The Student Room Group

The stationery and organisation thread! :D

I can't be the only saddo person in the world who loves stationery and feels proud at devising a complex organisation system no-one else understands (am I?) so I thought I'd start a thread about it! :biggrin:

To freshers:
How are you planning on organising yourself at uni?
What stationery are you buying for university?

To people who are already at university:
How do you organise yourself?
Are there any specific items of stationery you can't do without?

Oh and for Paperchase fans, I may have found a place even better! http://www.artbox.co.uk/stationery-sticky-notes-c-35_106.html

I've got this to organise my deadlines. It seems to have a section for everything including things like finance but my main problem with it is that the space they give you to write in is too small- and that's with my tiny writing!

Ooh and if anyone can find me a notebook like this (hard back and narrow ruled) that isn't ridiculously expensive*, I'll... um... I don't know what I'll do but I'll be very grateful!

*Before anyone comes along and says that there's 5 in the pack, I know that, it's just that it's about £9 for one!


I think that's everything! I'll shut up now! :tongue: :redface:

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
I love artbox stationary!

Muji has nice acrylic desk stuff.. bit pricey though for what it is.
I'm really struggling to find a pencil case haha!
I need one with two/three compartments and I swear to god every single one only has one! That does *not* allow for sufficient organisation
I've gone a bit of a Moleskine spree :love:

My academic diary just HAS to be Moleskine. Lever Arch files from Paperchase. I only write on narrow rule paper (so stocked up on PLENTY). I've bought lots of ink for my fountain pen (yep, I still use one because I'm used to writing miles in ink!). Still need to buy post-its though...

I (shamefully perhaps) bought my pencil case from Jack Wills because it looked tough. Kipling being my other pencil case with coloured pens/pencils in for revision.

Stationery = :love:

I also have to organise all my files in ascending date/topic order with dividers. I'm really OCD about working - reckon it's the mark of my success to date, actually :p:
Original post by diamonddust


To people who are already at university:
How do you organise yourself?
Are there any specific items of stationery you can't do without?


The absolute best thing I've bought in the past few years is my Filofax. (Domino baroque pocket - for fellow filofax fans!) It's *perfect*! Small enough to carry around with me, but enough room to keep everything I need in it! I use a 4-colour pen with it so I can colour-code my diary :biggrin:

I'm pretty fussy about what I use... When I did my first OU course, I went for the cheapest pens and paper I could get (I *was* totally broke!) and it works well enough, but I do find studying is more enjoyable when you don't have to worry about your pen being scratchy or suddenly not working!

Ryman's lined A4 paper is my favourite - not too pricey and fairly tough, so it stands up to plenty of re-reading through notes! I do most of my writing in medium black bic biro, but also use red and green to colour code things. I collect highlighters too (especially if I find one in a really odd colour!) - I've found them especially useful for working on essays.

Free pens seem to be everywhere in the first few weeks of Uni - these are brilliant to keep in your bag in case of total pen failure or if someone else asks to borrow one - that way it doesn't matter if they forget to give it back! :biggrin:

A sharpie pen is pretty useful too - they write on most things. Comes in VERY useful (also good if you suddenly decide you need a moustache and you're a girl...)

Post-it notes are great for revision - last exam time, my room was just plastered in loads of them!
Reply 6
Highlighters, ball-pens, ruler, file for each module, academic diary, refill pad, notebook :smile:
Reply 7
pen and a notepad was all i needed last year tbh
Reply 8
How many folders do you think we need?
I'm not sure if i should get a folder for each module or each semester and divde them into sections :s
Ahh i just want to be organised from the get go 8-)
(edited 12 years ago)
I turn into a five year old as soon as I go near stationary isles. ^^; Should have seen me in paper-chase buying an organiser... No wonder people think I'm a lot younger than I really am.

Original post by diamonddust


Oh and for Paperchase fans, I may have found a place even better! http://www.artbox.co.uk/stationery-sticky-notes-c-35_106.html



Oh my! Good thing I'm now officially broke, otherwise I'd be ordering everything they have in stock. @__@
I have a moleskine academic diary. I have to get one every year! And ring binders for each module. I've got a study skills book and they've written out a template for a lecture cover sheet to put in front of your notes so I've made my own version.
Original post by ununpentium
I have a moleskine academic diary. I have to get one every year! And ring binders for each module. I've got a study skills book and they've written out a template for a lecture cover sheet to put in front of your notes so I've made my own version.


