The B2P pen is 2 much fun!

Dale — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:53:28 +0000

It’s no secret one of my favorite pens is the Pilot B2P pen. Made from a water bottle it is now available in either Pilot’s G2 gel ink or a great ballpoint version. But what I discovered recently is there is a B2P website. It’s pretty cool… there is a ticker on the homepage that tells you how many waterbottles have been recycled into B2P pens… it’s currently at 3,469,953 bottles as I write this post and it updates by the minute! The homepage divides the site into three different sections. The first section provides all the information you would ever need on both versions of the B2P pen. There is also a section that displays all the B2P advertisements for you to view. And finally there is a game… yes, a B2P game! You can play on your computer or you can even download it on your smart phone if you’re a big fan of the B2P like I am. This pen is just 2 cool!

Click on the B2P image to the left to take a quick look at the B2P website. Click here to shop for B2P pens on the NEOS site!

Have you tried out the B2P pen yet, what did you think?? Comment below!

A Comfortable Investment: what to look for when purchasing a new chair

Dennis — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:48:06 +0000

So often I see customers choosing a new chair based on price or style. These days it’s pretty easy to find a chair, usually imported, under $150 that looks pretty cool. But while it may be easy on the eyes and wallet, it may not be the best thing for overall health and productivity. Some studies have found that “the average office employee is productive 60% of the work day, due in large part to seating-related physical discomfort such as back and neck pain and various muscle strains”. We make investments for our health and comfort all the time. It may be a comfy couch, new mattress, health insurance premiums and copays, or even keeping the thermostat a few degrees higher. To put it in perspective, think of a chair as a long term investment. If you spend $200 more for a chair that lasts 5 years, it ends up costing you $40 a year or $3.33 per month. Heck I spend close to $200 a month for internet, phone, and cable. Here are some features worth your investment:

Neumatic height adustment for height adjustment and acts as shock absorber when sitting down.
Waterfall edge seat with thick durable cusion to reduce pressure on veins beneath the thighs.
Sliding seat pan, seat tilt adjustment, and seat tilt lock to support various postures required to do different tasks.
Adjustable back (height and angle) with firm lumbar support.
Adjustable arms to support arm weight and reduce stress to neck and shoulders.
A 5 star, steel reinforced base for saftey and durability.

Are you willing to invest a little more for comfort?

I got much of my info from The Productivity Paradox of Office Chairs written by Terry Cassaday. If you want to see an example of a very comfortable chair with all the features listed above, check out the Global Granada , and/or Malaga.

Coffee as an artform? Check out 10 Coffee Art creations!

Staci — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:58:21 +0000

It seems like there is no limit to some people’s creativity. We’ve seen people use all sorts office supplies to create art… from push pins to scissors to paper cups… people can make art out of just about anything… even coffee. Coffee or Latte Art is created by pouring steamed milk into Espresso and creating a pattern or design on the surface. Check out some of the art below created in a coffee mug!

Anyone else feel like their morning coffee looks a little sad after seeing these? These designs are so pretty… I think I would feel bad actually drinking the coffee!

image credit: webdesignerdepot.com

Don’t forget you have until tomorrow 5/11 to enter to win a Keurig B145 brewer!!

Staci — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:34:19 +0000

Just a quick little reminder for anyone who wanted to enter our Keurig giveaway on our
Facebook page… we will be accepting entries through the end of the day tomorrow, May 11th. All you have to do do enter is hop on over to our Facebook page and LIKE us and the entry form will be revealed to you. Just fill out the form and you will be entered to win a Keurig B145 commercial grade brewer for your home or office!

We have lots more contests and giveaways in store for our Facebook fans so LIKE our page so you can get in on the action!

5 creative uses for office supplies… in your kitchen?

Staci — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:36:24 +0000

I think it’s safe to say at this point that there are MANY different uses for common office supplies… but we just love finding even more interesting uses and sharing them with you. So here are 5 ways that office supplies can be helpful… in the kitchen! Now I’m not one to spend a significant amount of time in the kitchen (just ask my husband lol), but I think I could put a few of these ideas into use for sure!

Use an empty jewel CD case to hold your recipe cards while you cook. Makes it easy to follow along with the recipe and protects your recipe so it doesn’t get ruined by all of the ingredients flying around.
Use masking tape as a scoop scraper by attaching the ends to the sides of a container.
Use an old mouse pad as a trivet/hot plate. Make sure to use one with a non-plastic coating. (I originally wrote “rivet” instead of “trivet” so this just shows how little time I actually spend in the kitchen!)
Use rubberbands as a glass gripper so a chilly glass doesn’t slip through your little kiddo’s hands.
Make your own coasters out of old corkboard. Just draw a shape onto the piece of cork and cut it out to make your own coaster.

