Office stationery doesn’t have to be boring!

---

---

At dinner parties or the pub the alcohol-enabled conversation might touch on relationships and work. It might veer towards football or music or cinema or politics. It may even impinge on holidays or children. Nowhere, in the history of discourse between friends over a glass of pinot, has office stationery arisen as an exciting topic.
 
Allow this piece to try to change your way of thinking by introducing these quirky, funny, or downright odd office pieces to your world.
 
AOK Apple calculator
Far more exciting and nutritious than the better-known digital version, this long tube of fruity goodness gives you one apple for 31 consecutive days.
 
Bulls**t button/WTF stamp
For those days when you really can’t be bothered to mince your words and you just NEED to inform your colleagues of your well-chosen thoughts.
 
Wastepaper basketball net
Forever immortalised in The Simpsonsas part of the final journey for deceased hamsters, the wastepaper basketball net is perfect for those deskbound LeBron James wannabes.
 
Unusual light bulbs
Working late at night and need a bit of ‘light’ relief? Time to swap some of your more mundane bulbs for theseweird and wonderful sources of light, including melted LED bulbs, nooses, doubles and pocket lights.
 
Tetris cookies/sugar
These are the perfect amalgam of geekiness and snackiness, which also doubles as attractive table decorations for those popping over for a natter. They’re not really stationery but still an amusing distraction.
 
Picture calendar
A selection of fantastic photographs of family, holidays, pets, cars, sport or anything else you desire to tell you of your time and place is a great addition to the office. Personalised calendars from Photoboxare a fine place to start your research.
 
Drumstick pencils
Pencils that are half writing tool and half instrumental nirvana, the only issue that you’ll have is finding the drum to tap out an accompaniment when a storming rock song plays on the radio.
 
Evolution bookends
With an ape at the start and the ultimate in evolution (yeah right) in the form of mankind at the end, your books will span several million years of development across one shelf.
 
Feet bookmark
Bored of normal bookmarks? Once you’ve put your feet up to get reading then use these bookmarks to put your feet ‘in’.
 
Quirky paperclips
Your paper holding metal tools will never have looked so good. There are thousands of designs to make your clips look hip, including bananas, Hershey’s chocolates, and Christmas donuts.
 
Hot cookie USB cup warmer
This USB deviceis a superb way of keeping your brew steaming hot, through the power of your computer. It looks good enough to eat – don’t.
 
Office wall container
The Rolls Royce of wall organisers for office, kitchen or bedroom are these Dorothee Becker Uten/Silo wall-mounted specials.
 
Infectious disease stress ball
It might sound absolutely horrific but these balls are bizarrely satisfying ways of alleviating pressure, through the production of blisters. Four pleasant variations are available – bubonic plague, cooties, smallpox and zombie virus.