Paper clips, binder clips and when each one is right

A dull subject with a genuinely annoying failure mode: the wrong fastener costs you a document.

Paper clips are temporary

A clip holds a few sheets while they move from one desk to another. Past about twenty sheets it distorts and stops gripping.

It also picks up other paper in a tray, which is how pages migrate between documents.

Nonskid versus smooth

Ridged or nonskid clips grip noticeably better and are worth the small extra where documents get handled repeatedly.

Smooth clips slide off in a bag, which is the most common way a page goes missing.

Silver, coated or coloured

Coated clips are kinder to paper and do not mark under pressure. Colour is useful as a category system and useless as decoration.

If you use colour, write down what the colours mean or the system dies in a fortnight.

Binder clips for anything thick

Anything past twenty sheets wants a binder clip. They hold without deforming and survive being posted.

The arms fold flat so they stack, which paper clips do not.

What not to clip

Do not clip anything you intend to scan without removing them first, and do not clip original documents you care about — the pressure marks.

For archival storage, a folder is the right answer and a clip is not.

Buying in quantity

Clips are the classic item that is either everywhere or nowhere in an office. A box of several hundred lasts a year and costs very little.

Running out is more expensive in interruption than the box is in money.

Storage

Clips loose in a drawer become a single tangled mass. A small dish or the compartment in a desk organiser fixes it permanently.

This is the entire reason organiser sets include a clip tray.

Questions that come up with this

Do you deal with businesses as well as individuals?
Both. The website handles single orders; for repeat office quantities email [email protected] and we will confirm stock and timing first.

When does an order leave?
Orders placed on a business day are picked the same or next working day. We do not despatch at weekends.

What does delivery cost?
A flat $4.49, and free once the order total reaches $29.00.

The FAQ page covers the rest.

Where this sits in the shop

Jason Office Products groups its range into 6 sections, so it is usually quicker to start from the group than to scroll the whole shop. These are the ones with stock on the shelf right now:

Desk Organiser Sets — 7 items
Monitor Memo Boards — 4 items
Desk Pads and Mats — 4 items
Sticky Note Holders — 2 items
Phone Stands — 1 item
Clips and Fasteners — 1 item

If none of those is obviously right, the full shop lists everything on one page.

Coming in instead

Jason Office Products is at 250 W 40th St, New York, NY 10018, open Mon–Thu: 8:00 AM–5:00 PM · Fri: 8:00 AM–4:00 PM · Sat–Sun: Closed. If you would rather look at something before buying it, call +1 212-279-7455 and we will put it aside for you.

Anything already ordered can be followed on the order tracking page.

Four products that show the range

The least expensive way in: ZNBSIXP 2-Pack Acrylic Monitor Memo Boards – Side Panel Desk Organizers at $5.97. Listed with its own specification table, so the dimensions and what is in the box are on the page rather than in a description.

A step up from the basics: Kaulipoa 2-Pack Freestanding Acrylic Monitor Memo Boards with Wood Base, 12.2 Inches at $9.99. Listed with its own specification table, so the dimensions and what is in the box are on the page rather than in a description.

A middle-of-the-range option: OAKOA Aesthetic Beige Desk Organizer – Modern 4-Compartment Pen Holder, 1-Count at $22.99. Listed with its own specification table, so the dimensions and what is in the box are on the page rather than in a description.

The most substantial option: CEBOWA Large Dark Green Faux Leather Desk Mat, 55″ x 24″ Desk Pad Protector at $35.99. Listed with its own specification table, so the dimensions and what is in the box are on the page rather than in a description.

What it costs

Across the 19 items currently listed, prices run from $5.97 to $35.99, with the middle of the range around $9.99. That spread is worth knowing before you start comparing, because the cheapest and dearest options here are usually not the same kind of product at all.

Shipping is a flat $4.99 per order and free once the order reaches $35.00, which is set out in full on the Shipping Policy page.

In short

A dull subject with a genuinely annoying failure mode: the wrong fastener costs you a document. If you want to talk it through rather than read about it, +1 212-279-7455 reaches the shop during opening hours, and the contact page has everything else.