Do I Have Too Many Pens, Pencils, Notepads, and Notebooks?

One, Twenty, or Hundreds

I've been seeing a trend recently with office supplies. Indulge me for a minute. When I was a kid Trapper Keepers were all the rage. (And because I’m that age, yes, they have come back in fashion.) You could pick out your favorite one and that was what you used until (in my family at least) it was worn out. We didn't have to decide each morning what notebook to take to school with us. There was just the one and we loved it! Nowadays entire pieces of furniture and walls of cabinets are filled with pens, pencils, crayons, markers, sticky notes, notepads, notebooks, binders, loose leaf notebook paper, printer paper, construction paper, sun art paper, sketch pads, water colors, charcoals… You get the picture.

The decisions that are being made just to jot down a grocery list are more than... well, more than needed.

How to Decide

If you truly do not have a preference about what you write on and what you write with for any given list or note or card or letter or art project, your job is simple. Just pull out one notebook or notepad and a handful off pens and pencils. Then you can stop reading this article. Promise.

If, however, you have ever picked through a pile of pens to get the one that you like to write with, read on.

I am a question asker. Why? (see what I did there?) Because I can’t know what you want to keep and what you don’t. What I do know is how to get you to come to your own conclusion.

So gather your pens, pencils, markers, and crayons. Pick up your paper, notebooks, and notepads. Then settle in with some questions (see below) and come up with some answers. Here’s to peace and freedom from your writing implements and paper in your home.

Ask Some Questions

1. Why is this pen/paper in my home?

   1. Was it a promo item from an event that you I received because someone gave it to me? (remember that most of these items are not things that you picked out and you likely would not have paid for them at a store) Did I buy this? (remember that just because you bought something doesn’t mean you have to keep it)

      1. Do I use it? Do I like it?

         1. If yes, keep it.

         2. If no, either let it go or move to the next questions.

      2. Do I use other pen/paper over this kind?

         1. If yes, either let it go or move to the next questions.

         2. If not, keep it.

      3. Do I need it? How long will it take me to go through the inventory of pens/paper that I have in my house right now?

         1. There may be some of these kinds of things that you no longer need. No kids and no one likes to color? Maybe you can let go of the crayons. No one taking classes anymore? You might be able to let go of the binders and 5 subject notebooks. You get the point.

         2. If it will take you more than a year to go through what you have in your home you can let go of it.

Why Decide?

The more pens/paper you have the longer you have to keep up with it and the more space it will take up in your home. You may think that you need a dozen ink pens but think about how long it would take for you to use up those 12 pens. Also, the more pens/paper you have the more often you will lose them, creating a false need for more items.

Imagine you have chosen your favorite writing implements and papers and those of your family. Instead of it overtaking the wall of cabinets, getting lost only to have to be repurchased when needed and getting lost in the pile again, you know what you have because you can see it. You know where it is because you can see it (and you’ve put all your office/school supplies together in one place).

Start your simplicity by letting go of things so you can find what you have when you need it. When you do run out, because you will, and you should, you can go to the store to get what you need. The alternative hasn’t been working has it? The alternative is tearing your house up trying to find a $5 box of pencils and going to the store to buy them anyway… then having to put your house back together or live with the mess… and anxiety.

Here’s to a simple office and school supply section of your home! And here’s to another great school year for you parents and teachers and kids!