Organizing a parent evening, general members' meeting, or team session: what do you prepare on the table?
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
5 min reading time
Parent-teacher meetings, member assemblies, and team sessions all kick off simultaneously in September and October. A concrete list of everything you need, from pens to cups, plus how to transport it all in one box.
It's a quarter to eight, the room is filling up, and then it turns out there's no pen for the attendance list. Someone goes to the kitchen for cups, someone else looks for a marker for the flipchart, and the meeting starts ten minutes later than planned. Not dramatic, but the same thing every time.
September and October are the months when this happens most often: parent-teacher conferences, general members' meetings, team sessions after the holidays, information evenings and courses all start at the same time. Below is a concrete list of what should be on the table, divided into what you need before, during and after the event.
The table itself: four things always needed
Regardless of the type of gathering, you'll always find the same four categories: something to write with, something to write on, something to drink, and something to clean up with.
Writing implements are always in short supply. Count on one pen per two participants, as people bring their own pens but not everyone does. A set of 10 Topwrite ballpoint pens costs €2.00 — cheap enough to put a handful on the table without it hurting if three go home with attendees. For a larger group, Top Write ballpoint pens in a set of 10 are available for €4.00.
Markers are a separate category. For a whiteboard or flipchart, you need a thicker tip than for paper. Markers in a set of 4 cost €4.00. If you need to write on something that doesn't need to be erased — name tags, boxes, tape — then permanent markers, 5 pieces for €4.00 are the right choice, or the permanent markers, 5 pieces in 3 colors for €4.95. Don't mix them up on the table: someone will inevitably grab the permanent marker for the whiteboard.
If you want to quickly highlight something in a document that's being passed around, highlighters in a set of 4 (€4.00) are ready.
Paperwork: attendance list, agenda and signatures
At a General Assembly or parent-teacher evening, papers almost always circulate. Three things that make that smoother.
First: not loose. A stapler with 500 staples (€8.95) prevents the agenda and its attachments from separating by participant seven. If the staples run out, 3,000 staples can be purchased for €2.60.
Second: something to draw straight lines with and to tear off a sheet neatly. A 30 cm ruler costs €4.00.
Third: tape. For hanging an attendee list or a sign at the entrance, Scotch Crystal Tape from 3M, 2 pieces (€6.00) is suitable because it is virtually invisible. A tape dispenser of 17 x 7 x 7.2 cm (€6.00) prevents searching for the start of the roll. If you need to attach something to the wall without making holes — you are often in a rented space — then self-adhesive hooks of 6 x 6 cm, 10 pieces (€5.95) are an option. First test one in an inconspicuous place and remove them afterwards.
For an hour-long or longer meeting, you'll want to be able to offer something to drink without someone having to walk around with a tray during the meeting.
Disposable cups are the pragmatic choice here, especially in a rented space where you don't know if there's a dishwasher. Coffee cups of 150 ml in a pack of 100 cost €14.95. Count on two cups per person for a two-hour evening. If you have your own space and the meeting is held regularly, a set of mugs will be cheaper and more pleasant in the long run — but then someone will also have to do the dishes.
For several years now, most meeting tables have also had a bottle of hand gel. Disinfecting hand gel with 70% alcohol in 150 ml costs €2.95 and fits on the table; the 500 ml bottle (€4.95) is more logical at the entrance. If you organize more often or for larger groups, there is a 5-liter jerry can for €14.95 to refill smaller bottles.
Something to snack on the table keeps the atmosphere relaxed. Freeze-dried apple rings cost €5.99 per pack and don't crumble over documents.
Transporting and cleaning up everything
Anyone who brings items to a room knows the problem: you're lugging around four separate bags, and at the end, something is always missing.
Work with one dedicated box used only for meetings. A moving box of 480 x 430 x 330 mm (€3.50, 50 liters) is large enough for cups, pens, paper, and an extension cord. For a smaller set, a cardboard shipping box of 15 x 15 x 15 cm (€1.99) suffices. Write with a permanent marker on the side what should be inside, and check the list when packing and when tidying up.
On the table, a desk organizer with phone holder (€5.00) keeps pens and markers together, so you can see at a glance what's missing at the end. And to open boxes without using your keys: a set of 8 utility knives costs €4.95.
A quick checklist
Pens: one per two participants, plus five spares.
Markers: separate set for whiteboard and separate set of permanent markers.
Attendance list stapled and ready, with spare staples.
Cups: two per person, plus hand sanitizer at the entrance.
Tape and hooks for signs, provided you remove them afterwards.
One box with everything in it, and a list on the side.
Do you organize multiple evenings per season and want to purchase supplies for the entire series at once? Email the number of participants and the number of meetings to info@verpakkingdeals.nl — we'll help you determine the quantities.
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