The Best Stationery Gifts Aren’t Pens or Notebooks
I can tell you exactly what makes a great notebook or pen for me, but I’d never try to define it for everyone else. Those qualities are deeply personal. Is it smoothness? The line thickness? The way the pen feels on the page? Everyone has their own answer.
That’s why gifting can be tricky. As a rule, I avoid giving notebooks or pens unless I know exactly what the person likes. If I know they’re into fountain pens, I’ll go with a notebook that has fountain-pen-friendly paper like Tomoe River or Midori. You can’t have too many of those. Otherwise, a notebook or pen is almost guaranteed to end up stored and forgotten (sorry mom, those notebooks are still sitting untouched).
Which is why I lean on accessories. They always get used, they add variety, and collecting them is just more fun than collecting pens. I keep a steady rotation of holders, stands, pouches, trays, and more.
So with that in mind, here are a few ideas for pen accessories you could pick up for yourself, or for someone who loves stationery.
Pen rests and stands
You can always toss your pens into a mug and forget about them, but that usually means they’ll never see the light of day again. That said, mugs are not an automatic no-no. The right one, chosen with a little care, can make a thoughtful gift on its own. Still, a proper stand or holder has the advantage of keeping pens visible and within reach, while also making your desk feel more intentional. 
I've put too many pens in that Campfield cup. And the FOMO is overwhelming.
The Galen Leather Wood Desk organizer. You'll see it in many of our product pictures.
Unfortunately not available anymore. The pen stand from Dudek Goods is a great showcase of favorite pens.
Pouches, sleeves, and boxes
I move around a lot, whether I’m working from home or traveling. For long trips I like to keep it simple with a small pouch that holds just the essentials. At home I’ll reach for a larger one that can carry a notebook too, and I keep a few single sleeves for when I only need one or two pens. The real benefit is flexibility: I can switch bags or totes without hunting for stray pens in every corner.
One note of caution: I don’t use pencil-case style pouches. When pens knock into each other they scratch, and that’s not how I want to treat mine. Dedicated sleeves or divided cases do the job much better.
Rickshaw's pouches are pretty sleek and their collection is expansive. I went straight for the Diplomat, keeps 3 pens and notecards tidy. Made in San Francisco.
The Delfonics Inner Carrying Case is my go to when I travel, it makes it really easy to keep my kit at hand and switch bags if necessary.
Trays
There are two main kinds: dedicated pen trays with channels to keep pens from rolling, and catch-all trays for pens plus everything else.
If importing stuff is not a problem, or you have access to one of the major pen shows in the US. Get stuff from Toyooka Kraft. We will be having their trays to display our FP offerings in our brick and mortar store.
Amarillo Stationery has these beautiful padded trays.
Bonus: Fidget toys
People who love stationery often enjoy fidget toys too. Both are about tactile satisfaction. The best ones are weighty and textured, something you’ll actually keep on your desk, not a flimsy bit of plastic.
We got Craighill goods in the store. The Tracer Tops did a fantastic job at spinning stably for enough time to take the picture.
Spekz will be soon available in our shop! These are rubberized magnets... so... good.
And more bonus: sweet sweet aspirational self items
These are likely overkill, but absolutely delightful.
The Smythson Stationery Bureau. If you want pricey, this one is pricey. You'll feel like writing important policy letters to the king if you have one of these.
