Deciding on the level of office supplies to keep in stock may seem like a rather trivial and unimportant task, but in reality it is anything but. Although each individual item may be of small value, given the number and variety of such items that most businesses use in the course of their normal operations, the cost of making the wrong decision can quickly add up. Conversely, the benefits of choosing carefully and wisely will soon become apparent, and if put into practice may save your company a surprising amount of money. You can start by following a few simple tips.

1. Keep track of your supplies

It will save you both time and cash if you always have a good idea of your inventory. Maintaining such a record will prevent unnecessary expenditure on items you already have available, and will remove the frustration of being forced to put a job on hold for lack of the equipment you need. The most vital supplies, such as printer paper or batteries, should be topped up at a regular time each month. Keep enough of these in reserve that you can have confidence that you will always be able to work through to the end of a particular task without worrying about stock levels.

2. Keep the most used items immediately to hand

You will find that there are certain supplies, usually small items, which you require in the course of every working day. These are likely to include the likes of pens, notepads and sticky notes. Make sure that you have a small stock of these somewhere you can reach them very fast, such as in a drawer of your desk. It may not seem as though a trip to collect these essentials would take up very much time, but if you have to make a number of such trips during the course of a day, the time lost will soon begin to stack up.

3. Reduce clutter for greater efficiency

There are likely to be objects that you have need for only infrequently, and it is unproductive and a waste of valuable space to keep these on hand at all times. Examples might include bulky items such as furniture or paper guillotines. Which items come into which category will depend on the precise nature of your work, and you should consider the nature of the tasks you are likely to be undertaking in the near future. However, for the most part, these items can be stored in a suitable place away from your desk. This will allow them to be retrieved when needed, but without impinging on your usual working environment.

Although, in today\’s ever-changing working environment, it is difficult to be absolutely sure which office supplies you will require on any given day, a little thought and planning should give you the best possible chance of being fully prepared. Following these steps will also have the bonus of making your working space cleaner of clutter, thereby ensuring you benefit from a more productive working environment.

Ben Greenwood is writing on behalf of Cartridge World, providers of office supplies including toner cartridges.

Ben Greenwood is writing on behalf of Cartridge World (http://www.cartridgeworld.co.uk), providers of office supplies, including ink cartridges and toner cartridges.

Author Bio: Ben Greenwood is writing on behalf of Cartridge World, providers of office supplies including toner cartridges.

Category: Business
Keywords: office supplies,inkjet cartridges, toner cartridges, printer cartridges