I was tired of scouring the internet for the best hot glue gun only to be wildly disappointed with it, and constantly said how much I wish there was a directory of all of the products that your fellow makers and small biz owners recommend. So let's make one!
Here I will be collecting all of the glorious recommendations from YOU - the people who know it best! Have tools that you love? Office items you can't live without? Share them here (in the comments) and I'll put them in to a nice tidy little chart for us all to reference!
Also! If you bought something you thought was going to be life-changing but turned out to be a flop, share that too! What NOT to buy is sometimes as helpful as what TO buy!
PS - if you want to know what inventory and packaging products I use, check out my other blog on where to shop for your small business!
CRAFTY STUFF - DO BUY
What is it? | Link | Price | Why do you love it? |
Hot Glue Gun | Cobiz Full Size Heavy Duty Glue Gun | $23.99 | Glue is super strong, comes out even, and has very little drip. Does take a little bit to heat up though. |
What is it? | Link | Price | Why don't you love it? |
OFFICE STUFF - DO BUY
What is it? | Link | Price | Why do you love it? |
Swing-arm stapler | Swivel stapler | $12.99 | More functionality than a regular stapler and can easily be used to staple zines and booklets |
Canon Pixma iX6820 Printer | Canon Printer | $395 | absolutely amazing print quality! Definitely can make your own prints, cards, and tags with it! |
OFFICE STUFF - DON'T BUY
What is it? | Link | Price | Why don't you love it? |
Water-activated tape dispenser | WELSTIK Tape Dispenser | $29.99 | Doesn't wet the tape well and the blade is terrible at cutting the tape |
STORAGE STUFF - DO BUY
What is it? | Link | Price | Why do you love it? |
Storage Drawers |
Akro-Mils 24 Drawer Storage (For smaller drawers, check THIS) | $51 | Drawers are actually big enough for stickers! Great for desktop access while packing orders |
Collapsible Crates | Clevermade Storage Crates | $14.99 | Durable, infinitely handy, great for craft shows because you can flatten them once you unload them. I have...8 of them lol |
Divided Containers | 3pk Storage Box with dividers | $22.49 | long and narrow so fit perfectly on shelves. Adjustable divider. Great for studio storage or to stay organized at craft shows! |
Stacking Bins | Plastic Stacking Trays (Target) | $4 | The large is the PERFECT size. They stack nicely and are frosted so you can tell what is inside without having to see EVERYTHING. |
Plastic Nesting Bins | 3pk Medium Storage Trays (Target) | $2 | Endlessly useful for prepping orders, holding pieces while you work on stuff, quick storage, etc. You've probably seen these in your fave maker's studio already. The small ones are also great! |
What is it? | Link | Price | Why don't you love it? |
Collapsible Crates from Typo | They are super cute for storage that stays put, but they don't feel very sturdy to take to craft shows and such. Mine arrived broken so if that tells you anything... | ||
What is it? | Link | Price | Why do you love it? |
Tagging Gun | ASKOR Tagging Gun | $13.99 | easy to use, lightweight, and no issues so far! |
OTHER STUFF - DON'T BUY
What is it? | Link | Price | Why don't you love it? |