Posted on

What role do books, pads and albums have to play in the 21st century office?

Books, pads and albums have long been among the most prominent office stationary, whether they take pride of place on the reception desk or are instead stuffed into the pocket of the overworked company director. However, you might think that such primitive things have long been superseded these days, given the emergence of tablet computers and smartphones. Well, here at Loco (http://www.Loco.ie), we’re here to remind you that they haven’t.

The truth is that many of us just haven’t yet fallen in love with such sophisticated devices when it comes to more work-like activities than watching YouTube videos or idly surfing the online news pages. Plus, there is such an astounding choice of affordable and high quality books, pads and albums in the business supplies range at Loco that it’s barely worth fiddling around with a pricey app that you’ll probably forget about as soon as you put the device back in your pocket.

Traditional books, pads and albums are easy to use for technophiles and technophobes alike, and are instantly recognisable. In a world in which absolutely everything now seems to be done via a screen, it’s somehow reassuring to be presented with something as tactile as a pen and paper. Such popular items of stationery as manuscript and business card books keep everything in one place. Plus, you don’t have to worry about Internet viruses and other nasties threatening your information.

You’d be amazed at the no-nonsense practical use that you can get out of a book, pad or album, not least courtesy of the astounding range of designs and sizes that we offer. Our manuscript books, for example, protect your notes over the long term thanks to their fully cased, sturdy hardback covers and spines. Or maybe you need a signature book that allows you to keep together your office’s vital signing-in documents? Not only do they have durable polypropylene covers, but their label inserts are also easily replaced.

Our current selection of pads, meanwhile, includes high quality analysis pads with quality white wove paper printed with line and column numbers, complete with a reference box at the head of the sheet. Or maybe you could do with accounts books that allow you to keep your company’s financial affairs in better order? We also sell memo pads on which to jot down daily activities, repositional notes – perhaps better known as sticky notes or post-its – and duplicate books consisting of no carbon required (NCR) paper, meaning that you can instantly and permanently duplicate messages.

It’s not as if you even have to be an office worker to take an interest in our books, pads and albums, with drawing pads for artists and students and visitors books for hotels and guest houses being just a few of our other popular items of stationery here at Loco (http://www.Loco.ie). Happy shopping!

Posted on

Keep forgetting stuff? Why not pick up a cheap wall or notice board?

In today’s world, it seems like we have to constantly manage an avalanche of information. Indeed, it’s been said that today’s era is the Information Age, where you’re in much greater danger of being overwhelmed with data than under-stimulated, and you’d struggle to find anyone working in an office in Ireland who disagrees. But having said that, do we really still need such ‘old-fashioned’ equipment as notice and white boards from places like Loco (http://www.Loco.ie)?

The answer for many of us is a rather surprising “yes”. But allow us to explain. You might have thought that in the year 2012, when it seems that hardly any of us doesn’t have a smartphone or tablet computer with some kind of calendar or notes app on it, the trusty old notice board would be a thing of the past. The problem is, though, that many of us can simply forget about our sophisticated devices during the day, and with it, all of those vitally important appointments and work deadlines.

In any case, why would you want to depend on a small device shoved in your pocket, when you can have something big and prominent right in front of you in the office, providing a much-needed constant reminder of your commitments for the coming days, weeks or even months? After all, many of us are stuck in the office constantly anyway, slaving away over the latest big assignment well into the evening, so you might as well ensure that those things that you need to do are not left ‘out of sight, out of mind’.

This brings us nicely to the wall and notice boards that take pride of place amongst our wider range of business supplies here at Loco. You might just want a simple drywipe board on which to jot down and rub out assignment information, meeting minutes and diagrams to your heart’s content, and sure enough, we have plenty of those. Alternatively, you may want to take a look at our many notice boards, on which you can pin that latest relevant press release, letter of thanks from a client or even a photo of your loved ones to keep you company over a long work day.

In keeping with our status as the complete online office supplies store, we also offer appropriate notice board and dryboard accessories, ranging from large headed pins and wipe board eraser wipes to erasing spray and dryboard pens that provide bright marks that can be wiped off easily without trace. Who would have thought that there were so many office products associated with wall and notice boards and keeping track of vital everyday information?

Nor are we even restricted to office equipment, as we sell a range of chalk boards that can be a good choice for both the school and the office. Simply visit http://www.Loco.ie today for a closer look at the wider range of wall and notice boards that we offer.

