Maybe you’re tired of stacking the important files in your home office in piles on your desk, or worse yet, your floor. Or perhaps the file cabinets in your office are aging as gracefully as Ms. Havisham. You nearly dislocate your shoulder every time you yank one file drawer open, and can’t remember the last time any of them closed completely. In other words, it’s time to buy a filing cabinet.Now that you’re ready to properly store, organize and protect your office files and documents, don’t whip out the company credit card just yet. There a few important considerations to make before you buy. How much room do you have in your office? How many files does the cabinet need to hold? How long do you need your file cabinet to last? If you like making significant office furniture purchases only once, slow down and pay attention. Smart Office is going to show you how to choose a filing cabinet.

Cabinet style, construction and safety are the most important considerations while shopping for a file cabinet, but these days, there are a range of other features available. If you regularly transport a large number of files, consider a mobile file cart. Most offices file storage needs expand over time. If you select your file cabinet from a furniture collection, you can always get a matching cabinet if you need to, as well as complimentary hutches, bookcases and other storage and display options.

If you’ve got more questions on choosing an office file cabinet, or office furniture in general, fell free to call on the experts at On Time Supplies. They can be reach toll free at 1-866-501-6055, or via the live chat feature at OnTimeSupplies.com

I’m one of those people who thinks my PC runs on magic and wishful thinking, but even I know that too many files and unused applications suck up loads of RAM and slow down my machine. I try to delete old and temporary files from time to time, but sometimes, you’ve just got to snap on the rubber gloves and do some serious deep cleaning. Knowing what is safe to delete can be hard, but that’s what patient and generous computer nerds are for — explaining PC maintenance to the rest of us.

Stephanie Vaughn Hapke is practically the queen of the computer nerds. She’s the President and CEO of GeekGirl Consulting LLC, a computer consulting company. In an article in the Huffington Post, Hapke shares some startling statistics on just how much time workers waste wading through the digital files clogging up their computers. Thankfully she also shares some tips on how to better manage your files. Check them out here.

PC World is another great resource for us overwhelmed Luddites. They feature a series of articles with step by step instructions on clearing unwanted files from your machine. In “Reduce Windows Clutter, Improve Performance,” Steve Bass explains how to cleanup your desktop. Matt Lake’s “PC Workout” offers a few easy steps that will have your computer running as smooth and as fast as it did when you bought it.  Lincoln Spector uses his Answer Line column to identify the mysterious running applications listed when you hit Ctrl+Alt+Del, and tells you which you can close and which should always be running.

I get nervous futzing around with anything on my PC. That’s why I’m glad people like Hapke and publications like PC World exist. Nothing soothes an anxious technophobe like easy to understand advice from a certified computer nerd.

Move over, Heloise. Our friends over at Eureka offer some great tips on re-purposing household items into cleansers and dust busters. Who knows how to clean better than a vacuum manufacturer? Every one’s trying to save a few bucks these days, so it’s nice of Eureka to show us how to tackle household tasks without making a trip to the store. Even better, recycle and reuse are the green manta, so if you follow these tips, you’ll be doing your bit to save the planet!

Eureka compiled this list from its customers, so all the tips and tricks have been tested in homes all across America. My favorite comes from Erin of Makanda, IL. “Hot vinegar has been my cleaning secret. It cleans soap scum, windows, extra dirty/soiled laundry, and even our toilet. One thing to be wary of is vinegar that does not say it is made from grain, because it could be made from petroleum products.”

Check it out the entire list here!

We all know Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving, long-held to be one of the best times to get great deals) is almost upon us. I’ve always had a bit of a problem with this tradition, though, and it boils down to one statement: “PEOPLE ARE FREAKING CRAZY.”

You might remember the Wal-Mart worker who was trampled to death during a Black Friday “doorbuster” rush. Maybe you chuckled over people physically fighting each other over the last Xbox 360. All in all, it seems our deal-hunting culture sometimes trumps our common sense.

So here’s an idea: why not stay home? Find yourself a nice cozy computer and cuddle up with some every-day great deals from your favorite office supply company. All of the major office big-box stores are going to try to tempt you with dubious deals to get you in the store on a chilly November morning. Either you camp out in the cold to save a couple bucks on pens, or heaven forbid show up late to find all the good stuff cleaned out, and resign to pay their overinflated prices on regular goods so you don’t feel like you “wasted a trip.” I say SKIP IT.

