Back to School and Organizing with MUJI!

~ stashy

Yes, it’s a little sad to think, isn’t it… but Back to School is just around the corner!  Even though I’m no longer in school (some days I think about how great it would be to be back in school, and then I remember the assignments and exams! 😛 ), I’m still a stationery fiend.  I am that person at the office who will not lend out my pen because I know you will either 1) chew on it 2) not return it, or 3) lose it! 😡 So it was with excitement that I visited the MUJI Canada HQ once again, this time, to learn about their stationery and organizational products!

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Those are the comfy bean bag chairs that I sat on last time I was there!

The open house started with an overview of MUJI’s approach on product development – there are 4 key considerations:
1) World of MUJI: redesigning common, everyday items, often partnering up with well-known designers
2) Found MUJI: discovering local items and recreating them for a global market
3) Quest for best materials: attention to sourcing the most natural material as possible
4) Observation: look at how people live at home, and how they work at their workplace to create products to fit their lives
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The presentation was given by MUJI Canada’s President, Toru Akita, whose passion for all things MUJI is evident by how he speaks about the product development process. I just love getting another peek behind the scenes at MUJI HQ!

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The concept behind MUJI is no secret, the principles are clearly displayed at their stores.

Then we were shown their product set-up showcasing the most popular stationery and storage items:
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The best part was the stamping area they set up in their office, just for us:
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Here’s something you don’t know about me – I loved stamps when I was younger. I used to spend hours making cards and my own personalized stationery using a large collection of stamps. 😛

We were each given a selection of MUJI stationery and organization products to try for ourselves! I just HAD to stamp my notebook with some Japanese inspired symbols:
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I was trying for an alternating red / black colour scheme but kind of messed up that last one on the lower right hand corner. Also, I was over zealous with my stamping and the designs kind of bled together… those stamps were really fresh and “juicy”. 😛

Here are the rest of the items we received in more detail:
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Cat-shaped sticky notes! Pocket-sized stapler! Correction tape in a sleek casing! Pen holder clip (attach to any notebook – what a brilliant concept)!
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I’m slightly obsessed with the manual hand-crank desk size shredder – I was amazed at how well it works. I own a full size electronic shredder at home and I hardly ever use it due to the hassle and the NOISE; instead, I tossed all the papers I need to shred in a bin (it’s been at least 6 months since I’ve run that thing). Now I can shred in SILENCE and even get some wrist exercise! 😛

The PP Double Pen Case we received was packed to the brim with writing instruments – my weakness! 😮

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Yup, I put the mini stapler inside that smaller compartment – that’s how tiny that thing is.

The new writing instruments will be a great addition to my desk at work:
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Here are all the items from the case laid out – on the far right side are 3 of my own pens that I’ve purchased from MUJI (I have a thing for clicky style pens).  Of the ones I already own, my absolute favourite is the Resin Body Ballpoint Pen 0.7mm (in the smokey black casing). It’s really smooth and provides a thicker line so it’s like I’m always writing in bold. 😛  I learned at the open house that the ink in that pen is oil based so it will not smear even if your page gets wet!
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Fun fact: in Canada, MUJI’s #1 item is their Gel Pen. They sell 80,000 units of just the black colour every year! (really impressive considering there are only 2 stores in Canada so far) MUJI’s pens are high quality – they’re designed so that you get every drop of ink from the cartridge. And they’re so affordable – now you don’t have to borrow my pen, you can get your own! 😉
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Notebooks are always useful – we even received a student planner, which has a calendar that starts in August and contains full views of each month, and then plain ruled pages at the back.
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I also love the little spiral notebook, which I promptly decorated with those makeup stickers I got last month:

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And yesss, a clicky multi-coloured pen! This is such a throwback to middle school. 😛

And we even got a set of 24 markers! I need to get one of those adult colouring books, pronto!

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Of course, the first thing I drew is a rainbow. Need to test out all the colours, am I right?

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Does anyone do this, arrange colouring pencils / crayons, markers in rainbow order? I do this EVERY time I get a set of them. Old habits die hard.

The pièce de résistance, we received 2 acrylic storage cases 😮
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I already own a few of the drawers, so this is a welcome addition. And the pen holder is a similar concept to the one I picked up from Daiso in Japan. I may try to put brushes in this one since it’s deeper.

Again, like the last open house, I met up with some fantastic local Bloggers and YouTubers!  Please go check them out:
• Fun Size Beauty
• Life is My Movie
• Maximizing Minimalism
• Diary of a Toronto Girl
• A Certain Romance
• Petite Pear Style
• Alisha’s Guide
We were chitchatting so much that the folks at MUJI finally told us that they had to close the office! 😳 😆 Thank you again, MUJI, for having me!

