How to Love Your Cubicle

Bob Bessette 9th November Office Life Leave a Comment

More often than not, things in life are based on your perspective. If you are a wealthy person and you get what you feel is a meagre year-end bonus at work, it may upset you. To another worker who may work on the manufacturing floor at minimum wage, that bonus might be considered life-changing.

If you are an executive in a company and get demoted from the corner office to an office cubicle, you might end up being depressed and unmotivated as a result. If you are unemployed, get hired, and are given a cubicle for your office space, you love your cubicle regardless of the size of your office and are happy that there’s a stable paycheck coming in.

It all depends upon your perspective. Years ago, in a past working lifetime, I had that corner office with the window and the door that I could shut for privacy. Today, I sit in a cubicle from 7AM to 4PM each day and I love it! Why, you might ask? The answer is because I have the proper perspective. I am content with my working life and my working surroundings. You see, I went from being a manager with the nice office to an individual contributor in a cubicle. I decided that since I will probably be in a cubicle for the rest of my working life, I might as well make the best of it.

Organization is Key

I decided that the best way to make my cubicle comfortable, as well as productive, was to invest in cubicle accessories that help me keep that small space organized. I firmly believe that to be productive in any area of your life, you have to be organized. Without organization, you simply won’t be efficient which will prevent you from getting things done properly and on time. It boggles my mind that some co-workers of mine can have offices that are completely disheveled. The first thing I decided to do in my cubicle was to keep the desktop as clean and clear as possible.

Desk Accessories

Even though it is necessary to clear off your desktop, it is also important that you have the proper desk accessories available to keep your desktop organized. Every office should have a desktop organizer. I researched the various types available and found a particular brand, made by Post-it, that is built around Post-it notes and flags that I use almost on a daily basis.

I love the fact that there are sections in this desk organizer for the notes and flags and it also has a tape dispenser that comes as part of the unit. There are many other sections in this organizer for my pencils, pens, scissors, white-out, staple remover, paper clips, and binder clips. It takes up a very small footprint on my desktop and allows me to easily put my hands on any of these items throughout the day.

Another desk accessory that actually expands my storage capacity is a desktop shelf. Instead of only being able to place items on the desktop, this shelf allows you to place items on top of it such as books and trade journals as well as items underneath it on my desktop. It simply increases my storage capabilities in my office.

Utilize the Cubicle Walls

Even though cubicle walls are made of ugly grey fabric, you can still use them effectively. I have a number of office items that are used on my cubicle walls. One of them is a wire paper tray which is simply a set of 3 metal baskets that hang from a hook that hangs over the top of my cubicle wall. So instead of storing file folders, papers, and notebooks on my desktop, I am able to store them in these metal baskets on my cubicle wall.

Two other excellent organizational additions to my office space are a cubicle shelf and a hanging letter tray. They are both affixed to the cubicle wall utilizing stainless steel needles which is very similar to wall clips that you see used to hang papers from a cubicle wall. The best part about both of these items is that I can, once again, keep my desk free and clear of clutter by moving items onto the hanging surfaces.

Another way that I have conveniently used my cubicle walls is with a cubicle monitor hanger. Instead of my flat panel monitor taking up desk space, it is now suspended above my desktop using a monitor hanger. The hanger wraps around the top of my cubicle wall and the fact that the monitor is now above my desktop, I can store items below it and I can also easily clean my desktop underneath the monitor. It is a simple, yet very effective addition to my cubicle space.

Personalize your Space

Even though you now have an organized space, you should also fill it with items that make it your own. Use the cubicle shelf to store pictures of your loved ones and to hold vacation items that bring back happy memories. Add some quotes that motivate you and hang them from colorful cubicle clips that will enhance those grey walls. Add some levity to the office with a Chia pet, plasma ball, or some other fun desk accessory.

Learning to love your office space might just take some effort by organizing it properly and making it your own. Take advantage of the numerous office items available in the marketplace to make your working life more productive and enjoyable. Also, if you just think about the unfortunate people who are looking for employment, your perspective about your small cubicle space might just get a little bit rosier.