellow stickers = science and so on
• Reward/incentive stickers for children in home and at school
• Garage sales and car boot sales with prices written on them
• For labelling ‘what’s yours’ when house sharing, going through a break up, in the office, and when organising the possessions of a loved one after they have passed
• Marking Dates on food items
• Organising and prioritising paper work
• Filing
• Marking calendars and planners at home and in the office
• Labelling topic books at school

Our Avery packets of assorted coloured sticky dots are easy to use and provide a convenient way of using your labels one at a time. Available in a variety of sizes, they are perfect for the regular user. The featured labels measure .8mm in diameter and come in packs of 416! And with 25% off, you get all this for just £0.80p! So get stocked up now while the supplies last and enjoy super fast next day delivery and even free delivery should you spend over £40!

The Green Bit

We are all becoming increasingly aware of the effects that our actions have on the planet, and the amount of people taking care to recycle products at home is on the increase. But what about in the office? Avery believe that using eco-friendly products is a great place to start, which is why they have brought out their range of Avery® EcoFriendly labels. Why not make a difference in your work place and change things for the better now? Avery’s EcoFriendly range of labels (addressing, mini and removable labels) are certified by the internationally renowned Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). They use only paper that is manufactured from trees sourced from well-managed forests, plus the packaging is made from recycled cardboard. The Avery Recycled QuickPeel Labels are natural white recycled addressing labels which are made from 100% recycled paper. Reduce your impact on the environment by selecting labels responsibly. It’s another small way to protect our future. Choose from Avery’s FSC-certified EcoFriendly range, or their recycled range!

Avery campaign, ‘Help Plant 100,000 New Trees’ is helping to bring everyone together with the same economical values. Planting trees can help to combat climate change and provides sustainable living in poor rural communities. So, let’s all plant 100,000 trees together! When you purchase labels by the Avery band you will see a promotional code on the pack. Simply log into the Avery Site and you can chose whether to be given ‘a big carrot’ to be redeemed against gift vouchers, or plant a tree. With the help of customers so far, Avery have planted over 64,000 trees!

I actually remember an English lesson one day at school (this is going back 13 years now), if I remember right, we were learning about the incredible and very ‘real’ war time Poet Siegfried Sassoon. Our wonderfully eccentric English teacher (who was from Bolton and loved Greenday!), rather caught up in the fascinating and extremely dramatic life story of this amazing poet, was desperately trying to scribble something down on the whiteboard. He went through pen after pen, he must have tried seven or eight whiteboard pens – all of which were empty – before he gave up, blew a fuse, threw the final whiteboard pen on the floor and jumped on it! You may laugh now, I do, but at the time, we were all speechless!

I’ve seen this many a time, not the furious jumping on the empty whiteboard pen, but the failed attempts at using dried up pens. You must remember to stock up people, it’s obviously very frustrating to find you haven’t one that works so be prepared! Alright, so maybe you’ve forgotten again; but all is not lost, jumping on your pen will not revive it I can assure you, however we have a few of tricks that may help should you get caught out again:

• Try dipping the tip briefly in nail polish remover, then put the cap back on for a few minutes. (Remember to test in a corner of the whiteboard to make sure it doesn’t damage the surface.)
• If you have a water-based, low odour, whiteboard marker, this can just be dipped in water like a regular marker. Make sure you check which kind you have!
• Fasten a piece of string to the end of the marker, (you may need to tape a knotted string to your pen for extra security) then spin the marker over your head several times. Centrifugal force will allow any remaining ink to flow to the marker tip. Make sure you secure the cap tightly first! When removing the cap, do it over a sink or a wad of paper towels as ink can pool up in the cap.
• Purchase refillable whiteboard pens and have a selection of refills to hand

If you’ve tried all these and they haven’t worked, or you tried them, they worked and now they really are empty, then it’s time to buy your new whiteboard pens. Try our Pentel Easyflo whiteboard pens featured above which are top choice as far as I’m concerned as they produce vibrant bold colour, have a tip and go recharging system, last longer than the standard whiteboard pen, but more importantly as far as we’re concerned; they contain over 94% recycled content. Key features include:

• Tip and go recharging system
• Dry erase
• Longer writing time
• Durable medium bullet tip
• 800 metres writing distance
• 94% recycled content
• Black
• Packed 12
• 25% off! – Now just £15.86 for a pack of 12!

Alternatively take a look here and choose your own black whiteboard pens so that you can decide for yourself which features are important to you.

After reading this last article in the Daily Mail, I’m beginning to think the world really has gone Gaga…After her last attention grabbing ‘meat dress’ which I can only interpret to be making a statement of equality, will Lady Gaga go for this bizzar design? Hmmmm…

In celebration of BIC Crystal’s 60^th year anniversary, designer Annette Carey has…configured a dress made using a staggering 1,200 biro’s! I only wish she’d ordered them in from us, missed an opportunity there! The modern looking size 10 design weighs a hefty 8lbs which is over half a stone, although the designer claims that it is completely wearable. With some rather controversial reviews and comments, this dress is a definite ‘Marmite’, you either love it or hate it! But would Lady Gaga like it? I have a feeling that having taken 13 hours a day, and 35 minutes per biro Ms Carey may be slightly offended if Lady Gaga gives a thumbs down to this, Ink-redible dress.

