I’m working for a start-up that just moved into a new office that is whiteboard-free. This may sound somewhat dramatic but it is a shocking and untenable experience.

To me, whiteboards are valuable workhorses for startups. They are essential tools for creativity, inspiration, brainstorming, planning, workflow and organizational structure. To not have whiteboards is akin to not having chairs or computers because it means a must-have tool is missing from a startup’s arsenal.

My fascination with whiteboards has made it a top priority for any startup where I’ve worked. At my first startup, Blanketware, we were so obsessed with whiteboards, we purchased 3′ x 5′ sheets of Melamine (aka shower board) from Home Depot to create a whiteboard that was the entire length of a wall.

These sheets can be bought for about $25, although they don’t have the lifespan of more expensive whiteboards unless you take care of them. But for a startup trying to operate lean and mean, it’s a better way than spending hundreds of dollars on whiteboards. Another option is using IdeaPaint, which is a DIY product that lets you paint walls to create a whiteboard. It’s cool and it works great.

Whatever route you decide to go, the most important thing for a startup is having lots of whiteboards around the office. In a workplace that is ever-changing, volatile and dependent on bursts of brainstorming and new ideas, whiteboards are a perfect medium to capture and tangibly display what’s happening and, as important, what could unfold in the future.

And I’m not talking about pipsqueak whiteboards that go on an easel, I’m talking big whiteboards for big ideas.