The highlighter, an exceptionally misleading little stationery dude with more uses than you might at first think. We recently compiled a short survey to find out just what our typical British public did or do with theirs and were so intrigued by their answers that we thought we’d share them with you!

Here we were naturally assuming that everyone used theirs for their given purpose; to highlight text. This could be for a number of reasons, for reference at a later date, for study purposes, to indicate important text in documents and letters, to add importance to a complaint, to indicate areas for attention and so on. And how wrong we were, it seems the UK has more imagination than we anticipated! Ok, so maybe some are more sensible than others, however all are interesting in their own way and some could even be useful to you!

• Painting your nails
• Marking routes on maps
• Colouring strands of hair (typically blonde hair) for that ‘funky’ look (may we just add that we’re not condoning this…goodness knows what the effects of highlighter ink in your hair would be!)
• As a door stop (it seems highlighters are just the right size to wedge a door open – not sure Stabilo would be too impressed!)
• Drawing designs on t-shirts (although they claim to be water-based ink, can we just add that Office 365 are not claiming that the ink will wash off your clothes!)
• For marking bank notes (not too sure why you’d want to, maybe you can expand on this one for us?)
• For guilt free drawing on drunken friends (is this guilt free because it washes off? – Again, we don’t condone this!)
• For livening up trainers, colour in the laces (Ooookk….)
• 80’s make up (do I really need to add that we DO NOT condone this )
• Wall art – with the use of stencils
• Body tattoo’s (research needs to be made into the effects highlighter ink has on the body)
• An odd one, to open the catch on your windows (hmmm, I’m guessing this is to avoid messing up freshly painted nails?)
• Quick ruler

To try out these…erm…unique (?) ideas for yourself, you can buy discounted highlighters from us here at Office 365! We have a selection of blue highlighters, green highlighters, yellow highlighters, pink highlighters, red highlighters, orange highlighters, purple highlighters and assorted highlighters all available for just a snip of their usual price. What’s more, if you’d like to order in bulk (I don’t know, maybe you’d like to build towers out of them or something) we can offer you further reductions. Simply click ‘order in bulk’ at the product screen, or call us for a quote on 0870 766 1624. Have fun and happy highlighting!

Why not get in touch and tell us what you’ve done with yours!

So you’ve been promoted to PA huh?! Well good for you, however now you need to live up to the job in hand! You need to impress, be willing, and be capable to do everything involved in being the most vigilant personal assistant. The idea is that you make your boss’s job easier. Lighten their work load, alleviate their stress, keep track of their goings on and keep everything running smoothly and effectively. But what does this involve exactly? Well, other than professionalism and confidentiality, you will need to be organised, VERY organised, self motivated and of course computer literate.

Other than the obvious, it is imperative that you have a confidence when dealing with others; you will need to be ‘thick skinned’ and professional when dealing with difficult people and CEO’s. You must be able to keep a calm head when under pressure. Pleasant communication is key; influencing and negotiating with others for their time and their resources. However you must also take into consideration that you are effectively your boss’s go between. Correspondents will go through you first, and all written communication will be by yourself, on their behalf, so brushing up on your written communication skills is as important as your verbal ones!

Of course you will need to be clued up on all the relevant computer programs and IT skills as well as having a good knowledge of internet skills and e-commerce. Technological skills is a must these days.

But how can we help? Here at Office 365 we have a fantastic selection of essential stationery items for the successful PA. Take a look at the list below;

Diary – You will need to organise your boss’s to do list, meetings, interviews and various other arrangements, and so will make a diary of all time commitments reminding them of arrangements made. We have a vast selection of diaries here from desk to pocket, week-to-page, to, day-to-two-page options.

Dictation Machine – Take dictation – this will often prove a much more effective method of reminder than note taking. We have a selection of dictation machines and dictation tapes here at Office 365.

Minute Book – Of course you will need to attend events and meetings, you will even need to book, manage, prepare and minute meetings. Here you will find a supply of minute books perfect for this.

Accounts Books – As PA, you could even be responsible for managing a budget, in which case an accounts book certainly wouldn’t go amiss!

Presentation Supplies – You will even be required to prepare presentations, and so basic supplies such as flipcharts and pads and projector systems would be beneficial.

