The Ultimate Guide To Stationery, School Supplies & Home Office Setup

Even in an age of paperless workplaces and heavy online engagement, stationery supplies such as pencils, pens, notepads and rulers remain must-have items for school and the office. At Spotlight, you can find a huge range of stationery essentials and back-to-school supplies to ensure you're classroom-ready! Whether you're looking to set up a home office space or are ticking off items from a school stationery list, Spotlight's range of stationery & school supplies has you covered! Discover more about how to choose the right stationery items and the best pens for school with our informative buying guide. We also have some great DIY tips and tricks to add creative, personalised touches to customise your school stationery or study space!

Quick Links

• Make Your Mark With The Right Pens & Pencils
• Stay Organised With Notebooks, Notepads & Binder Folders
• Pencil Cases & Other Stationery Supplies
• Customise & Label Your Stationery Supplies
• How To Set Up A Study Or Home Office Space

Make Your Mark With The Right Pens & Pencils

When it comes to the absolute basic stationery items, pens, pencils & markers are often right at the top of the list. But how do you know which are the best pens or pencils for school or home? The answer is to have a range of options to hand, and to stock up on pencils or pens you know you (or your little ones) are going to churn through! Here are our suggestions for must-have pencils and markers to start your stationery supplies journey:

• Grey Lead Pencils: Simple grey lead pencils are one of the first types of pencils we encounter at school. Stock up on a supply of HB and 2B grey lead pencils to ensure you always have an erasable writing implement to hand. Budding artists or high school art students will also benefit from a pack of artist's graphite pencils with a range of lead softnesses that are ideal for drawing and sketching.
• Mechanical Pencils: Forget about sharpening pencils when you have a mechanical option! Also referred to as a "pacer" or "pacer pencil", a mechanical pencil allows you to draw lines and graphs with consistency and accuracy. A must-have item for high school maths students or keen graphic designers.
• Permanent Markers: A stash of permanent markers in your home office or study will always come in handy. Keep a selection on hand to label food containers, notebooks, packing boxes and much more!
• Dry Erase Markers: If you're a teacher then you'll know that dry erase markers are sometimes in short supply, so make sure you always have your own. Designed to write on whiteboards, dry erase markers can easily be erased as needed. Use them at home, where you can keep the family organised by writing shopping lists or to-do lists on either a whiteboard or even on your fridge!

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Stay Organised With Notebooks, Notepads & Binder Folders

Aside from pens and pencils, an assortment of notebooks should be at the top of your list when getting school-ready. Choose notebooks or journals with colourful, printed covers to make sure your note taking books are always instantly identifiable! Spiral-bound notebooks are great for removing pages if needed, and can be easier to write in than staple-bound books as they open to sit completely flat on your desk. Another top tip is to select a journal or notebook with a hardcover. Not only will your notes be more protected, but you'll be able to easily jot down ideas while on the go!

What's the best notebook size?

Notebooks are typically made in A4, A5 and A6 sizes. If you're a tertiary or secondary student, A4 lined notebooks allow you ample space for note-taking. An A5 notebook size is half of A4, and is a great size for keeping in your handbag to jot down quick notes, reminders or shopping lists.

Notebook/Journal Sizes:

• A6: 105 x 148mm / 10.5 x 14.8cm
• A5: 148 x 210mm / 14.8 x 21 cm
• A4: 210 x 297mm / 21 x 29.7cm
• A3: 297 x 420mm / 29.7 x 42cm

How else can I organise my notes & projects for school or work?

Note-taking can be quite personal, with many people developing their own style or shorthand. If you like to be able to change the order of your handwritten notes, choose a binder folder with loose-leaf lined paper. Display books are a type of folder that utilises plastic sleeves to protect notes, printouts and art projects. Choose from a range of sizes to suit your needs - A3 and A2 size portfolios are ideal for art and design students, and often include a carry handle on the spine for ease of transport.

Likewise, if you're a visual learner or like to add drawings to your notes, why not select a range of visual diaries? Choose from blank visual diaries, or the "sketch and write" variety, which alternate plain pages with lined pages so you can have the best of both worlds!

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Pencil Cases & Other Stationery Supplies

Pencil cases are one of the best ways to contain all your essential pens, pens, markers and other stationery basics. They're easily transportable in school backpacks or satchels, and are available in a range of hardwearing materials. Choose a plastic pencil case for ease of cleaning any accidental spills from a leaking pen, or opt for a clear pencil case so you can easily see all your materials at a glance.

What's the best pencil case for kids?

Young kids getting ready for the new school year will always enjoy a brightly coloured pencil case, or one that they can decorate themselves! When checking off school supplies for the start of the academic year, make sure that you get a pencil case that will hold all the basics! For school-age children, opt for a large pencil case with lots of compartments. It'll help them stay organised and make packing for school in the morning that much easier!