Posted on

Office paper…how complicated could it possibly be?

If paper isn’t amongst the business supplies that you regularly shop for here at Loco (http://www.loco.ie), then you may be curious as to how you could possibly make the wrong choice when the time does finally come to stock up on some. After all, you might have reckoned to yourself… paper is paper is paper, right? And aren’t we supposed to have left paper behind by now, anyway? Aren’t we supposed to be in the age of the ‘paperless office’?

Well, the answer to that last question may be “yes”, but try saying that to anyone who suddenly remembers something that they need to do for a tight deadline that night. More likely than not, instead of noting it on a whiteboard or even the ‘notes’ app of a tablet computer, they’ll reach for a pen and paper before carrying on their merry way. Clearly, we human beings aren’t quite ready to move on from paper yet, and that’s before one considers the continued relevance of high quality printing.

Although many business communications may take place via email these days, you might still want to print out details to keep from time to time, while there are also many other potential reasons to use the old fashioned ‘snail mail’ – such as for title deeds, signed documents and wills. At all times, making the right choice of printer paper and similar supplies helps to maintain the most positive and professional image – and goodness knows how much office-based companies in Ireland need that in the light of the recent economic turbulence.

In keeping with our proud status as the ultimate one-stop shop for office supplies, here at Loco we offer not only printer and copier paper but also the likes of labels, books, envelopes and pads. From 80gsm A4 paper and wide format paper to preprinted stationery and blotting paper, you’ll soon realise that there are many different types of paper that offices require, distinguished by different sizes, colours, weights and textures.

Choosing the wrong type of paper for your given office printer or copier can have disastrous results, so read carefully. For your laser printer or copier that produces text and image using heat and toner, you’ll need to purchase the smoother paper that produces the crispest results. Meanwhile, textured paper is more suitable for the water based ink of inkjet printers, as the ink is able to dry faster. This means that you’ll have sharper text and images with reduced bleeding.

In addition to this, Loco (http://www.loco.ie) offers a vast range of envelopes, including preprinted envelopes, padded bags, machine envelopes and gusset envelopes. Our labels range, meanwhile, encompasses the likes of copier labels, address labels and laser labels, and we also sell the likes of duplicate books, repositional notes and signature books. It all demonstrates the real and continued relevance of paper in an office environment that is also more technologically advanced than ever.

Posted on

Our role in your creation of the perfect home office

Loco (http://www.loco.ie) has built a strong reputation as a source of business supplies, from paper, envelopes and labels to desks, seating and lockers. But with so many people now working from home rather than doing the usual commute, online stores like ours are getting more and more custom from freelancers, and less from the company bosses of old times.

Still, as extensive as our office supplies range is, you would hardly be well served by just buying any old thing and hoping for the best, before you have even ascertained your exact needs. After all, we all have those awkward items that we might have once bought in a rush, only to eventually realise that they are pretty much of no use to us. What you first need, then, is to make those big, scary decisions… such as what room to use, and how to make the best use of your available space.

Naturally, your home office needs to be somewhere that is free of distraction, but that also provides a pleasant working environment. It needs to be somewhere where literally the most interesting thing is the work that needs to be done! But that doesn’t mean that you aren’t justified in including just a few little luxuries to brighten up the space, such as an artwork on the wall. If you’re refurbishing a room from scratch, it helps to choose restful colours that will not distract you.

And as for what room exactly you should choose? Well, there are people out there doing everything from converting the loft to having an office built in their garden. Ultimately, money concerns may dictate that you simply make use of a modest study. Once you’ve chosen your space, though, the real fun begins. That’s because you’ll be able to select from a wide range of office furniture items as you start to create a home office space that is well-suited to many consecutive hours of focussed work.

Our desks range, for example, includes computer desks and rectangular desks of various different sizes, while we also offer office chairs of a certain minimum basic standard, along with the associated accessories. Add in a cupboard or two along with any extras like a bookcase, and you have the basics of your next home office. But make sure you’ve devised a good floor plan first, taking particular care to ensure that you can easily move around the office and reach for vital things without too frequently leaving your seat.

There’s a trend towards a relatively ‘paperless’ office these days, and a well-organised office will minimise clutter – but once you’ve established your exact needs, don’t be afraid to order that essential printer paper – after all, hardly any office can avoid it completely. Loco (http://www.loco.ie) really is your place to shop for items both essential and inessential for your home office.