You will find a huge variety of stationery and office supplies here at Office 365 and if you can’t find what you’re looking for, all you have to do is ask. We’re always on hand to help in any way we can. 0870 766 1624 – You’ll find offers across the board, an unbeatable price match policy, plus 10% off your first order‼

Drawer sets are without a doubt the most useful filing option for individuals and home offices. Of course far be it for me to suggest that they overrule the age old filing cabinet; however sometimes a filing cabinet isn’t always necessary. Take for example the busy working office – more often than not you will find at least one filing cabinet per office and where the office is larger and split into sections, or teams, you’ll normally find that there is at least one filing cabinet per team. However each individual within that team or office will have their own personal tasks and roles within the office which requires them to handle client, customer and account paperwork. In this instance it is important for them to have their own personal filing solution which can be used until the enquiry has been settled, at which time the paperwork can be filed away into the cabinet. This is where desktop filing drawers come in.

There are many varieties available to suit a wide range of different needs, like for example you’ll find lightweight plastic drawer sets, lockable drawer sets, recycled drawer sets and even cardboard varieties! The beauty of desktop drawers is that they are close to hand; yet do not use valuable space. If they are situation upon your desktop, you can still utilise the space that they have consumed by using the surface of your drawer set! You could use this space to store your desk tidy or you various stationery dispenser, like tape dispensers and staplers etc.

Our recommendation is the Leitz Form Set Filing Unit featured, as you can never have too many drawers and the brand themselves are very environmentally aware, not to mention the slashed price tag!

• Attractive, sturdy sets for storing letters, forms and stationery
• A4 desktop deep drawer unit
• Smooth gliding drawers which do not rebound open once shut
• Large and clear label holders
• 10 drawers
• WxDxH: 291 x 352 x 291mm
• Blue/Grey
• RRP – £125.41 – Our price just £73.47!

The Green Bit

Leitz is an Essselte brand, a company who aim to provide high quality, innovative and long-lasting products which help get tasks done quickly and efficiently. The Esselte Company is aware of the impact they have on the environment and reduce this wherever possible. Most of the Esselte branded office products contain paper and cardboard and almost all of these are already made from 100% recycled material making them highly eco-friendly!

Esselte strive to reduce waste of all kinds from all areas of their business. Less waste from their company also means less burden on the environment. The disposable society is coming to an end. Leitz make quality products that last. Innovation, progression and imagination drive us, today and tomorrow.

Having just gone through about the most stressful move I can remember, (and I’ve moved house 16 times‼) due to a huge flood in the new property postponing the move for a month, (which as it happens should have postponed it longer as the house is STILL WET) after we were packed and ready to go, whilst having to fight the school admissions system to get my children into a good school, the entire reason for the move, after breaking the huge wing mirror off the removal van incurring huge costs, and dealing with NUMEROUS workmen in the new house which has been ongoing for 6 weeks (and still is!), whilst maintaining full time work and two children single handed; I am telling you now…I would have been so much worse off without bubble wrap! Now THAT is a statement!

Despite the fact that friends and family rallied together for me gathering newspaper and boxes, I still found myself desperately in need of a protective, wrapping material that would work that little bit better! I have a lot of ‘stuff’; china, crockery, ornaments, picture frames, mirrors, children’s toys etc, and I knew that newspaper just wouldn’t be up to the job, besides, the time needed to wrap these things in enough newspaper to protect them I just didn’t have! So of course the only option was to acquire bubble wrap rolls, and what better place to turn to than the stationery supply company I write for?! Problem solved, cheap as chips, next day delivery and BAM, I have everything I need to wrap quickly and effectively!

Having made it to the other side (without any breakages – well, not to the items wrapped in bubble wrap anyway…should have thought of that with the wing mirror!), with so many hiccups along the way, I can safely say that I’ve managed it without developing a nervous twitch. Having said this, if I’d had to struggle on without bubble wrap, I don’t think I’d be able to say this to you! I am certain that there would have been damages had I not used the bubble wrap, and the additional time it would have taken me to use newspaper instead would have meant that I just couldn’t have maintained a decent enough work/life balance and my poor kiddie winkles would have ended up with Pot Noodles for dinner every day, which is never good!

Here at Office 365 we have a HUGE selection of bubble wrap, not just the mentioned rolls, but also bubble wrap pouches too which are perfect for mailing delicate items! So come on over and check out our prices; if you find them cheaper anywhere else, we’ll match it! What’s more, if you like to order in bulk, we’ll offer you a discount. You can arrange this from the product page, or call us on 0870 766 1624 where one of our team will take a look at this for you.

Lever Arch Files are the chosen filing option over ring binders for the sole reason that they can hold are larger quantity of paper. Thanks to this, it is not necessary to use more than one file for your home files, coursework, schoolwork, recopies and so on. With the simple use of index dividers and tabs, your lever arch file can be used to the max effectively filing away whatever you choose allowing for the quick and easy retrieval of your paper work when needed!

