STATIONERY STREET

I like grid paper for keeping a short list tidy, but I keep nudging words around to line them up with the squares. By the time the list looks neat, it was quicker to write it on plain paper. I'm trying to let the wonky lines be wonky.

A small recurring margin mark could flag dry jokes without adding a sentence each time. Pick one cue and use it consistently, so it registers on a quick reread.

Set the writing space aside first, then fit the photos around it. One fewer photo is better than cramming a paragraph into tiny labels.

A short test run can catch layout issues, but print it at 100% with "fit to page" off. Scaling can make the writing space and margins look different from the finished planner.

For background music, I'd rather replay an album I already know than put a playlist on shuffle. The sequence gives the listening a bit of shape, and I don't get pulled out of what I'm doing by a sudden change of mood or the urge to skip around. I still like playlists when I'm choosing music to listen to properly, but for everyday background sound, familiar albums work better for me.

For a quick straight line, the edge of a card or sticker backing is usually enough. I'd only put the ruler back in on days it's got a specific job.

Count the reference sheets, dividers and any pockets first. They stay put when finished notes come out, so they set the minimum ring capacity.

I don't think refusing to lend a fountain pen is automatically unkind. Someone who isn't used to one may press too hard or hold it at an awkward angle, and the pen is still yours to look after. I'd rather offer an ordinary ballpoint for a quick note than treat every pen I own as communal.

A full page is a better test than the first few lines. New-pen novelty can carry you for a bit; if it still feels good halfway down, that's the useful part.

I've stopped trying to make my folders, clips and other desk bits match. When I'm sorting papers, finding the right folder matters more than whether it goes with the clip tin beside it. A tidy desk doesn't need a colour scheme.