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This desk cubbyhole sort of thing can either stand upright or flat, depending on how you want to use it. There’s three different sized openings for mail, magazines, books, etc. and the size makes it versatile enough to fit on a desk or stand beside an armchair.

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No matter how many note-taking apps/gadgets there are, sometimes you just have to put pencil to paper. This large 12″x12″ pad has the year at a glimpse at the bottom for reference.

150 sheets, gummed and padded

The Mobi is a really simple and cool looking phone dock / stand that will keep your work or home office desk that much more organized. It’s rubber coated for a smooth feel and has a built in storage dish. Use it as-is or plug in your phone’s charger cable through the bottom.

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One of life’s little annoyances is trying to get a piece of tape with one hand. This MDF dispenser by Chris Hardy has a sticky polyurethane gel base which adheres (lightly) to any surface, making one-handed procurement possible.

Includes one roll of tape.
Made of MDF.

Sometimes, and I do stress sometimes, planners are filled way too quickly with meetings and other work related stuff to the point where any home notes fall by the wayside. Perhaps it would be beneficial to have a separate journal altogether to jot down groceries, bills, DIY projects, etc… even to make note of books and movies to read and watch. Could be a smart way to keep work and home life separate (literally).

Fourteen month, undated planner.

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Sangwoo Nam of Appree has added the Gingko leaf design in his series of ‘leaf-it’ memo pads. If you’re addicted to sticky memo pads, it’s a nice option for notes as well as bookmarks.

set of 3.
two versions of green and yellow

Occasionally we’ll get emails from some of you saying that links on old posts need updating (and thank you very much for those emails, because there’s no way we’re able to spot them all on our own), and a few of you have noticed lately that this Utensilo post from Oct 2, 2007 needed some attention. So.

The Unten.Silo was designed in the 1960s by Dorothe Becker and Ingo Maurer, and has become a somewhat iconic storage solution. I love the fact that it keeps everything in its right place, whether it be in a office workspace, playroom, or kitchen.

Available in white, red, or black.

This little planner features both a weekly and monthly format (hard to find sometimes) and is printed in Oakland, CA on 100% post-consumer recycled paper with soy-based inks. Take note that it’s dateless, so you can start it at any time, and there’s plenty of space for jotting down your daily or weekly to-do list.

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Rubber bands made of recycled bicycle tubes. Making flats useful = nice. Also, another item making flats useful is the smart IT Clip that Simon posted a while back. It allows you to make your old inner tubes into tie down straps.

A bag of 70 in assorted sizes.
Made in Switzerland by «tät-tat».

It’s difficult to convey just how lovely these desk accessories are. First seen at 100% Design* last year and more recently spotted over at Theo, the collection has not lost any bit of its initial charm, though I am a bit dismayed I can’t quite splurge on the whole set in one go. Instead, I’ll have to settle for buying one piece at a time until my desktop is graced with the complete collection. Each piece has a satisfying heft, and though petite in scale, there’s a distinct beauty in the choice of materials for each simple shape.

*Not that it matters to your purchasing decision, but the Australian Designer duo Daniel and Emma seem like incredibly nice people and I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds for them.

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From our archives (originally published May 3, 2010), for your gift list consideration…

I don’t know whether to grrrrrr at the price or awww at how cute they are. Luckily, Makiko Yoshida designed them out of squishy and pliable polyurethane resin, so they’ll hold their shape whether I bear hug them or chuck them at the wall when the credit card bill comes.

Set of four, “white” or “brown”, and 2.75 inches in diameter

From our archives (originally published November 20, 2009), for your gift list consideration… to see more, visit our Gift Guide.

Two wooden parts held together with a rubber band make this unusual clipboard. The lack of metal makes it look a little more warm and friendly than traditional office supply clipboards, don’t you think?

Designed by Simon Donald for spunique. Bands may vary in colour.

Here’s a set of 36 colored pencils perfect for your favorite creative-type.

New design Japanese collective IDEA Idea partnered with an old school German art supply firm to create Düller. The mission: Combining Japanese notions of harmony with the German penchant for methodology. There’s parallel symmetry in the same-sized pencil box and sketchbook, and the box and book cover are made from recycled paper (harmony with Mother Earth!). Perfect for the artist or architect or design-loving doodler. The paper is specially crafted for colored pencils. There are 36 colors in this pencil box: red, orange, pink, light blue, white, yellow, yellow-green, green, purple, blue, black, brown, carnelian, vermilion, grey, pale orange, chrome yellow, ultramarine, deep green, Van Dyke brown, magenta, gold, silver, Prussian blue, rose red, sky blue, lemon yellow, emerald green, mandarin orange, wisteria violet, lilac, olive green, peacock blue, leaf green and reddish brown.

Start on your New Year’s goals early with these charming clipboards from Etsy artist Maiko Kuzunishi/Decoylab. Each clipboard comes with a notepad and customized pencil that says either, “Make my wishes come true.”, or “I will achieve my goals.” Would make a great gift too.

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Core77’s 2010 gift guide is out, and it’s got more than a few gems. This Tongue Bookmark would be a nice little addition to any library.

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