However it gets even better. There is a new and more developed version of heavy duty lever arch file which will withstand more use. Arianex (a brand who are normally overlooked here at Office 365) have developed the ingenious double capacity lever arch file which features two 50mm capacity spines! Due to its clever design, you’re getting two files in the space of one, and for the price of one! Take a look for yourself!

Featured is the Arianex Double Capacity Lever Arch File which boasts the following qualities:

• Two 50mm A4 capacity lever arch files in one
• Secure complete wrap-around cover with press stud fastener
• Made from tough PVC covered board, with plastic foot protectors
• Spine label in plastic holder
• Fixed Mechanism
• Index A-Z dividers included‼
• A4
• Blue
• RRP £30.25 – Our price £22.60!
• Call for quotes on bulk orders or check ‘order in bulk’ prices at the product page!

For more than 75 years Arianex have been leading the way with their innovative range of planning and filing products, when in 1930, they opened their first factory close to the Pleyel Crossroads at St. Denis (France – 93)! Their unique filing products first took off in 1983 and have continued to do so at a rapid rate in the years that followed. Their products are positioned at ‘top of the range’ standard and their products are appreciated for their quality and usability by all their customers. Arianex products are also known for their exceptionally long life and their exquisite presentation making them one of the most popular brands in the office world.

Arianex can without any doubt boast their exceptional client retention with a staggering 90% plus, 10 year repeat custom. When purchasing Arianex products, you will no doubt make unbelievable savings in space, time and environment plus cost when you purchase from Office 365. The first rule of Ecology applies here, consume less and consume better, all Arianex products are recyclable.

Laminating is common practice among businesses, corporations, groups and individuals. It is most commonly used for signage, membership cards, reference documents, labelling, identifying items, for certificates and awards, continuous banners and for general everyday use as it is an effective way of protecting that document from aging and damage. Office 365 have a huge selection of laminating pouches, laminating film and laminating rolls from our top brands 5 Star and GBC boasting features such as high Speed, self align, self adhesive, selection packs and premium quality, an option for every demand.

Our Laminating Pouches come in credit card size to menu size and even the real big ones too including A3 and A2! Our film rolls come in 75 meter and 150 meter options and in 457mm and 305mm widths, 37.5 micron thickness and 75 micron thickness with an additional choice of standard or gloss finish.

Need a Little Help?

• The thickness stated in microns is the total thickness of both sides of the laminating pouch. So a 150 micron pouch is made up of two sides of 75 micron
• As laminating pouches are typically sealed along the shortest side and left open along the other three sides, positioning is easy for all capabilities
• Photos and glossy prints can also be laminated when the correct pouches are used
• Pouches range in thickness from 150 micron to 500 micron
• Our laminating pouches are available in several sizes from credit card/badge size through to A2
• For a more flexible finish choose 75micron or less and for a more rigid document choose 175mic or 250mic per pouch side

Office 365’s variety of laminating pouches comes in glossy, matt and even self adhesive options available from 5 Star, our value for money brand and GBC, our higher end quality brand. You can choose from 37.5, 75, 150, 160, 200 and 250 micron thicknesses, plus we have huge savings available across the entire range! With pouches, pockets, and film rolls available with numerous different features to choose from, why not take a browse and see if you can find the option that best suits your needs. But remember, don’t suffer in silence, if you need help, get in touch! Call a member of our team on 0870 766 1624, where you can also find out about quotes on bulk orders!

The various uses of the laminating pouch are simply endless! There are many homes, businesses and organisations who now keep their own laminating machine so that they can take care of their needs as and when they arise. Available in large, almost industrial models for heavy duty use and also in small, very much portable models for small organisation and individual use, the laminating machine has advanced in recent years to cater for all! But what do we use laminating machines for? Read on and we’ll tell you!

Publicity: How many times have you seen signs and posters hung on telegraph poles, posts and fences in the street? Countless times right?! Advertising your event, service, job or even missing pet, in this way is very effective as they immediately grab the attention of your audience; the great British public. Using A4 laminating pouches will protect your poster from the elements so that the message is always clear, legible and frankly, as good as new!

Preservation: Laminating is the best way to protect a document or certificate. The completely enclosed paper will not age, deteriorate, crease, rip, fade or fly away, it will stay perfect. So next time you, or even your child is presented with an award, a certificate or a paper momentum of some kind, or similarly, next you present someone else with a certificate, consider laminating it so that not only will it keep its perfection, but also so it can be hung, pride of place on your wall.