What should I include in a pencil case?

If you're setting up a home office or art studio, it's a great idea to use more than one pencil case to separate out stationery and art supplies - think one for pens, pencils and erasers, another for coloured pencils and markers, and so on. For school-goers or students of any age, a pencil case should contain a ruler, eraser, selection of pens & pencils, a sharpener and a glue stick. Explore Spotlight's range of pencil sharpeners, glues & adhesives, erasers and rulers & measurement to fully equip your brand-new pencil case.

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Customise & Label Your Stationery Supplies

Just because pencil cases, stationery and office supplies are functional items, that doesn't mean they can't be decorative! Customised stationery is a great way to add a personal touch to these everyday items, as well as making them easily identifiable - an absolute win for little ones learning to keep track of their supplies in a busy classroom!

How to label pencils for school

To help your kids get classroom-ready, label their pencils to ensure that they always find their way back to their owner. There are many ways to label pencils for school - here are a few of our favourites:

• Use a label maker: If you have a label maker handy, it's super quick and easy to type out your kid's name and print enough labels for a whole pack of pencils.
• Scratch and mark: An oldie but a goodie! Use a Stanley knife or even a vegetable peeler to remove a section of paint from the outside of the pencil. You can then label the pencil directly on the exposed wooden section with a fine tipped permanent marker.
• Wrap with washi tape: Use a strip of washi tape to create a surface for marking with your child's name or initials. You can also use craft tapes & washi tapes to wrap around long sections of the pencil for an instant style statement.

DIY stationery Ideas

When it comes to customising notebooks, pencil cases or making your own library bags, Spotlight has you covered with a huge range of materials and back-to-school DIY ideas & essentials!

Craft machines are a fantastic way to create customised decals and iron-on adhesive designs to adorn plain pencil cases. Explore our range of craft blank components to discover calico pencil cases and tote bags - the perfect blank canvases to create your own personal mark on back to school essentials! Check out some of our blogs and FREE online projects to kick-start your back-to-school stationery makeover:

• 5 Ways To Personalise Your Stationery: Discover how to make a personalised pencil case with your Cricut machine, ideas for decorating journals with washi tape and customised water bottles, as well as DIY library bags and handmade bag tags.
• Pencil Case & Library Bag Project: Learn how to make simple, functional and decorative back-to-school essentials with our easy-to-follow pencil case and library bag project.
• Duck Pencil Case Project: Make a colourful and sturdy pencil case using drill, duck & canvas or printed decorator fabrics from Spotlight. Discover design inspiration and easy to follow instructions, downloadable as a convenient project sheet.
• Spiderman Satchel Project: Learn how to make a zippered pencil case and matching satchel. Perfect for all Spiderman lovers, this project can easily be adapted to match your little one's favourite comic book characters or colours.

How To Set Up A Study Or Home Office Space

Once you've found all your stationery essentials or completed your shopping from your child's school list, it's time to get your home organised for study! The key to any study or home office space is to ensure that everything has a place - this is where dedicated office storage comes into play. Ensure that your office area, study space or homework station is free of clutter and distractions - this means to organise it well and make sure that no "play" happens while you or your child is working!

Keep it organised with the right storage items

At Spotlight, you can find a handy selection of desk supplies & file organisers to keep your desk neat and tidy. Opt for a mini desktop bin to contain any scraps of paper, and explore our range of art & craft storage for more inspiration! You can find modular cubes for filing documents, rolling drawer organisers, folding workstations and much more!

Carts and trolleys are a fantastic way to expand your storage options without committing to accommodating additional desks or tables in your home. Best of all they can often be wheeled away once study is done, making them an ideal option for smaller homes when space is at a premium. Finally, you can always think outside the box when it comes to finding the right storage items for your home office. Explore Spotlight's range of home storage accessories to find the perfectly sized trays and containers for all your stationery essentials.

Create a healthy and productive homework environment

If you have school-aged children, then chances are you've encountered resistance to doing that much-dreaded homework! The key to easing into this part of the evening is to ensure you have a dedicated space and are creating healthy routines and habits around study time. Explore our handy guide to creating a kids study room & homework station, where you can find motivating tips and tricks for setting up a distraction-free desk, as well as great study snack ideas!

Get Classroom Ready With Stationery And Office Storage From Spotlight

Whether you've got a little one ready to embark on their school career or are just looking for stationery essentials to get back to the office, Spotlight has all your needs covered. Discover a range of free projects online where you can learn how to create DIY stationery, pencil cases, library bags and much more. Keen art and design students will also benefit from our extensive selection of art supplies, where you can discover art pads & visual diaries, paint & painting supplies, drawing supplies and more.

Shop stationery & school supplies, art & craft storage and storage accessories from Spotlight today, where you can discover everything you need to check off that school booklist and create a fabulously organised home study space.

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