Basic Office Supplies Essentials

2019 Dec 02

If you're in the workforce and in an office, or if you're new to the workforce, you might be wondering what essential and basic office supplies you might need.

As someone who has worked for years in various office settings myself, there are a few supplies that no one ever told me I should keep on hand just in case that have been invaluable - and I want to save you the headache of learning that yourself and tell you what they are.

This can mean keeping them in your car or at work, depending on your work situation. Of course, if you lucked out and have a flexible work from home - aka telework - policy like Tim Ferris discusses in his book The Four Hour Work Week ¹ (which we have talked about previously in the "Top 5 Books to Achieve Financial Freedom" post), you're probably already good to go.

Spare Shoes (+ socks if needed)

I always keep a spare pair of shoes at work and it has saved me over the years. I choose a neutral color with a lot of cushion for my backup shoes. For years my go-to has been Crocs ballet flats. No one ever knows they're Crocs and they are comfortable and dressy enough to function as a work backup.

For guys, try loafers from the same brand. My husband hated Crocs until he had these - now he has several pairs and wears them every day. And if you need extra socks, try something that is moisture-wicking and unobtrusive.

Here's a few reasons to keep a spare pair on hand - and all of these have happened to me and people I know.

• Your shoes break out of the blue. Sometimes a strap breaks, a heel gives out, a sole comes unglued. Sh-t happens - but you've got a backup ready.
• Your current shoes get soaked. I've gone to meetings in another building and went to head back to mine to discover it's now pouring outside. By the time I get back, my shoes are soaked - but I have a fresh pair waiting.
• Your current shoes start murdering your ankles and heel like a demon possessed chihuahua. Even putting on shoes that you have never had problems with you can suddenly discover after a few hours that your feet are killing you. Backup pair to the rescue.
• Unexpected walking/excursions. Sometimes you find out you're being Summoned or have to run an errand far enough away that walking in heels or your chosen footwear isn't feasible. Backup shoes to the rescue.

Desk Fan

Office temperatures suck. They constantly fluctuate or have issues - one day is freezing and the next day is sweltering. Or maybe you had to walk back from a meeting in mid-August and now you feel like you took a humidity shower. Get yourself a little desk fan.

I use mine year-round and there is a set of key characteristics you want in a good desk fan:

• Quiet - don't be that person who has a noisy fan.
• Safe - last thing you need is a fan that breaks or is unsafe.
• Small - desk space is usually at a premium these days, so get something with a small footprint.

The best one I've found so far is the Vornado Zippi Personal Fan. I've had mine since 2015 and it still runs like it's brand new despite constant use. The cloth fan blades are incredibly quiet and don't take up visual space, but creates a strong air current if you turn it up - plus it doesn't need a USB to run (and when you have limited USB ports, that's a bonus.) A note in 2025: my Zippi fan still works. Long term endorsement.

Blanket - or shawl / sweater

You get where I'm going with this one. A fan fixes things when you overheat at work. A blanket, shawl, or sweater fixes things when you're cold. Keep something handy to stay warm in the office. I actually keep all three in my personal basic office supplies since it gets very cold in my office here in New England (sometimes I use them all at once).

• Blankets
  • Ideal if you wear dresses or cropped pants to keep your legs warm. Keep it simple and washable so that if anything happens you can clean it up. Try something like this ribbed blanket or even this fleece one.
• Shawls or Sweaters
  • I honestly think of shawls like shoulder blankets. I have this one and adore it; while thin, it is very warm. I actually love it so much that I have two different colors - one for home and one for work.
  • Not a shawl person? Go for a sweater. Pick a neutral option that works with the majority of your clothes. Here are two sample options: Wrangler Men's Sweater or the Sidefeel Women's Hooded Sweater.

Stain Remover

Do I really need to explain this one? Accidents happen and can be embarrassing. Keep a stain remover in your basic office supplies toolkit. I like the Tide Pen because it's great for both colors and whites (YMMV).

Raincoat (+ rain boots)

Keep a good raincoat at the office. Notice I'm not recommending an umbrella. I have yet to find an umbrella that has not excitedly wrung itself inside out at the first opportunity. Invest in a good, long raincoat (to help protect your legs, too) and don't worry about dealing with an umbrella. Here's a longer one for women and a longer one for men.

You might as well throw in some rain boots, while you're at it. King Bacon and I both adore Xtratuf boots. My brother, who's a merchant mariner, swore by them and now we do, too. Here's a men's option and a women's option.

Spare Phone Charger

If you don't already keep a spare phone charger at work...you should. One day you'll forget to either bring it with you or bring it home, and you'll be dead in the water. Keep an extra at work - don't bother spending a lot of money since it's just a spare to add to your basic office supplies kit.

Here's an affordable USB C option for Android and other devices, and an iPhone cord that will work with that USB C brick for those of you who like Apple. If you prefer wireless, Anker is truly a great brand.

Spare Headphones

Headphones, if you're allowed to wear them, are essential for offices these days with open or cube layouts where you can hear absolutely everyone and everything they're doing. They are great for helping tune out distractions to focus on deep work. I'm over the moon with my Sony WH-1000XM4 over-ear headphones that I personally think are way better sound-quality-wise than the Bose QuietComfort over-ear headphones equivalent. If you prefer earbuds, this is where Bose shines with the QuietComfort Ultra earbuds. I tried a lot of earbuds and these by far and beyond were the best in my opinion. The Jabra Elite 10s were my second favorite of the several sets of earbuds I tried. If you like traditional wired options, I'm a big fan of the Sony wired earbuds.