Presentation: When you look around public buildings or places of work, you will see the various notices hung on the walls, pin boards and foyers. For example, health and safety guideline posters, fire safety notices, not to mention the various warnings, groups and symptom sheets you see hung in your doctor’s surgery. These notices will have been laminated for presentation purposes. If you were to hang a bare sheet, it will crumple, age and generally deteriorate, eventually looking too shabby to hang on the wall.

Wall and notice boards are an essential part of any business or public building. They are almost solely responsible for keeping staff, visitors, members and customers up to date with the ‘goings on’ and upcoming events of your establishment. Wall and notice boards can include drywipe boards, white boards, pin boards, letter boards, display boards and so on. Depending on what message you need to give, these useful boards are used to ‘speak’ where you cannot. You cannot be there at all times to give each and every person of relevance to your establishment the information you wish to require. A notice board allows you to put up (or write, or display in some way) your messages so that at your audiences desire, they may read this information leaving you to get on with the running of your business.

A very useful aspect of wall and notice boards is their interchange ability; whether it is a pin board, a whiteboard and chalk board, a foyer board, a letter board or a display board, at any time you can go and adjust the message as you please. You can leave your board open to changes so that other staff members, or those of relevance to your ‘group’ can add and change what it displays. Whatever your need and whatever the style you require, here at Office 365 we will have an option for you.

Letter Boards – These freestanding fabric boards come complete with chrome removable letters which will give a smart, professional look for your foyer or lobby. Many people use these when visitors or prospective customers and clients are visiting in order to direct them to the right place and to give an impression of their value.

Noticeboards – Notice board is the general term we give to a collection of boards which are designed to give information. They are available in drywipe, magnetic, felt, pin, cork, framed, and cabinet options and in a huge selection of colours, sizes, wall hanging, freestanding and frame finish options.

Display Boards – Our Display boards are a very popular option for companies who are likely to be changing the messages on their board frequently. If your business premises is used for a number of different events and seminars, then it will be necessary to guide various people to various different rooms and various different times during the course of a day. Our display boards are available in IN-Out board, foyer board, foam board, felt board and cabinet options each one boasting a smart finish, perfect for giving the best impression.

It is a well known fact that presentations given with the use of visual aids make a better impact on the audience than if you’d given the presentation without any use of visual tools. However even through the progression from flipchart to overhead projectors, from overhead projectors to projectors and computers, from projectors and computers to PowerPoint and Keynote, the single most widely used presentation tool remains the flipchart pad!

Flipchart pads and pens may seem as though they’re from prehistoric times, however you will often find in life that simple tools come out best! Using a flipchart system provides a fast an effective way to put a presentation forward, brainstorming your own ideas and those of others. Everyone can use a pen and paper, and we can all safety say that we are truly ‘engaged’ when involved in a conversation or lecture. So when using a flipchart pad, you know that when you want to get your audience involved, it’s as simple as calling them up, handing them the pen and allowing them the limelight for a moment to illustrate their point, from pen-to-paper, so to speak.

The beauty of it is that its so simple to elaborate on your topic, or argument; your audience can have their say while you make notes and illustrations, expanding and brainstorming, sketching out their ideas the old fashioned way, a way that everyone can relate to. Just think, a flipchart presentation requires so power, no electricity and little advance planning and preparation. There’s no need to dim the lights, no need to explain what the equipment is that you’re using, no need to stock up on bulbs, screen and other expensive supplies; just a pad of paper and a pen.

Here at Office 365 we have a vast selection of flipcharts from Bi-Office, Nobo, Post-it, Quartet and White Box, plus we also have a cheaper variety from 5 Star! Our 5 Star A1 Perforated Flipchart Pad featured to your right is a fantastic example of quality features plus economy value!

• Top quality A1 flipchart pad
• Specially coated paper to prevent ink bleeding through
• 40 perforated sheets for easy tear-off
• Size: A1 (813 x 584mm)
• Packed 5
• Only £12.98 (saving a huge £81.88 off the recommended retail price‼‼)

The RRP on these is a (in our opinion) hefty £94.86! You’ll find similar products from Nobo at the same kind of price which we have reduced to around the £40-60 mark, however our best reduction is the featured 5 Star product yet you make no sacrifice on quality! Coated paper preventing bleed through, handy perforated pages, packed in 5’s, 40 sheets, the same boxes are ticked throughout. Sometimes it isn’t necessary to buy the more expensive brands and this is a prime example of when this is the case! Offer applies for a limited time only and so we highly recommend that you stock up‼ So if you’d like to discuss prices on bulk orders, why not get in touch with us on 0870 766 1624!