Me too :biggrin:!

They're amazing for fountain pens and general organisation :smile:
Original post by diamonddust
I can't be the only saddo person in the world who loves stationery and feels proud at devising a complex organisation system no-one else understands (am I?) so I thought I'd start a thread about it! :biggrin:

To freshers:
How are you planning on organising yourself at uni?
What stationery are you buying for university?



Staedtler triplus fineliners, absolutely love them for adding colour to my notes, as I tend to make thought bubbles around key points, and underline stuff and they make it all stand out way more.
Reply 13
Original post by ununpentium
I have a moleskine academic diary. I have to get one every year! And ring binders for each module. I've got a study skills book and they've written out a template for a lecture cover sheet to put in front of your notes so I've made my own version.


Ooo what study skills book is this? I want to see a lecture template lol
Is a moleskin really worth it? I'm so tempted to buy one
Reply 14
Original post by Choccielatte
I've gone a bit of a Moleskine spree :love:

My academic diary just HAS to be Moleskine. Lever Arch files from Paperchase. I only write on narrow rule paper (so stocked up on PLENTY). I've bought lots of ink for my fountain pen (yep, I still use one because I'm used to writing miles in ink!). Still need to buy post-its though...

I (shamefully perhaps) bought my pencil case from Jack Wills because it looked tough. Kipling being my other pencil case with coloured pens/pencils in for revision.

Stationery = :love:

I also have to organise all my files in ascending date/topic order with dividers. I'm really OCD about working - reckon it's the mark of my success to date, actually :p:

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who can only use narrow ruled paper! I'm so desperate to find a Pukka pad style notebook that isn't extortionately price with narrow lines. I've given up! I like Ryman's narrow ruled paper, it seems more hardy than Smiths! So many people rave about Moleskiene notebooks/planners. What's so special about them? :smile:
I'm simultaneously proud and annoyed at myself. I went to the huuge Paperchase on Goodge Street and I didn't buy one notebook/diary or anything I didn't need! I got 2 packs of pushpins and page markers on a 3 for 2 offer, 2 dividers, 2 sets of labels and a tablet rubber. I almost bought a really pretty pen pot and then I put it down because it was £6. :sad: Wish I'd bought it now! I don't know whether to buy lever arch files now or when I arrive.
Keep the ideas coming guys! It makes me happy to know I'm not the only one who is really particular about stationery haha! :colondollar:
Original post by Choccielatte
Me too :biggrin:!

They're amazing for fountain pens and general organisation :smile:


I have a Moleskine notebook, but its pages are really thin and the ink from my fountain pen would seep through... Are there certain ones with thicker pages?
As a fellow organisation obsessive this thread is like porn for me :sogood:
Reply 17
Oh good, I'm not the only one that gets excited over stationery.
Reply 18

Love this thread! I'm an absolute stationery obsessive! I have a palgrave planner as well and have done for the last 2 years! I love narrow ruled paper but it has to be really smooth or I can't write on it. As for pens...biros, coloured biros, felt tips, highlighters and sharpies :smile: so glad I'm not the only one haha!!
Original post by diamonddust
I'm so glad I'm not the only one who can only use narrow ruled paper! I'm so desperate to find a Pukka pad style notebook that isn't extortionately price with narrow lines. I've given up! I like Ryman's narrow ruled paper, it seems more hardy than Smiths! So many people rave about Moleskiene notebooks/planners. What's so special about them? :smile:
I'm simultaneously proud and annoyed at myself. I went to the huuge Paperchase on Goodge Street and I didn't buy one notebook/diary or anything I didn't need! I got 2 packs of pushpins and page markers on a 3 for 2 offer, 2 dividers, 2 sets of labels and a tablet rubber. I almost bought a really pretty pen pot and then I put it down because it was £6. :sad: Wish I'd bought it now! I don't know whether to buy lever arch files now or when I arrive.
Keep the ideas coming guys! It makes me happy to know I'm not the only one who is really particular about stationery haha! :colondollar:


Pins! I forgot pins :frown:

Blackwells narrow ruled is rubbish as well - too flimsy. Pukka Pad paper is really excellent as you say, but apparently they don't do it in narrow rule.

I always buy my files before school/uni because it's so much easier. One for each module and a spare to lug general stuff around Uni.

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