How does reliable service, huge inventory, and free shipping on orders over $75 sound? It just so happens I know some guys…

My best friends in the whole wide world over at Lifehacker once again made my life easier by compiling an awesomely helpful list of amazing office supply tweaks and hacks.

Check the full article for a list of time-and-space saving ideas for making your home or honest-to-goodness office more bearable.

They range from using specialty cable-management products to no-nonsense suggestions like dry erase solutions and label makers, and even includes lunchtime tips and ways to save energy.

Check out the full post for all the goodies!

After writing my article on ordering a replacement caster for my office chair, I realized that when all was said and done I would have rather ordered a replacement CHAIR for my office chair. This thing came from a big-box store as a stopgap measure to replace a nice leather chair I had inherited but eventually fell apart. What was supposed to last me a few weeks has turned into a few years, and today when I leaned back and a screw fell out of the bottom of the chair, I knew it was time to go shopping.

That’s when I realized I know nothing about office chairs. I mean, sure, I know you sit in them and they keep you off the floor and they’re a handy place to hang your coat, but other than that I had no idea what went into selecting one. I tended to just walk into the store and sit on things until I found one I liked and wasn’t too expensive. I decided to educate myself on the subject a little more and I’m here to pass my findings on to you.

Three options that all came up during a search for “office chairs.”
I think I notice some differences.

I figured my first step should be to call around to some leading manufacturers of chairs and find out what they recommend. The best info I got came from Hon, one of the top names in office furniture and all around swell folks. Between a helpful customer service call and a free .PDF they sent me called “how to buy office furniture”, I’ve compiled a list of their recommendations.

Operate within your budget. As much as I hate to be a stickler for price, this is one piece of advice I can agree with. While your chair budget should be high for a personal chair (the price is worth the comfort if you’re going to be sitting in it all day, every day), you still need to set one. The sheer amount of different chairs will stagger you if you go shopping by features before setting a price point. So narrow it down to a healthy price range, and then start looking at options.

Consider your Position. After you’ve decided on a price point, consider how often the chair is going to be used, and in what context. The amount of use a chair will see should definitely determine its type, and the Hon buying guide has some tips for this scenario:

1. Employees who sit six to eight hours a day performing multiple tasks should have high-performance task chairs with ergonomic controls that let the user adjust the chair to suit his or her body size and work style. Many chairs now use passive ergonomic adjustments that maintain a comfortable configuration as the user moves. (More on ergonomics later.)

2. People who use computers should have adjustable armrests to maintain a comfortable position at the keyboard. The chair’s tilt feature should allow users to look at the computer screen at a comfortable angle no matter how much they lean forward or back.

3. Executives may not need all the performance features as they spend less time sitting down, but may require leather or more high-tech materials to project a strong, professional image.

They go on to mention that a chair should have a solid warranty on parts and fabric, and to keep in mind that something like a waiting room chair or conference room chair should be treated differently than a “work chair”, since those are meant to be sat in by many people for short amounts of time, not one person for long durations. On that note:

Think ergonomically. You’re going to be sitting in this chair for a long time, so you need to know that you can adjust it to fit your ergonomic needs. In case you didn’t know, ergonomics is the study of suiting the work environment to fit the worker, in order to maximize human potential. It is often used as a stand-in for “comfort” when talking about the workplace. I plan on doing a whole post on ergonomics at some point, so for now we’ll take it to mean adjusting your chair to maximize comfort, reduce stress, and generate a comfortable work environment.

To begin, make sure your chair has all the adjustment options you think you might need. The Hon rep told me one of the reasons to start with price is that any chair that’s worth buying is going to have enough of these options that anyone will be able to customize it to fit their needs. After seeing some of their options charts, I believe it:

Okay. Up, down, back, forward. I can dig it. That’s what chairs should do, right? Seems pretty cut-and-dry…oh, wait. What’s that?

For a more detailed explanation of all these features,
check out the Chair Buying guide at On Time Supplies.

This is science at work, people. There’s a reason why ergonomics is big business, and why it’s important to take care of yourself by using the wealth of options available to you. Bad posture and poor ergonomics can lead to repetitive stress injury, chronic back pain, eyestrain and more. By making sure your chair has even a fraction of these adjustment options, you’re well on your way to customizing your workspace in a way that fits you.