MUJI Canada is currently having a 15% off sale for Back to School Promotion including stationery and storage items – time to stock up!
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Here’s the stamping station at the MUJI Atrium location – it was a complete madhouse around there!
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In Canada, MUJI is available online and at the following store locations:
• Toronto: MUJI Atrium, across from the Eaton Centre
• Mississauga: MUJI Square One
And, there are whisperings that a new location in the GTA is opening soon – stay tuned! 😉
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This post contains products which were provided to me by MUJI Canada free of charge. I wrote about them to share my love of all things nerdy stationery, organization, and MUJI!
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I’ll be doing a reorganization of my makeup storage coming up. I know many of you have expressed interest in seeing my set up – it’s currently a mishmash of containers and my goal is to switch to a single system by the end of the year!  Guess where I’ll be going to stock up on acrylic cases!

So tell me, are you a stationery fiend too? Fess up! 😉

76 thoughts on “Back to School and Organizing with MUJI!”

  2. If I had the chance to go to a MUJI event or a beauty one, I would choose MUJI since “ORGANIZATION” is my middle name !!!😜So cool … Lucky girl! We have NOTHING in Quebec 😩😞😖

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    1. I know, I was quite excited to have been invited to this open house! It was right up my alley! I hope one day MUJI will make the move to Québec! I’m sure it would do well there. 📖✏

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        1. It’s true, Quebec language police are very strict! But I noticed that all of their skincare do have stickers with both French and English. Maybe it’s only a matter of time and finding a good retail location!

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    1. Tsk tsk, pen chewers have oral fixation! Something to think about! 😛
      Yes, when I first learned of MUJI, it was about their stationery stuff. Their displays are constantly shopped over – I happened to go to the store when they’d just restocked so the pens were well stocked!

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  6. This is so cute! Loooove the markers especially, and how you rearranged them in rainbow order!
    I’ve always been obsessed with coloured pens/pencils/markers and used to beg my parents to buy me a new set of 75 pencil crayons at the start of every school year, lol. The interest in stationery has died down on the last few years as I don’t journal and everything else is done on the computer, but my wedding research has led to me getting obsessed with watching calligraphy videos lately, and now I’ve been contemplating investing in some calligraphy markers 😛
    Hehe, so cute that you used to collect stamps! Love your Japanese inspired notebook.
    The hand-crank desk shredder is a great idea! I don’t like the big ones because my papers always get stuck in them, haha.

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    1. I still have a pack of crayons from when I was young! I kept them for whatever reason… they’re in my storage unit. 😛 Do you think there’s a correlation between stationery and makeup? I feel like there’s something about the packaging or the colours that we’re drawn to.
      Oh I bet the wedding stuff has refueled this! I love going to the paper stores and looking at PAPER. What is wrong with me! 😆 Are you doing your own invitations? Some of them are SO intricate but amazing like little pieces of art!
      I got some junk mail last night – gonna use that hand crank shredder! 🙂

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      1. Haha, I love that you kept your crayons! Wow, have never thought of there possibly being a correlation between stationery and makeup, but now that I think about it, it could very well be a thing! We are definitely drawn to the colours and packaging. Plus I kinda see makeup as basically like colouring on your face!
        Paper is pretty, okay?! Man, the thing is that I have a very specific vision of what I want the invitations to look like, but am not NEARLY talented enough to make my own. We could have stationery stores here custom-make them so that I can live out my vision, BUT I’m not sure we’re willing to spend hundreds of dollars on something that people will just toss in the garbage. Boo! The intricate invitations are super fun to look at, though!
        Lol! Junk mail finally has a purpose!

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        1. Yes, makeup IS like colouring your face, haha!
          Will you be doing a post on what your wedding invitations will look like? I bet it involves a layer of vellum paper! 😛 Yes, they’re so expensive but I always imagine people judge weddings based on the invite – it’s like a first impression thing. But um… no pressure! 😆

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          1. Ooooh, vellum paper – I like! 😛 Hmm, the invitations will fit with the theme of our wedding, so I was thinking of doing a ‘this is our wedding theme’ post and include the invitations as part of that!
            Yes, people DO say that the invitation is the first impression of the wedding! But then I’m like…do I care enough about their first impression to spend a couple more hundred dollars on them? lol I say yes and the fiancé says no! But we’ll see…I have yet to ask around wedding invitation stores here to see how much they would cost, so fingers crossed it’s not as expensive as I imagine!

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            1. Invitations are really expensive if you want layers or fancy embossed letters etc. I personally wouldn’t spend the extra money simply because OTHER people won’t appreciate it, even though I do. I can’t wait to see your wedding theme! I know it will have periwinkle… 😉

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    1. I still have a sticker album from when I was young! I should dig it out of my storage unit. I don’t really collect anymore but I do pick up random ones (like the makeup ones!) Do you have a preferred brand / type (ie scented, foil, fuzzy, glow in the dark)

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  9. Loved this post! I’m a big fan of simple designs and MUJI hit the nail on the head with that. I’ve visited the place several times and have yet to make a purchase. I still send out snail mail once in a while and am glad I held onto the Sanrio sets I’ve had from several years ago. Does MUJI have a good selection of sticky notes? Those are my main desk essential next to pens.

