Barnorama All Fun In The Barn
These game-changing products might be even better at their job than you are at yours.
We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HomeKnows may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.
1. Cheerful pastel four-color pens to help you take your notes to organization porn-worthy levels.
Promising review: “These are great for nursing students. I need the different colors to keep my patients’ information straight. Each color is for a different patient and my system has worked very well. The colors are also more appealing than your normal four-color pen, which I like. I bought this pen over a year ago and am still on pen number one, so I can confirm they also last a very long time.” —Zoomzoomxpress
Price: $6.11 for two
2. And some jumbo sticky note divider tabs that’ll further your quest to become the greatest note-taker of all time.
Promising review: “These sticky notes are excellent. They come in a booklet, with a clear cover over and a card-like paper with a blue mandala pattern at the back, which is really neat and beautiful. The colors are quite bright and look exactly as the picture shows. The tabs are neat and noticeable at any angle. I think every student or teacher in high school or college should own these, and many businesspeople should too. They’re extremely useful for taking notes, lesson/project/essay/test/other planning, and getting important information down on a note that won’t get lost in your planner or notebook. I’ll keep these in my book bag and carry them with me to school, and I’ll definitely repurchase as soon as I come close to running out.” —malik
Price: $3.71 for a pack of 60
3. Work-themed affirmation cards to keep at your desk for when you or a coworker needs a boost, because the best way to spread office cheer is by reading one of these for all to hear.
Promising review: “Get these and pick up the mood! Of course I use these at work. Things like this can sometimes be too corny, or plain and boring. This product is none of those things! The cards are funny and witty. People in other offices drop in just to get a daily card. They’re a fun and lighthearted way to bring some good vibes into the work place. The card material is also good quality. There’s nothing cheap about the look and feel. I highly recommend!” —sevenheads
Price: $12.24 for a box of 50
4. A pretty file folder that can expand to hold up to 150-200 sheets of paper, I sheet you not.
Promising review: “I’m a college student with a lot of papers to carry. I was looking for something cute and easy to carry that fits manila folders and keeps smaller folders from getting crinkly. This DID IT. I can’t express how much I love this — I got a second one that’s coming very soon! I can throw loose leaf papers, folders, or even books or small notebooks in this, and nothing gets crinkled or bent. I get a lot of compliments on it as well!” —Alexa Viz
Price: $6.39+ for the solid color (available in eight colors) or the floral (available in four colors)
5. A sweet mini vacuum here to make sure the crumbs from that sandwich you ate at your desk on Tuesday don’t bug you all week.
IDK about you, but eating lunch at my desk always makes me feel like a success and a failure at the same time. On one hand, I’m getting more work done. On the other hand, my desk always ends up looking like an absolute mess, like the aftermath of a two-year-old eating crackers.
Promising review: “I own four of these. My first one is going strong after a year of use and lives on my cutting table in the sewing studio. One is at the office for keeping my desk tidy, and I have one on my bedside table and one on my husband’s bedside table. We have retrievers and their hair is a nightmare on flat surfaces. These little bugs make it so fun and easy to keep the fur under control.” —Becca
Price: $8.98 (available in two colors)
6. Adhesive cable clips so a tangled mess of cords won’t get in your way when you’re working on a project and it’s coming (*extremely Haim voice*) down to the wire.
Promising review: “I needed this on my desk at work to keep my phone charger cord in place. My previous solution was to place a paperclip on the cord and position that between the two desk pieces. This works great for keeping my cord in place. A coworker was in town visiting my office and saw this, and said it was exactly what she needs too. I plan to use the others at home to help clean up the mess of cords behind the wall where my TV hangs. The open part (where the cord goes in) is bigger than I anticipated, so it can hold more than one cord. However, the lightning end of an iPhone cord stays in it, and the top part where you put the cords in is soft yet springy, so it’s easy to get cords in and out. It’s also probably smaller in diameter than a quarter, so I have it on top of my desk just out of the way of my mouse pad, and it never gets in the way.” —B-Dawg’s Dad
Price: $5.97 for a set of six
7. A Rocketbook Everlast smart notebook, which allows you to upload your handwritten notes to your devices and reuse the pages over and over just by wiping them clean with water. Seriously.