A great resource I found is Ergotron, which has an ergonomic calculator  that tells me that I’ve got my desk set up all wrong. A couple of small tweaks and I can feel it working already, though I’m nowhere near perfection. Hopefully my new chair, whatever it ends up being, will help fix all that.

In conclusion, let’s sum up by saying there are three things to consider when buying a chair: comfort, quality, and price, and they all inter-relate while you are shopping. Set a price point that’s within your budget, and look for a high-quality chair from a reliable dealer that has features that allow you to adjust it to fit your comfort. Any retailer worth their salt should offer a buying guide for the chairs they sell, and don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and call them (or the chair manufacturer) with any questions. We’re all here to help.

For your high-output devices, there’s a chance that your regular bargain-bin batteries aren’t cutting it any more. I know I’ve bought AA batteries from the dollar store thinking I’m getting a great deal, only to have them not even be recognized by my digital camera. A lot of cheap-o batteries don’t even have enough juice in them straight out of the box to power a lot of today’s high-end electronics, but luckily there are plenty of affordable alternatives.

Lithium

Lithium batteries are pretty much the brass ring of portable electric power. For a long time this technology had not been efficiently miniaturized, and Lithium batteries were either too big or too expensive for everyday use. In recent years, though, this cost has come down substantially, and now you can buy Lithium AA replacements for about the same cost as Alkaline (or “traditional”) batteries. According to some promo material picked up from Energizer reps, the Energizer Ultimate Lithium AAs (for example):

• Lasts up to eight times longer in digital cameras, 7 hours longer in handheld GPS devices, and 2x longer in photo flashes than their Energizer MAX brand.
• Are leak resistant and offer a 15-year storage life (vs. 7 years for ordinary Alkalines).
• Function in extreme temperatures, from -40°F to 140°F, making them perfect for GPS devices, radios and other outdoor gear that may see hard-weather use.

The lists go on and on, but basically Lithium is poised to become the new standard in battery use. The only downside is that the cost is still relatively high when compared with traditional alkalines, though it’s nowhere near where it was a few years ago. Also, given the performance boost you get from Lithium, it’s a matter of buying one set of slightly higher-priced batteries or potentially buying up to three sets of regular batteries over the same time frame for the same amount of use. Seems like a no-brainer to me, especially when there are many price points to choose from (Energizer, for example, has an “Advanced” Lithium battery line to complement the “Ultimate” line mentioned above, at a slight reduction in cost and performance).

Professional or High-Output Alkaline

This type of Alkaline battery does not quite stack up to Lithium, but is a solid choice for buying in bulk and getting a comparatively dependable battery for your electronics. These Alkalines, like the Duracell Procell line, are formulated to be able to handle the high-power draw of devices like digital cameras, while still being as cost-effective as traditional Alkalines.

The downside to these batteries is that while they can handle the initial power draw of a high-output device, they won’t last nearly as long as a lithium of the same type. These batteries would be a perfect choice for flashlights, remote controls, and other devices that see intermittent use but need to be fully charged when you need them. You wouldn’t want to put a pricey Lithium battery in a flashlight you might not turn on for months, and these high-powered Alkalines are a suitable alternative.

Rechargeable Batteries

NiMH or Nickel-Metal Hydride rechargeable batteries have grown in popularity recently as one of the best ways to cut down on battery spending. In a world of high-power-draw, constant-use devices like MP3 players, cell phones, PDAs, wireless video game controllers and other gadgets, we’re burning through portable electricity like there’s no tomorrow, and rechargeables can help manage that.

The basic idea should need no explaining: make an initial investment of a charger and a set of batteries, and instead of buying new ones when they go dead, plug them into the charger. Presto! Fresh batteries in a matter of hours and no extra cost involved. The only real downsides to rechargeables are areas in which there is constant improvement: price and performance.

Rechargeables cost substantially more than use-once batteries, and the charges used to be a substantial investment as well. However, as part of a growing trend toward eco-friendly products, rechargeable batteries have seen a lot of support lately as an environmentally friendly alternative to filling up landfills with one-time-use batteries. This has allowed the costs to come down significantly.

As far as performance, rechargeables were never meant to be on par with their high-power counterparts, but were instead to be used in a case where you’re going to be drawing small amounts of power out of a device frequently enough to not want to keep shelling out for batteries. So for the products I listed above and other items like wireless computer mice, flashlights and so on, rechargeables may be the perfect choice.

