Our team’s favorite school supplies

We had an impromptu show and tell of our favorite things at a recent team meeting, which included a few office supplies. Or school supplies, as we like to call them around here. Our school days may be long ago but there’s nothing like the excitement of fresh notebooks and pens before the start of a new academic year. Since we had so much fun showing off these finds, we thought we’d round them up and share with you!

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Ginger

Dotted Index Cards. I originally saw these on a favorite YouTube channel. I thought they’d be perfect for my semester of studying math this year, but the source is a Japanese stationery store I don’t have access to. When I ordered them from Amazon, I was happily surprised to find that they came in a nice metal tin with a card holder. But the best part is that the index cards themselves are thick and beautifully made.

Zebra Sarasa Clip Gel Pens. My local stationery store Penny Post has these in so many colors. I have loved the navy blue, hunter green, and plum this fall. (Also available on Amazon.)

Day Designer. I’ve been using a Day Designer for 12 years now, and it’s the only planner I’ll use. I love that it has both an hourly column, which works well since I timeblock, and also a “To Do” column for those small tasks that need a spot, but won’t take up a whole hour block. Planners are specific to the individual though, so before you commit to a gorgeous design with luxurious spiral bound paper, print out a day or two from the free printable section to see if this layout works for you.

Brigid

Perforated Mineral Ore mt Washi Tape. Papelería Society, a new stationary shop near us, recently opened and I just couldn’t resist this unique washi tape featuring beautiful minerals. I love using it to mark pages of my books, decorate everyday objects, and seal the back of envelopes. Having a perforated roll makes it so easy to tear off the perfect sized piece. 

Delfonics Rollbahn Spiral Metallic Notebook in Polarized. Call me a barracuda because I love shiny things. No wonder this radiant grid paper notebook caught my eye while traveling in Seattle. I reach for it daily for habit tracking and already have my sights set on this “micro!” charm version next! 

Rainbow Bungee Office Chair. I needed a new chair for my desk for a while so imagine my delight when I passed a Container Store that was closing and discovered this bright and cheerful option on sale in the storefront window. I immediately purchased the chair from the display and have been loving it ever since.

Shannan

Tūl Pens. The black barrel with the gold accents is my favorite color combination. The pen is comfortable in my hand and I adore how the gel ink substantially flows out of the pen when I write. I’m a big fan.

Blackwing Pencils. I love these pencils because they write so smoothly. They write unlike any pencils I have ever used. The black with the gold ferrule matches my Tūl pens perfectly.

Moleskine Classic Notebook. I love these! I enjoy the soft cover and the dotted pages. My favorite thing about the notebooks is the page texture and weight. My Tūl pen and Blackwing pencil glide right over it. These three items are my must-haves.

Anne

Rhodia Wirebound Notebook (8.8 X11.75). I’ve used Rhodia’s 8.25 x 8.25” dot grid reverse books for almost a decade now to plan and record podcast conversations, and to jot my notes in during MMD Book Club author talks. I love Rhodia notebooks for their blend of flexibility and sturdiness and fantastic paper. The extra white paper has a slickness to it that allows me to write quickly, which is key for these occasions! I impulse bought the larger black grid notebook (no dot grid available, alas) for a similar but distinct purpose. I use it as my personal, portable whiteboard to conceive and plan distinct works like essays and blog posts and also larger projects like a Summer Reading Guide photography shot list or books to include in the upcoming Fall Book Preview. 

Ampersand Journal. Clearly I love my paper products. My team and I rely heavily on digital tools, but when I need to think things through, which is often, I turn to paper. The Leuchtturm dot grid A5 (5.75 × 8.25”) notebook has long been my favorite, and it’s a joy and honor to offer custom ones for sale in our shop. It usually takes me the better part of a year to go through a journal: my current one is in the gorgeous Port Red color. 

Pentel Tradio Pearl Liquid Gel Pen (.5mm). I love a good pen. Historically, I am passionate about my favorite pen for about three years … and then I move on to a new favorite. My current favorite (for several years now) is the Pentel Pearl (capped not clicker) in blue, pictured in the top photo uncapped and ready for action in my book journal. These pens write fast and smooth on every kind of paper; I keep them in every room of the house. 

Will

Rilke Quote Book Dart Tin. I’ve been shipping out these book darts for shop orders for close to ten years. Because of how I read, I’ve never really felt like I was the target audience. This year though, I’ve been dropping them in my journal to mark pages I go back to regularly (e.g. books read in 2026) and to save favorite passages in a daily reader I’m using. I love how unobtrusive they are while still being super distinct—I know exactly which place they are holding by where on the page I place them.

What are your favorite school supplies? Please share in the comments.

P.S. Book journaling tools for every reader, School supplies for grown-ups, and Restart your life with these 12 nonfiction titles.