Once scanned, the Rocketbook app will automatically send your notes to preselected apps or email. You can mark each page with one of several special symbols that the app will read and send the notes on that page to the location you’ve matched with that symbol. It comes with a pen but also works with any Pilot Frixion writing utensils.
Promising review: “EXCEPTIONAL! This will change your life! This product amazed me and exceeded my expectations. It works exceptionally and as described. The Rocketbook app is so simple and easy to use. The scanning is perfect — it captures the colors, exposes the page with the right lighting, and crops and adjusts the page properly. Each scan takes less than a second, and you can combine multiple pages into one scan and upload them as one document. This is brilliant and I’m so glad I purchased it for school. I have seven classes, and so I assigned each symbol in the notebook to my respective Google Drive folders. The Frixion highlighters and pens erase easily with the included erasers on the pens and effortlessly with a damp microfiber cloth (I provided the link to a very compact microfiber cloth that I use, I’d highly recommend it). Anyway, the product is great, and definitely worth the money.” —Amazon Customer
Price: $26.99+ (available in two sizes and four colors)
8. A set of erasable pens because, in the immortal words of Queen Hannah Montana, everybody makes mistakes.
These work on regular paper but are also compatible with the Rocketbook. Plus, they’ve got over 4,500 positive reviews!!!
Promising review: “These pens are freaking fantastic! For someone who can’t spell to save her life, it helps that I can have the look and feel of a pen with the ability to correct my mistakes, without having to cross stuff out and have the whole thing look messy. They’re super cute colors too!!” —Daniel Macaluso
Price: $9.06 for a set of seven
9. The Panda Planner, which has over 3,500 positive reviews and might not just be a planner, but rather a way of life.
It’s got monthly, weekly, and daily sections that each have plenty of space to write down goals and plans at the beginning and wins and ways to improve at the end. There are also spaces for extra notes, places to write daily affirmations, what you’re looking forward to, and what exercise you’re planning to get each day.
Promising review: “I’m a huge fan of planners. I love to stay organized but I have a hard time remaining positive in my environment. I found this and ordered it RIGHT AWAY! Taking time to write about what you’re grateful/excited for changes your whole life. This is my word to anyone considering this book. If you are depressed (like I was), apathetic (like I was), and just not living to your potential, BUY THIS BOOK! The first day I used it, I made more sales that day than in the whole prior month. I was SUPER motivated. I kept looking at it to not only take care of my tasks but to continuously see that positivity. I could go ON AND ON about this planner. This is the best thing you can do for your mental and physical health that is drug-free and works immediately!” —Amazon Customer
Price: $24.97
10. Or a tear-off planning pad for folks who prefer to take things one day at a time.
Promising review: “I use my iPhone as a calendar, but it has its limitations; I still prefer paper when it comes to planning. This daily page planner motivates me to take care of myself while I take care of the things that need to be done. I like that the ‘must do today’ section only has three spaces, while there’s much more room below to write additional tasks for later. This keeps me from piling too many tasks on myself. It also has a place to track water intake and three square meals, and one of my favorite parts is the box in which I am asked to write what I am thankful for each day.” —Donna T. Edmundson
Price: $9.95 (available in two designs)
11. A minimalist Muji eraser that looks way more grown-up than the pink ones you used in school, because you’re an adult. An adult who has never once spelled the words “occurrence” or “guarantee” correctly on their first try, mind you, but an adult nonetheless.
Promising review: “I originally just bought these because I needed erasers. I had no idea they’d work so well. I love these erasers. They’re easy on paper and they work like a dream. 1939/10 WOULD RECOMMEND.” —Heather Navarro
Price: $6.18 for a pack of five
12. Ingenious highlighters with partially clear points so you can actually highlight perfectly every time — you can see clearly now the bulky marker tip is gone.
