I'll confess, I love Black & Red notebooks. I go through a couple a year. Since discovering them a…read morecouple years ago, I've never shied away from them. They are strong, last forever and have a variety of sizes to fit your needs. Granted this isn't a review of Black & Red, there is only one place I go when I need a new one, or other stationery needs. That place is Ryman. This is the third of fourth I've been to in London and they are all consistent. Everything you need, from writing tools, to postal materials and other office related necessities.

A brilliant firm with outstanding customer service and competitive prices. Ordered a desk from them…read moreand had it delivered the next day. They even carried it into the house and up multiple flights of stairs. When there was a slight problem I gave them a call and they came back the next day to fix it. Andrew's was recommended to me by a friend and I will definitely be passing on the recommendation.

AOF is steps from Old Street Station so on a recent mission for an office working/common table I…read morepopped in to see if they might have something secondhand that would fit the bill. This location has a HUGE amount of used office furniture. Desk, chairs, tables, etc. Some of it in great condition, some of it not-so-great. It's all cleanly laid out in this warehouse. They also sell new/custom lines as well, which they clearly try to steer you towards. Pet peeve -- LIST THE PRICES on the items. FFS, I do not want to have to ask you how much each thing costs. I won't bother you about a chair that is 4x overpriced, ok lads? Free delivery in/around London - so that's nice. I didn't end up liking anything particularly on this visit, nor did I want to order new/custom (could do that somewhere else) -- the appeal of same or next day delivery was nice but asking about prices and then getting very lackluster information from the attendant kind of put me off. He kind of shoo'ed me away and gave me his card to call him. Like, I'm here right now. SELL ME SOMETHING. Anyway, it's not a bad shout if you need some lightly used office furniture for your office, startup, or even at home depending on your space. Looks like their inventory rotates relatively often so worth a stop in as its very convenient to local transport and right off Old Street.

The trouble with W H Smith at the moment is it doesn't know what it is. Is it a book shop, a…read morenewsagents, a sweet shop? So they try to cram everything in that they think someone might need. This means you have to walk an assault course to get to the back of the store. This branch in Uxbridge has actually got a lot of floor space but you couldn't tell on first glance due to the massive displays and no space in between. I would hate to have to push a buggy around, your poor baby would have Cards and magazines crashing on it's head. The one thing I do like about this shop is the self service tills. You don't have a depressed member of staff trying to sell you half price chocolate. As you scan your own stuff. Much better when you nip in for a birthday card. This does have a great selection if birthday cards. But every time I leave I'm thankful I made it out alive!

The best for buying papers or magazines. Usually pop in to pick up the free DVD or CD from the…read moredaily mail. Has a post office on the upper floor. The back of the store could do with more space, but most stationary and other basics are aesy to find.

Excellent stationer with friendly, helpful staff. Can be a bit on the pricey side but has regular…read morespecial offers on printer paper, shredders and Sharpie pens. Cheap greetings cards too. A much better choice for stationery supplies than nearby WH Smiths.

House of Leather is a great place for the designer handbags. The handbags are leather and…read moreaffordable. Fantastic colours/ Lots of designs, clutch, shoulder, and much more.

Do you need a pen? Do you need glue? How about a small box of paper clips? Or paper to clip those…read morepaper clips onto? Look no further than Holloway Stationers. One day I had to go to class at London Met when suddenly I realized I had never purchased a notebook for it. For our written assignment in class, it would have been catastrophic. Holloway Stationers swooped in wearing its Super Man cape to save the day. Turns out I didn't need the notebook and actually didn't take one note the entire semester, but nonetheless the Stationers were there for me! Staffed by some lovely folks, you feel at Stationer home when you enter here. These aren't the type of people who will staple your hand when you aren't looking. They'll staple your heart with joy (still would hurt, perhaps worse). Anyways, definitely hit up Holloway Stationers for your stationary needs around the Lower Holloway area of London. Ignore all competition, Holloway reigns supreme.

Holloway Art and Stationers is a great little store that sells all kinds of art and stationary…read moresupplies. Their main custom comes from London Metropolitan University students as they are in the middle of the Holloway Road campus. Students get a 10% discount which I love. The man who runs the store is very nice, helpful and always up for a good chat. For most of your art and stationary needs, they can provide it at a much cheaper price than some of the Central London shops. If you are unsure about what they may stock, give them a call and they are happy to tell you what they have and what they charge.

Pentonville Rubber is simple. It sells rubber, latex and foam to the normal home consumer to larger…read moreassociations such as hospitals, museums and film studios. When I was a design student I needed all sorts of materials to make things out of and this little shop provided me with the strangest of things. If you design furniture and need foam for the cushioning of a chair, for instance, they can cut your foam to the exact size you need. I once needed a large sheet of latex for a project, strange I know, and they had it in every colour. Staff are highly professional and know exactly what they're talking about, and are extremely helpful.

I'd often walk past Pentonville Rubber but didnt take much notice of it apart from noticing the…read morelarge foam shapes in the window. When I worked as a researcher on an interiors programme it suddenly came in very handy. Whatever the request it would never be a problem for the guys at Pentoville Rubber and they are very quick. If you ever need foam for your cushions or chair, Pentoville Rubber should be your first stop. I haven't used them since but I am sure they will come in handy again one day.

This sweet little shop in Stoke Newington has a great selection of gift idea's, ribbon's and…read morewrapping paper. Almost everything has been designed by the shop owner's themselves so you can expect to find a lot of original and unique item's. Personally my favourite item has to be the mugs printed with 'I LOVE STOKEY' which I think would make a great present for anyone in the who lives in the area. It's important to point out that this shop isn't all about novelty and stocking fillers. Most the cards and wrapping paper are stylishly understated and there is a large selection of posh toiletries and candles too. Though it might be a bit expensive for me to buy my wrapping paper from Early Bird every time there is a birthday on the horizon, I would definitely recommend it for the occasional special gift.

It wasn't until I went on their website that I realised that the people behind Earlybird not only…read moresell their wares, but also design all those wares themselves. (well, not everything, but a lot of the bits in the shop) They sell their own designs- brightly-coloured illustrations and repeated patterns of butterflies, birds, dinosaurs and animals- on occasion cards, blank cards and wrapping paper. There are a number of fun gifts such as 'I love Stokey Mugs' and novelty moustaches as well as more sensible presents such as moleskin notebooks. The two men who work there are lovely and very funny- they spent the half an hour I was in there arguing about Doctor John and who should do the washing up that had been there for three days. Far nicer than Paperchase.