Would you try out any of these ideas? Share them with your friends so they can give them a try too!

Source: RealSimple.com

2 simple tricks to help you keep track of your most frequently used items

Staci — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:46:48 +0000

Anyone else familiar with the frantic panic that comes over you when you’re rushing out of the house to get to work in the morning and you have NO idea where you put your keys?? Happens to me all the time with my keys, cell phone, etc. Well I just came across a post on the Rubbermaid blog with a couple of VERY simple tricks to help you avoid misplacing your frequently used items.

Trick # 1: Be Selective. Pick one location to keep your frequently used items… this should be a spot that you walk by on your way in and out of the house and is also easily visible.

Trick # 2: Be Consistent. Once you’ve picked a spot, make sure you always keep your frequently used items there so there’s no confusion.

The Rubbermaid post also gives some good suggestions for creating storage locations for your frequently used items like car keys, cell phone, purse, jacket, etc. Or you could also check out our office supply tip for using a business card holder as a catchall.

See, I wasn’t lying when I said these tricks were simple!

Do you have any other tips that help you avoid misplacing your frequently used items? Comment below!

image credit: topcarlocksmith.com

6 Interesting Facts About Allergies

Dennis — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:39:15 +0000

My friends at Fellowes sent me this article from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. It would seem allergies really are pesky little buggers and do a job on our productivity. I find them to be extremely annoying in the spring and fall. Usually an over the counter medication will do the trick, but it takes a few bad days to remind me. Here are a few facts I found interesting:

An estimated 50 million Americans (1 in 5) suffer from allergies.
It is the 5th leading chronic disease among all ages and 3rd most among children under 18.
Approximately 40 million Americans have indoor/outdoor allergies. Most common are tree, grass, and weed pollen; mold spores; dust mite, and cock roach allergen; and cat, dog, and rodent dander.
Allergies account for over 17 million outpatient vists per year.
The annual cost of allergies is estimated to be nearly $ 7 billion.
Allergies are a major cause of work absenteeism, resulting in nearly 4 million missed workdays each year.

Maybe it is time to consider a Fellowes air purifier. How are you coping?

Like our Facebook page to enter to win a Keurig B145 Brewer!

Staci — Thu, 03 May 2012 14:02:43 +0000

As you may know, we recently launched a NEOS Facebook page. We just wanted to share a neat Facebook Fan giveaway that we have going on on the NEOS page right now. Through the end of next week (May 11th), if you stop by our Facebook page and LIKE us, you’ll be able to enter to win a Keurig B145 Brewer! Just click LIKE at the top of the page, and fill out the simple form to enter the giveaway. We will be accepting entries through the end of the day on Friday, May 11th so head on over to our page and LIKE us to reveal the entry form!

We have lots more promotions and contests in the works for our Facebook fans, so be sure to LIKE us so you can be involved!

Happy Arbor Day! Check out 5 impressive creations made from trees and discarded wood

Staci — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:49:43 +0000

As you may or may not know, today is Arbor Day… and it’s also the last week of April – aka Green Month. Since this month is all about recycling and reusing materials, I thought I would combine the two today and feature some cool recycled creations made from trees/wood! Here are 5 really interesting ways to use make use of discarded wood and wood products.

Photo holders made from sticks/branches

An outdoor table made from a wooden pallet

Child’s bed made from an old door

A walkway made from sections of stumps/branches

A lamp made from sticks

Are you celebrating Arbor Day in your office today? Comment below!

All images from Recyclart.org.

5 clever tricks for organizing your office supplies

Staci — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:31:34 +0000

Is your workspace covered in office supplies? Do you have a junk drawer that takes you 10 minutes to riffle through to find the supply you’re looking for? If so, here are a few clever tricks for organizing your office products using materials that you probably already own!

Hold small office supplies in an ice cube tray that fits in your desk drawer

2. Use a condiment dish set to hold frequently used supplies on your desk

3. Use an old spice rack to hold A LOT of supplies on your desk

4. Use an egg crate to store many different sized supplies in a drawer

5. Hang a shoe rack filled with office supplies over your door or cubicle wall

Would you try out any of these tricks? Comment below!