Fellowes Office Equipment Checklist: 5 Common Mistakes That Cost You Time and Money (and How to Fix Them)

Who This Checklist Is For

If you manage a small office, a college department, or a co-working space, you’ve probably made at least one of the mistakes I’m about to walk through. I’ve been handling equipment orders and IT support for my university’s administrative office for five years. In that time, I personally wasted roughly $3,200 on the wrong gear and rework. This checklist is what I now follow to avoid repeating my own dumb decisions.

Below are five common pitfalls, each with a fix you can apply today. The order matters: start with the big-ticket items (shredders, laminators) and finish with the small-but-annoying ones (printer resets, GPA calculations, ad specs).

Step 1: Don't Buy a Shredder Based on Price Alone – Think Security and Capacity

When I first started, I picked the cheapest shredder I could find. Big mistake. It jammed constantly, overheated after 10 minutes, and the security level was too low for confidential student records. That $89 shredder cost me $450 in lost productivity and a $200 replacement within 18 months.

Here’s what to check instead (I now use a Fellowes commercial paper shredder as my benchmark):

• Security level: At least P-4 (DIN 66399) for most office documents. For HR or financial data, go P-5 or P-6. The Fellowes commercial paper shredder line offers P-4 to P-6 models with clear markings.
• Run time and sheet capacity: Look for continuous-duty rated motors. A 10-minute run time isn’t enough for a busy office. The Fellowes 14Cx (for example) runs 30 minutes continuously.
• Waste bin size: Bigger means fewer emptying cycles. I now use a 30-gallon bin for our main shredder.

Total cost thinking: A $500 shredder that lasts 5 years with minimal jams beats a $150 shredder that needs replacement every 18 months. Calculate 5-year TCO before ordering.

Step 2: Pick a Laminator That Matches Your Most Common Document Size

I once ordered a dozen laminators for different departments without checking what they actually laminated. Half of them were too narrow for the A4 flyers our marketing team produced. That mistake hit $890 in restocking fees and shipping.

The fix is simple: Measure your most-used document size. For most offices, A4 (210×297 mm) is standard. The Fellowes Spectra A4 Laminator is a solid choice because it handles A4 pouches reliably and warms up in under 4 minutes. But here’s the part most people miss:

• Check pouch thickness compatibility. Some laminators can’t take 5-mil pouches without jamming. The Spectra A4 handles 3-mil and 5-mil.
• Warm-up time and auto-shutoff matter. I’ve seen staff leave laminators on overnight. Get one with auto-shutoff after 30 minutes.

If you regularly laminate A3 or odd sizes, consider the Fellowes Spectra A3, but for 90% of offices, A4 is enough.

Step 3: Know How to Reset an Epson Printer – Don’t Throw It Away

Last year, a staff member told me our Epson WorkForce printer was “dead” because the ink pad needed replacement and the error wouldn’t go away. I almost bought a new printer ($280) until I checked the manual. A simple reset sequence cleared the warning and bought us another 6 months before the pad actually needed replacing.

How to reset an Epson printer (general procedure – verify your model):

1. Turn the printer off.
2. Hold down the “Stop” (or “Reset”) button + the “Power” button simultaneously.
3. While holding both, release the “Stop” button, then release “Power”.
4. Press the “Stop” button multiple times until you see “Reset” or “0” on the LCD. Then press “Power” once to confirm.

Note: This procedure varies by model. I’ve used it successfully on Epson WorkForce 7720, 7820, and ET-4750. Check your service manual or search “how to reset Epson printer [your model]” for exact steps. But don’t replace the whole printer before trying a reset – it’s a no-brainer cost saver.

Step 4: Use a College GPA Calculator – Manual Math Will Bite You

This one seems trivial, but I’ve seen academic advisors and students waste hours manually calculating GPAs and still get it wrong. In one case, a student was told they didn’t qualify for a scholarship because of a 0.02 miscalculation. The advisor had used the wrong formula for plus/minus grades.

The fix: Bookmark a reliable college GPA calculator (RapidTables, Calculator.net, or your registrar’s official tool). Enter letter grades and credit hours, and get the exact GPA. I keep a link on our department’s shared drive. It takes 30 seconds instead of 15 minutes. Also: round only the final result, not intermediate steps.

If you’re a student reading this: don’t trust your mental math. Use a calculator.

Step 5: Match Local Newspaper Ad Specs – Don’t Assume “Standard”

We often place ads in the Lincoln Journal Star for recruitment and events. My first time, I sent a CMYK PDF with a 0.125 inch bleed, thinking that was universal. It got rejected because the newspaper required specific black-and-white TIFF at 300 DPI with no bleed. The rejection cost us a week’s delay and a $150 rush fee.

Before submitting any ad to a local paper (including the Lincoln Journal Star or its online edition):

• Download the official ad specs from their website. They differ by section (e.g., classified vs. display).
• Check file format: usually PDF, TIFF, or JPEG with exact dimensions.
• Confirm color mode: many newspapers still prefer grayscale or spot color, not CMYK.
• Call the ad department if unsure. I learned to ask for a “pre-check” – they’ll often flag issues before final submission.

This step alone saved me from several reprint costs. The total cost of a rejected ad includes not just the reprint fee but the missed deadline for the event.

Common Mistakes to Watch For (Bonus Round)

• Mixing shredder types in one bin: Don’t cross-cut micro-shredded paper with strip-cut – it creates a mess that jams the compactor. Use separate bins if you have both shredders.
• Overheating the laminator: Never feed more than 3-4 pouches without a 5-minute cool-down. The Fellowes Spectra A4 has a “cool” mode, but I still pause.
• Ignoring ink pad counters on Epson printers: The reset trick only works if you also manually clean the pad (or replace it after a while). Ignoring physical saturation can damage the printer.

Disclaimer: Pricing mentioned is based on 2024-2025 observations; verify current rates. Product specifications may change. Always check manufacturer documentation for your exact model.