Back to reality and on a serious note, we do all need a constant supply of pens and biro’s or rather ball point pens, tend to be the preferred choice. Here at Office 365 we have quite a choice including assorted, black, blue, general, green, grip, red, refills, retractable, steel and more. However BIC have to remain the number one choice, and why not on their 60^th anniversary, go for the Crystal?

Did you know?

• The hole in the barrel of a Bic Crystal pen balances the pressure inside and outside the pen, pushing the ink towards the tip and preventing leaks.
• The Ink in a Bic Crystal is water-resistant, dries in less than two seconds and writes smoothly.
• Bic Crystal pens are designed by BIC in it’s own factories with machinery designed by Bic. The ink that fills a Bic Crystal pen has even been designed and manufactured by Bic to ensure that perfect smooth writing experience.
• Each Bic Crystal pen will write for at least 125 miles!

Whatever your business, you will need to keep accounts for tax purposes and to keep on top of your company’s expenditures, losses and profits. The only way to do this is to use an account book, and according to the Business Dictionary, account books are just another name for book of accounts, which are simply ledgers, journals and other records which record a company’s accounts. Without the use of accounts books, a company will not be able to operate smoothly or be successful in their profits.  Some would say that using an accounts book is one of the most important parts of running a business; however it is simply useless unless it is maintained and referred to regularly. In order to expand and be profitable a business must understand the effects that each transaction has on the company and so balancing the books will accurately measure the financial health of the company.

A bookkeeper will record a company’s financial transaction, including sales, purchases, income and payments. An accountant will then create a report from the recorded financial transactions recorded by the bookkeeper. Here at Office 365, we have a range of single and double entry account books made by a range of brands such as 5 Star, Black and Red, Challenge, Collins and Guildhall. The most common bookkeeping systems used by businesses and other organizations are firstly single-entry bookkeeping systems where only income and expense accounts are recorded primarily in a revenue and expense journal which is normally adequate for many small businesses and secondly double-entry bookkeeping which requires the recording of each transaction twice, using debits and credits.

Our Collins D540 Account Book (featured to your right) is a double cash book which features 192 A4 pages.

• 192 pages
• 34 lines per page
• Fully casebound and printed on high quality plain azure paper
• A4 – 297 x 210mm
• Double Cash Book (D540-2-6C)
• 25% off – Now just £19.93!

Collins has an unrivalled reputation for quality, style and innovation within the UK; in fact the Collins brand brings with it so much more than just a name on a diary or an account book. It provides their customers with the assurance of top quality, great value for money, wide choice and innovation that exceeds all others.

The Green Bit

One of the great things about Collins is that they will only order raw materials from reputable, well established companies who are compliant with environmental legislation and procedures. The Collins policy is to source their paper based products only from reputable mills which commit to implementing sustainable forest management to supply the need for wood as raw material for pulp making. They specifically require all supplier’s to pursue continual improvement in environmental performance by way of the following:

• Conducting environmental protection by complying to existing environmental legislation and regulations, and other regulations.
• Carrying out monitoring of environmental performance continuously.
• Improving efficiency of resource consumption.
• Improving environmental awareness to all employees through education and training on a continuous basis and providing environmental information to the wider society and government.
• Maintaining preparedness and response to emergency situations.
• Enhancement of participation and contribution to local community welfare through Forest Community Development Programmes.

If the impression you’d like to give your customers and clients and even your staff is one of class, power and sophistication, then you may like to consider the look of your office. First think, what is it people see first? Normally this is your desk, which many people make the mistake of cluttering! However your desk is your centrepiece and a real reflection of you, your organisational skills and your character. If you’re in a managerial role you’ll need to make sure that you have an elegant looking desk, high quality, suave finish, something which is pleasing to the eye. Your next and most pivotal consideration will be to the organisation of your desk. It’s no good having a beautiful new desk when all you do is leave it covered in mounds of paper work, and let’s face it, that’s no way to keep on top of things now is it? One way of keeping your filing organised would be to file away everything into a cabinet, leaving the paperwork which is incomplete or is needed regularly in a letter tray or desk drawers. This can then be kept at arm’s reach on your desk leaving just enough room for your desk blotter. Now this is a real gem, the queen of sophistication; a desk blotter is THE MD’s dream desk piece!

However aside from their distinguished looks, a desk blotter also protects your desk defending against scratches, heat and moisture and consistently providing you with blotting paper to draw excess ink from your pen. Aimed at professionals and specialists, those who like to experiment in Calligraphy and the art of fountain pen writing would greatly benefit from a desk blotter too.

