Home office products keep paperwork, post and a desk organised: pens, markers and highlighters, notepads and refill pads, ring binders, box files and letter trays, envelopes and labels, duplicate books, till rolls, shredders, keyboards and mice, plastic storage boxes, and desk, clip-on and floor fans for keeping cool while you work.
Envelopes and labels
Envelope sizes follow paper sizes: change the A to a C to find the envelope for an unfolded sheet.
- C4: takes an A4 sheet flat, for documents that must not be folded.
- C5: takes A4 folded in half, or A5 flat.
- DL: takes A4 folded into three, and suits compliment slips.
Labels come on sheets in set sizes and numbers per sheet, given in millimetres. Match the label to your printer type, such as laser, and to the template in your software.
Shredders
Shredders are rated by security level, from P-1 to P-7 under the standard for destroying data carriers. Strip-cut machines, at P-1 and P-2, cut paper into long strips and suit general papers with nothing confidential. Cross-cut or particle-cut machines, at P-3 to P-5, cut paper into small pieces; a particle-cut shredder at P-4 or above is recommended for personal data such as payslips and tax papers. Micro-cut machines at P-6 and P-7 make the smallest particles. Also check how many sheets the shredder takes at once and the size of its bin.
Choosing supplies
Check the pack size and quantity, as many office lines come in multi-packs, and match ruling, binding and sheet size to the way you work. For batteries, cables and plug-in gadgets, see home electrical, or browse home essentials.