Promising review: “These are great highlighters. They are smooth, have a great color, and most importantly you can see through the tip to see what you’re highlighting. This allows you to keep a straighter line as well as stop at the desired point. Give them a try; I think they’re better than a standard highlighter.” —JK
Price: $8.39 for a pack of four
13. A colorful faux leather desk organizer that looks way more expensive than it is.
Promising review: “My home office desk was constantly cluttered with a million little items. I picked up this little guy, and it neatly houses all of my odds and ends. Everything that was previously littering my desk is now safely ensconced in this cubby. It’s all in there. There’s also a little drawer for all those miscellaneous items like SD cards, staples, and stamps. I’ve still got plenty of room, my desk is neat, and I’m happy!” —K
Price: $30.99+ (available in 12 colors)
14. A game-changing hanging wall organizer with six removable folders for holding every last one of your papers, plus a handy clear pocket for displaying must-see documents.
Each folder can hold up to 25 sheets and the whole thing can be collapsed and secured with the attached cord for easy transport. It even comes with blank stickers for labeling the tabs. Check out BuzzFeed’s full write-up on this organizer.
Promising review: “I’ve used one of these for several years, and when it got damaged, I ran right out to replace it. It’s bright and easy to use. We use it as a way to communicate with our staff. Each person has their folder, and I have a place to put items I need to know they received. I have three of these for three different purposes. What I love best about this product is that when I’m in a hurry and on my way to a meeting, this file system has my back. I hang one by the door of my office so I can grab the file I need. It’s colorful and has helped me color-code my projects as well. Now, I’ve begun to think of my needs in terms of colors and I can find them quickly and easily. The calendar pocket in the front is also helpful. I have another one of these for family hung by the back door of the mudroom at home.” —Shelly Sidhu
Price: $12.74
15. A set of colorful fine-tip pens that over 1,000 reviewers think have the write stuff for everything from color-coding to bullet journaling to coloring to note-taking.
Promising review: “I have an unusual obsession with office supplies. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Because of this, it has been increasingly difficult for me to find pens, specifically markers, that I love 100%. These have great color saturation, glide easily on paper, and don’t bleed through to the next page! I can’t recommend them enough. The shape is also amazing — they are beautifully crafted all the way to the cap. 10/10 will be buying more in the future.” —mfin
Price: $4.99 for a set of 10
16. An aww-worthy kitty tape dispenser definitely worth taking some time to paws to admire even on the busiest of workdays.
Promising review: “Oh my gosh, what’s not to love? This cat tape dispenser looks adorable and it’s as useful as my old, ugly, state-issued grey one that I tossed in an empty drawer today. I also got the the matching Post-It dispenser on Amazon, and the tape dispenser is just as cute, just as well made, and just as functional. It was a hit in my office with my coworkers, and it brightens up my desk and my day. Plus, I used it a lot today (needed tape to seal thank-you notes) and it’s weighted enough to be stable and the serrated blade was sharp. And since I use Amazon Smile and my charity is the local animal shelter, I can help real kittens and cats with my silly office purchases :). How great is that?” —L. Tatum
Price: $9.29 (also available in three other fun designs)
17. A compact cordless pencil sharpener that promises not to waste your time by rambling on and on — it’ll get straight to the point.
I tend to think of pencil sharpeners as the kind of objects that are necessary but always a pain in the butt — great half the time and crappy the other. And even if one does the job, it doesn’t seem like the kind of thing people would get super EXCITED about. So I’m super impressed to see that this one has over 1,200 five-star reviews!
Get the required AA batteries here.
Promising review: “This is a great little pencil sharpener! I really love it! I like how compact it is, and I love that there’s no cord so it’s easy to move to any room. This sharpener has some kick to it! It sharpens fast and with a perfect point every time. I liked it so much I bought another one! I’ve only had this for less than a month, but it’s had some considerable use already. It sharpens colored pencils like a dream. I sincerely hope this lasts a very long time. —Shopper22
Price: $16.97
18. A clever cube that can fit up to 96 pens, pencils, markers, brushes, or whatever utensils float your boat. The days of having stray pens all over your desk are history.
It doesn’t just have to be for office supplies, either — the reviewer on the right used it for makeup brushes!