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    1. I’m impressed you were able to walk out of MUJI without buying anything! I can never resist even if it’s just some candy, or another pen! MUJI’s sticky notes are pretty standard – they have plain squares in different sizes, and colourful page tabs types. The fun shaped ones are only the cat ones and I’ve seen house shaped ones.

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  10. OH Stasheroooooooooooooooo this is so amazing ! I love everything – hello that little shredder …. I could used that like 6 years ago – LOL wink xxx
    THE markers xxxx
    I love xo
    I can’t wait to see Your art soon xo
    XOXOXOXXO

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    1. Unfortunately, MUJI does not actually sell those stamps! They just offer a stamping station so that you can personalize your stationery with them.
      Aww the perils of having a toddler around, they just get into everything!

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  15. I was that kid who waited the school to start because that meant I got to go stationery shopping 😄 I love love love pencils, markers, pens and everything else that comes with it. I loved this post! The pictures were beautiful and you really can’t miss if there’s a rainbow pen line on it 🙈👌 Lovely post! 😊

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  16. Everything you got is so cool! I love the mini shredder and what’s better, no noise 🙂 the felt tips look really nice, it makes me want to go out and buy one of those mindful colouring books haha. Those makeup stickers are the cutest!

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    1. I’m weird, I like quiet things. I find electronic shredders so loud!
      Yes, I’ve been eyeing those mindful colouring books too! They’ve popped up everywhere, I just haven’t found a theme that I loved yet. 🙂

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    1. I hope they expand to the Netherlands one day. Their minimalist design would fit so well with the aesthetics there. I’m itching to revamp my makeup storage all in one day but I need to pace myself!

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  19. This js soo cute! I was once a stationary obsessed.. I used to love those with scent, also used to collect different shapes of erasers with scent and I’m like you, I bring my own pen at work and don’t lend them (i love the fine point tip pen) and a sticky notes addict..haha this post makes me want to collect more stationary too! 😄😂 (but..but.. My hubby is worst, he is a hoarder (shhh) I call it his school supplies stash (a gazillion of pens and etc.) love the behind the scenes photos too and I really enjoy shredding, I’ll find anything here just so I can use my hubby’s shredder, love the feeling of seeing those whole piece of paper being shredded and the sound is so satisfying haha.. And those stickers are adorable!!!😍

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    1. oh yes, erasers! I had an eraser collection!!! Scented ones were the best. I kept them separated and would not use the ones that were special.
      That’s so cute your hubby has his school supplies stash!
      And yay, a fellow shredding fan! 🙂 I even saw shredding scissors – have you seen these:

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  21. What a fun event! Omg I loved stamps when I was younger too – I even had a heat embosser and a collection of embossing powders. So fun!

    God help me if I ever visit a Muji store, I may set my credit card on fire in the stationary department alone! So many cool things!

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    1. Yesssss embossing powders! ME TOO. omg now I want to stamp again. It’s such an expensive hobby though.
      Hehe maybe it’s for the best that you don’t have a MUJI easily accessible! But I’m sure if you run into one in your travels, you’ll end up getting a few things (but of course limited by luggage, so there’s your build-in self control! 😉 )

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  22. haha i totally forgot we closed the muji office with all our chatter! it was great to see you and catch up briefly. i’m so in love with all the writing instruments and acrylic containers… and yes, i put my markers in rainbow order as well!! how can you not?! your rainbow drawing is adorable. 🙂

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  25. I’m still spamming you 😀
    I have two pens in my pen cup on my desk that are strictly “loaner” pens. A) I am weird about germs and don’t want someone else’s grubby hands on my pens B) I am protective of my pens and hate having them stolen. So I keep a box of cheap pens in my desk drawer and two of those live on my desk for loaning purposes. Man, I just went off on a tangent there! Sorry!
    I love the idea of the pen holder that can attach to any notebook. That’s actually brilliant!
    Oh my gosh! All those pens!! And markers! And yes, the rainbow re-ordering is a must 🙂
    How fun this event must have been!
    I’m not a stationary fiend at all O_O

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    1. I do keep some random pens I got for free / don’t care for as loaners too. 😛
      I’m so mad at myself – I lost my favourite MUJI just this week (left it in a meeting room – when I went back later, it was GONE!) I’ve had it for months and I think I jinxed it by photographing it for this post. Ah well, at least I can replace it easily.
      That pen holder thing is so smart! I’m going to the MUJI store to buy a couple more.
      Haha I can tell you don’t care about stationery at ALL. Nope! 😉

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