With your blotting pad, you will of course need some blotting paper (as featured to your right) which is basically a type of paper used to absorb excess substances such as ink or oil. An example of blotting paper’s use is when absorbing excess ink left on parchment when writing with a fountain pen. Blotting paper is also used to remove ink from writing; this writing will appear in reverse on the blotting paper. Blotting paper is most popular when using dip pens and even when using fountain pens and our range of Leathercraft blotting paper perfect for this. Available in Full and Half demy and in colours cream or white, you’re sure to find precisely what you’re looking for at Office 365. Our blotting paper comes in packs of 50 sheets, and are available with at least 23% off the RRP! So grab yourself a bargain today!

Guildhall are one of our most popular accounting products brands brought to us by the reputable Tollit and Harvey. Tollit and Harvey were founded in the late 1800s and are a privately owned and operated family business who specialise in manufacturing and distributing stationery and art & craft products. The company dedicate much time and resources to monitoring the product trends of both the office products and the art & craft markets. This enables them to consistently develop new and improved products in time with the latest market demands for corporate businesses to home office workers, professional artists and amateur artists to crafters. The Guildhall range has now expanded to include books, pads & paper and filing & storage products as well as their original accounting products. Boasting the most comprehensive selection of rulings available on ledger quality paper, covering from one to fifty two columns, each Guildhall book is also hand finished and checked before leaving the factory ensuring perfection. Our selection of Guildhall accounting products extends to Accounts Pads, Patented Headliners, Record Books and Registers combining practicality and durability for long lasting use and with quality paper, precision printing and superb binding. What’s more, Guildhall also offer a superb range of Legal Corners.

With a growing number of solicitors and local authorities using legal corners to enhance their corporate presence, our Guildhall Legal Corners offer premium quality for your documents and a professional image so whatever your corporate requirements, whether accountancy related, solicitors or surveyors, our Guildhall corners will offer the sophisticate image you are looking for.

• Legal corners made from premium quality, heavyweight
• 315gsm Sprint manila
• Prevent staples from damaging important documents
• Red
• Packed 100
• Over 50% Recycled
• 34% Off!! (While stocks last!)

Also boasting quality management systems to ISO 9001:2000 standards, you can be sure of optimum quality from Guildhall.

The Green Bit

Tollit & Harvey deal in the manufacture and distribution of office products and art and craft materials and have an established reputation for quality products and service. They are committed to continually improving and monitoring environmental performance and will endeavour to prevent pollution as far as possible. Tollit and Harvey shall control and minimise waste through reducing, reusing and recycling where possible. They are committed to managing environmental matters as an integral part of the business by complying with any environmental legislation or regulations and other requirements relevant to the business. The business has a framework for identifying environmental aspects, determining those which can be controlled or influenced and setting realistic objectives and targets. These will be considered and discussed at management reviews, and will be communicated throughout the business. The company will communicate this policy to staff and other persons working for or on behalf of the organisation, ensuring their 100% participation. Suppliers and other interested parties including their customers or any members of the public can also request a copy.

Can you imagine going back to the messy old days of the black board? A classroom full of children on the edge of their seats just waiting for that awful ‘SCREECH’ as the chalk scrapes the board, *shudder*. I never understood it at school, why some of our teachers clung onto their blackboards for dear life while all the others moved with the times and replaced theirs with these fabulous whiteboards which gleamed with life, drawing us in. I have very good eyesight, was even better at school, yet even I struggled sometimes to read the scribbles on the black board, particularly during Geography I think it was, where our teacher just wouldn’t clean the old thing! She was using white chalk on what had become a white board and instead of learning where you’ll find the capital of Egypt or where Pompeii was, you’d spend the entire lesson dreaming of how satisfying it would be to get a nice wet rag and drag it across the board leaving a lovely BLACK trail behind it. So that explains my very poor knowledge on Geography and why my 9 year old has to teach me the capitals and flags of each country… Thank heavens for Google is all I say!

Anyway, enough about blackboards, we have now finally transgressed to the beautifully clear and elegant whiteboard. With vibrant pens and a gleaming back ground, whatever is marked upon the board will be legible from some distance! And when you’re done, one wipe with the whiteboard eraser and it’s all gone! Lovely jubbly. At Office 365 we have a great variety of whiteboards available in many sizes and from some top quality brands. Our cost effective models offer you a choice of surfaces, not to mention a full selection of useful accessories. Choose from surfaces such as melamine which is ideal for general use, magnetic steel which is as versatile as you could need it to be and enamel for its durability. If you’re looking for value and you’re on a smaller budget, then 5 Star are the brand for you, however is quality and a top Guarantee is what you have in mind, the Nobo are the brand you’re looking for. If you’re not really all that fussed on the brand and are searching for a particular size, select from the appropriate size below;

• Whiteboard 900 x 600
• Whiteboard 1200 x 900
• Whiteboard 1800 x 1200