Promising review: “I love everything about this. It’s perfect for my desk. I’m an artist, and I bought two for all my markers. It’s lightweight, very classy looking, and the price is great. I put one on each end of my desk. They’re small but hold so many markers or pencils.” —Sherrie Stone (george stone amazon account holder)
Price: $6.96
19. A pretty metallic phone stand to keep your most prized possession on convienient display even while charging.
Promising review: “Great product. Cheap price, great quality. I bought this thinking it would be like any old regular phone holder made out of thin metal. However, when I got it I was pleasantly surprised. It’s strong and sturdy. The bottom grip is great, and the part where it holds the phone provides grip, too. The gaps in the middle and by the bottom allow you to wire a charger through it; you can mount your phone and charge it at the same time without having to worry about damaging your cable! I bought the gold one and it looks really nice. I’m very happy with my purchase” —Amazon Customer
Price: $7.98 (available in four colors)
20. A trusty pair of scissors that are a ~cut~ above the rest.
Promising review: “I’ve tried finding scissors that stay sharp and cut nicely for ages. I have so many different pairs and brands, and none of them compare to these. They’re sharp, they’ve stayed sharp, and cutting straight lines is pretty much effortless (which is usually not an easy thing since I have a tremor). They fit really comfortably in my hand. I love them! My mom had a pair when I was growing up that she was — and still is, she’s had them for about 35 years — incredibly protective of, we knew not to ever use them, and I never understood why until I got my own pair. I’ve spent a lot more on scissors that don’t come close to these. They’re a great price for a great pair of quality scissors.” —sophiehehe
Price: $7.39
21. A huge box of cool gel pens sure to make everyone else gel-ous.
Promising review: “I bought these at a great price as a gift for my fiancée and they love them! They write fluidly and there are multiple colors with multiple textures — metallic, glitter, shimmer, and so on and so forth. They’re perfect for general writing purposes or for coloring in adult coloring books. The only qualm i have is that they run out so quickly, but my fiancée assures me that’s typical with gel pens. They’re fantastic.” —AmazonCustomer
Price: $16.99 for a box of 108
22. Oversized cheeky sticky notes that’ll motivate you to kick your work’s butt today, while still being honest about the likelihood of not finishing absolutely everything on your to-do list.
Promising review: “Honestly, I’m really not sure how I lived without these before. Being able to sit down at the end of the night and think about what you MUST do the next day versus what would be nice to accomplish is such a handy way of organizing things. It makes tasks feel much smaller and more manageable. This is my new favorite Knock Knock product — and that’s saying a lot, because the brand has so much cool stuff.” —Cynthia
Price: $8.24
23. A pencil case to top all pencil cases, with enough room to stash tons of supplies, plus plenty of compartments for keeping everything organized. You’ll come to realize that not unlike dresses, pencil pouches without pockets are simply inferior.
One of my most distinct memories of being a student is how gross and pencil-dusty everything in my case would get. The zip pockets are perfect for stashing things like tape and erasers that you want to keep fresh!
Promising review: “This has been such a great tool for my college studies. It fits my pencils, pen, a couple sticky pads, multiple highlighters, my graphing calculator, and a couple of other small pieces. It fits into my backpack even with all of my binders, notebooks, and textbooks. I wish I’d discovered this sooner. I recommend it to everyone who asks. It’s such a handy little pen case. It’s made of pretty durable material, and despite all of the pointy objects that go inside, no puncture holes have made it through. IF this guy ever needs to be replaced (and that is a big IF), I would definitely repurchase.” —Brandi H.
Price: $10.59+ (available in five colors)
24. A sleek faux leather desk mat that’ll not only protect the surface of your desk, but have your office looking CEO-level sharp.
Promising review: “I’ve been using this at work. My wooden desk has grooves and this has helped a lot. Not only is it a smooth surface, but it’s great to have my mouse on it without having to worry about the bottom of the mouse getting scratched. It’s easy to clean the surface. I’m a guy who likes to keep my desk clean, and this mat is easy to pick up so I can wipe off the dust. I love that I can have a hot ceramic cup of coffee on it and it’s no problem at all.” —Stephen
Price: $13.99+ (available in three sizes and seven colors)
25. And finally, your very own Dundie award to display on your desk with pride.
Promising review: “I got this for my son who is a huge Office fan. He loves it! When I opened it, it was larger than I’d expected (that’s what she said!), which is great! I was expecting a small figurine that would stand on a nightstand, but you can hold it in your hand like an actual award. If you know someone who’s a die-hard The Office fan, this is a great gift!” —Thinkaholic