Posted on

Keep your sanity when you are working from home

Working from home is far from the anomaly that it used to be, as we are well-placed to appreciate here at Loco (http://www.loco.ie). More and more often, we find ourselves delivering our business supplies to home addresses. Many industries involve people working from home, as it’s simply not necessary to have a central office, but that doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily easy to keep disciplined when you’re a home worker.

Many people who are used to working in a conventional office, nattering with their fellow employees, may feel somewhat lonely and distracted when they work from home for the first time. You could easily find yourself wearing the same underwear for day after day, forgetting to shower or shave. Put simply, working from home can be a recipe for insanity! There are, though, certain ways home workers can stay fit, happy and functional for the duration of their day.

One problem with home working is that there often aren’t definite boundaries in terms of when the working day begins and ends. It’s that fluidity that can be so dangerous if you are a home worker, as you can find yourself sleeping in while failing to make up any time loss later in the day. You could even end up sending important emails to clients while you’re supposed to be having dinner with your family. That’s why you need to set definite boundaries on your work time, perhaps not opening emails after 6pm or only working for two Saturdays each month. Different schedules are suitable for different customers of our office supplies in Ireland, so don’t be afraid to experiment a bit.

Another unfortunate side-effect of the aforementioned lack of boundaries for many people is a tendency to stay indoors constantly, chained to their computer desks. It’s a good idea to head outside every now and then, taking in fresh air which should leave you freshly re-energised for when you return to your office chair. Regular breaks are important if you are not to have problems concentrating, and they don’t have to be so long that you miss your deadlines.

As mentioned above, insufficient social interaction can also frustrate home workers… so why not agree with your fellow employees, family or friends to meet with you at lunch time from time to time? You might even choose to spread out your work each day so that you stop work at the same time as non-home workers, even taking breaks between assignments to read a book. As counter-intuitive as it might seem, it could also make you happier and more productive.

Naturally, we also can’t possibly avoid mentioning the many office supplies that we stock, that help to make the most hospitable environment. Choose Loco (http://www.loco.ie) for your office storage, tables and chairs.

 

Posted on

Are you as productive as you could be?

It’s a persistent problem these days, for so many of the people who purchase business supplies from firms like Loco (http://www.loco.ie): how can you keep truly productive, from the start of the day until the end? Do you even adopt the same ‘start’ and ‘end’ time from one day to the next? What about all of the distractions of social media? Whereas everything about office work once seemed so certain, today’s ever-flexible working patterns and hours put so many workers in a quandary.

Certainly, there’s no denying that sites like Facebook and Twitter are proving a fundamental part of our lives these days – but it can also be a drain on the working day. Do you really need to know what your friend thought of that latest Hollywood blockbuster, or is it really that essential for you to watch that funny cat video your colleague has just emailed you, rather than knuckling down and concentrating on getting that knotty assignment done by that tight deadline? Indeed, many bosses are going as far as to ban social media in the workplace.

There are so many other ways in which you can be more productive in the office in 2015. It helps to keep to a definite schedule, missing any meetings that are not essential so that there are hopefully no delays that have a knock-on effect on the rest of your day. Nor should the effectiveness of organising your day in advance be underestimated. This will boost your efficiency across the day, lessen the amount of stress that you experience and ultimately result in better quality work.

Great leaders often say that it is the ability to say no, rather than yes, that is really important – and certainly, fostering that ability in yourself can significantly enhance your productivity. Even once you have done all of your work for today, putting together a ‘to do’ list for the following day allows you to keep the momentum going throughout the week. Technology is a potential distraction, of course, but it can also be another productivity booster. While ensuring that you only check your emails once an hour and for a certain limited amount of time, you might want to investigate the many tools for such tasks as document editing, calendar planning and video conferencing to save further time.

And of course, our own office supplies in Ireland, right here at Loco (http://www.loco.ie), can make a difference. Whether it’s a file cabinet that keeps all of those less-than-vital documents out of sight and out of mind while you’re trying to focus on an imperative assignment, or perhaps a drywipe board, double sided tape, some ink and toner supplies or something different altogether, there will almost certainly be something in our online store that will take away a lot of your anxiety about those harsh deadlines.