Office Essentials for Small Business

Every business needs a small set of office supplies that quietly keep the admin running: a filing system for receipts and contracts, a reliable printer for the documents that still need paper, a shredder for anything with customer or bank details, and the stationery for notes and signatures.

The filing system matters most. Keep one folder or box per tax year with receipts, invoices and bank statements, and keep contracts and licences separately. If you scan or photograph receipts, name the files by date and supplier so they can be found in seconds when your accountant asks.

Shred what you no longer need to keep, especially anything with card numbers, account details or customer addresses. A cross-cut shredder is the practical minimum for business papers.

What to look for when buying

• A cross-cut or micro-cut shredder is safer than a strip-cut one for customer data.
• Laser printers cost less per page than inkjets if you print weekly.
• Use one filing box per tax year so old years can be archived together.
• Keep a small stock of envelopes and stamps for invoices sent by post.