Hopefully this information will help you make an informed choice about batteries and realize that there’s no need to throw away money on the cheap stuff when a smaller investment and a bit of planning can save you a ton of money in the long run.

One of the coolest trends to come about in the digital, computer-driven age of office products is the ability to personalize your media. No longer content with just writing “Presentations” or “Office Jams ‘09” on our discs with a Sharpie, true connoisseurs of personalized media now have a wealth of options to choose from. Let’s take a look at the various levels available.

Printed Labels

The most cost-friendly and accessible level of labeling discs, the printable label comes in a variety of formats. These labels come in a pack like standard printer paper, and are available in glossy, matte or even clear varieties. Simply choose a brand of label, download the free template for use in your graphics editor of choice, and choose your design. Since you’re printing directly on a self-adhesive label just as you would print any other document, the sky is the limit in terms of color and design.

There are plenty of freeware label creation programs out there, as well
as templates for Photoshop and other image programs.

As far as application goes, if you feel you don’t have a steady enough hand to line up the label yourself, there’s a really cool product called the Stomper: just lay your label down sticky-side up, put a disc upside-down on the top peg, and press down. Presto! Perfectly applied labels every time. I have one of these and I have to say when I got it I had what could be described as a potentially inappropriate amount of fun labeling every homemade disc I own.

The only real downside to printable labels is permanence; if the disc is handled frequently or will need to be accessed for a long period of time, there’s the chance that the label will start to curl or peel up off the disc. Since the cost is so low per label, though, it’s easy to just print off a replacement for a frequently-used disc.

Printable Discs

Taking the idea of a printable label one step further, it is also possible to buy special discs which have been prepared specifically to be printed on. Since you are printing directly onto the disc itself, there’s no worry of the label peeling off, and you still get the same range of color and design choices. Since there’s no flexibility in the disc, you may notice some “pass lines” from your printer; color gradients and edges can get a little fuzzy, so simple designs are usually the best.

Quality is not photo-perfect but definitely impressive.

The downside to printing directly onto a disc is the fact that you need a printer capable of doing it, but any modern office printer worth its salt should have this option, so you’re probably not in any trouble there. If it turns out your home or office budget doesn’t allow for purchasing special hardware, there’s always the perfectly acceptable option of printing your own labels as described above.

Lightscribe

Speaking of special hardware, one of the coolest innovations I’ve seen in a while is Lightscribe. Here, instead of using a standalone printer to print with ink on a disc, the Lightscribe drive uses the same laser to burn both your media and your design onto a specially-prepared disc. After the disc is finished burning, you take it out, flip it over, and put it back in the drive to have the top etched with whatever design you want. Special chemicals on the disc are darkened by the laser, providing a near-permanent design without using any of your precious printer ink.

I don’t know what kind of office would print a disc like this, but I want to work there.

The downside to Lightscribe is that the designs are monochromatic, since you are not using ink. The process is similar to woodburning or any other etching; you end up with a light grey design on a solid color background (usually gold, though silver and other color options are sometimes available). The cool thing is that Lightscribe drives work with the special discs to map your design’s location, so you can give multiple passes to darken the disc or even add on to the design later without worrying that it will come out crooked.

So there you have it! A couple of simple options to help you customize one of the most commonly used items in any office: the humble burned disc. In an age where data is increasingly passed around via USB stick or memory card, it’s possible that the burned CD or DVD is on its way out the door (which makes me feel old; remember when we were saying that about floppy disks?), but in the meantime, don’t be afraid to dress up your discs before handing them out. It will add an air of fun or professionalism to an otherwise blank canvas.

If you have any particularly stand-out examples of custom labeling, email them to me at chase@ontimesupplies.com and I’ll be sure to showcase them here.

It’s a fact: lots of people are looking for work right now. The economy isn’t doing so hot and a potential employee needs to do everything they can to separate themselves from the (increasingly growing) pool of applicants. Luckily, with the right equipment and a little gusto, it’s easy to make yourself the stand-out choice during a job search. Here are some helpful tips:

The Resume
Your resume and cover letter are most likely going to be the first thing a potential employer sees of you, and likely the last thing left on file after your interview has come and gone. Employers will look at it and see if they even want to meet you, and after they have, they’ll look to it for reminders of why they thought it was a good idea in the first place. It’s your first line of defense in the war on unemployment, and too few resume writers take it seriously enough.