Ah, what can I say about a letter tray, that I haven’t already said to you all 25 times?! (Answers on a post card please to Office 365 UK, Elles House, 4B Invincible Road, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 7QU…or alternatively leave a comment on this article!) However it seems you still want more! I’m sure our budding readers are just game for a giggle, okay, oaky *waves white flag* you win! Now you can all laugh from the bottom of your bellies at my pitiful attempt to write an interesting review on one of our letter trays; so here goes…

Cast your eyes over our Leitz Sorty Standard Letter Tray featured to your right *demonstrates ‘to the right’ with hands*. This isn’t any old letter tray, in fact there’s nothing standard about this one;

• One tray only
• Can be linked horizontally or stacked vertically
• Three internal slots allow dividers to accommodate envelopes and paper!
• Supplied with 1 tinted smoke divider
• Supplied with transparent label holder and insert
• WxDxH: 370x272x90mm
• Weight: 711g
• Blue
• RRP £20.06 – Our price just £12.43! That’s a saving of £7.63‼

Not a bad idea really. The usual letter tray is a standard little desktop shelf without partitions, some stack and some need risers in order to stack. But these beauties have a choice of 3 internal slot positions so that you can separate your different papers, for example, envelopes from papers and other such like. What’s more, you’ll find the divider is included so that you’re all ready to go the minute your tray arrives! But it gets better; these letter trays can not only be stacked on top of each other, but they can even be linked side by side.

The Green Bit

Leitz are an Essselte brand who aim to provide high quality, innovative and long-lasting products which help get tasks done quickly and efficiently. They also aspire to create high customer value by reducing waste throughout all of our processes. The brand are aware of the impact this has on the environment and reduce it wherever possible. Most Esselte brands office products contain paper and cardboard and almost all of these are already made from 100% recycled material making them highly eco-friendly. This recycled material alone saves around 1 million trees per year! Esselte take responsibility for the consequences of their action on the environment. In their words ‘The disposable society is coming to an end. We make quality products that last. Innovation, progression and imagination drive us, today and tomorrow’.

Esselte strive to reduce waste of all kinds from all areas of their business. Less waste from their company also means less burden on the environment. For example: A more energy-conscious running of their plastic moulding machinery saves approx. 350 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. For example: A more efficient use of warehouse space saves heating and lighting which amounts to approx 40 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.

Caught without a pencil sharpener? Not the end of the world you say? You must be kidding! Try telling that to the kids! Here’s the scenario; after an exceedingly long day at work, it’s time to get dinner on the go, you need to get the kids out of your hair and are reluctant to allow them MORE television time, so the obvious choice would be to suggest they go draw some pictures, or make granddad a birthday card, colour in their colouring book, basically get arty! Encouraging your child’s creative side is fundamental to their brains development so it’s always best to suggest they get out the pens and paper than it is to suggest they watch the television! So the kids get artistic and you get busy cooking the dinner, but next thing you hear is “muuuuum, I can’t find a pencil sharpener” so you calmly suggest they find another pencil, but “muuuuum, they all need sharpening”. So in utter desperation you get out the vegetable knife and attempt to chisel away the wood casing to reveal the lead within. Not a great idea, its dangerous and doesn’t give good results!

In work its always best to write drafts in pencil and make notes with pencil, so keeping a pencil sharpener in your desk tidy or desk drawer is essential. Finally, those of you who wear eyeliner and use eyebrow pencils will know how important it is to have a sharp tip to work with; having a pencil sharpener in your make-up bag is a MUST.

Here at Office 365 we have a selection of pencil sharpeners to suit every budget and environment, whether this is a busy working office, for occasional make-up use, or for use in schools by delicate hands! However in all my experience nothing beats the metal pencil sharpener!

Take a look at our 5 Star Double Hole Pocket Sized Metal Pencil Sharpener featured.

• Pocket-sized metal wedge sharpener
• For pencils up to 8mm in diameter
• Just 50p more than the single hole version
• Allows you to sharpen both standard pencils and the thicker/wider varieties
• Ideal for school and make-up.
• Just £1.83 for a pack of 5!

These sharpeners have a recommended retail price of £6.92 for the pack which would make them £1.38 each. However we’re selling them with a staggering £5.08 off, making them just 37p each! Now that’s what I call value for money‼ If you have any questions at all, would like to order in bulk, or would simply prefer to place your order by phone, then please do not hesitate to contact us on 0870 766 1624.