Your first step is obviously compiling your list. Every resume will use some standard elements: skills list, job history, education experience, and so on. How you present these skills needs to be tailored to the job you’re seeking, and there are plenty of resources online to help with that. Here is a list of ten resume writing tips that I’ve always found really helpful. Look around a bit and you’ll find no shortage of other lists that will help you craft a resume that’s perfect for the job you’re seeking.

Now here’s the part that a lot of people don’t think about in this digital age: how your resume is printed. A lot of the time you’ll be able to get by sending your resume through email, but if a job requires a printed resume, think of it as a bonus: you get the chance to make it stand out that much further. I’ve always been a fan of Southworth Credentials Linen Paper because it’s got a rich, natural feel and it’s slightly heavier than standard printer paper. Anything that can give your resume some tone and a little extra heft (look for something higher than 20lb. paper, the linen linked above is 24lb., for example) will make it that much harder to overlook in a stack of identical inkjet copies. Granite is also a good choice for resumes, as it has a bit of slate coloring to make for a rich, professional appearance.

The extra weight and texture of linen (above) or parchment paper
makes for a standout resume.

Business Cards
On the subject of printing, one of the things a lot of people overlook is the idea of making your own business card. Most individuals aren’t willing to shell out the high startup costs of having silkscreened business cards made, considering that any time the information on the card changes (address, phone number, etc.) an entire new set of cards needs to be made, complete with new startup costs.

Thankfully, companies like Avery (one of the biggest names in do-it-yourself labels) produce high-quality printable business card stock that allows anyone to print up professional-looking cards for a fraction of the price of pre-mades. I first learned of this when I made some cards with the dubious title of “freelance journalist”, but let me tell you, when “freelance” means “unemployed and broke”, it was cool being the only one in the room with a business card.

Just recently in fact, my boss found himself en route to a trade show and realized he didn’t have any business cards. Whereas a re-order from a major supplier might take weeks, he was able to sit down with a .pdf template and print himself off a stack before leaving the house. And in my opinion, the best part is the freedom self-printing can offer. I’ve known art students who recreated classic paintings on their business cards, theater folks who put full-color headshots in the corner, and lots of other equally amazing designs that were printed for the price of ink. Plus, you can print off a run of black-and-white basic cards to drop in fishbowls to try to win free sandwiches. Any product that comes with the potential to get me a free sandwich is A-okay in my book.

Looking good, champ!

Envelopes and Address Labels
Once again, this is something that seems to have gone by the wayside in this digital age, but a hard-copy follow-up letter can go a long way to cementing yourself in your future employer’s mind as someone who is serious about the position. Even if your letter is basically a dressed-up version of “thank you for your time”, receiving actual correspondence from you after the interview is a way of letting them know you appreciate the opportunity and look forward to hearing back from them. Again, style goes a long way.

Use the same kind of high-quality paper you used for your resume, and pick up some matching envelopes to make sure your letter stands out from the junk mail. Next, you have another opportunity for creativity to shine through: custom address labels.

Once again Avery steps up the plate with a whole line of DIY products. If you just want to use a nice font and keep it simple, I’d go with the clear labels to let the quality of your envelope shine through. Or, you can pick up some opaque labels and do a little graphic design to make your return address really stand out. Tie it in with your business card and you’ve got a cohesive package that tells the job world that you’re a professional, or at least an accomplished amateur with all their affairs in order.

Sometimes simplicity is best, but depending on the job
you can get pretty creative in such a tiny space.

Lastly, and this may seem silly coming from a blog about office supplies: keep your chin up. Times are tough all over and lots of people are getting desperate for a job. And while it may seem like someone who is literally begging for work would be appealing to an employer, it’s much more important to have confidence in your abilities and skills, and showcase that in your interactions with your future boss. Play it cool and stand on your own merits, and you’ll be fine. Good luck, I wish you all the best.

The other day I found some very helpful information on the Mead brand web site about how to locate product numbers. The product number or SKU number is almost considered like a social security number, meaning it is the product and the key to identifying the correct product. We get calls all the time where customers are looking to match a product or find an existing product that they own and by identifying the actual product number on the product you are guaranteed a perfect match. I really hope that you find this helpful, and if anyone else out there has helpful links please feel free to pass them along.

Locate My Product/Order #

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Miles D. Young
On Time Supplies
A Division of M2 Commerce, LLC