It’s the end of the world, and in true COVID-era fashion, no one seems to care anymore. As a consequence, many of us (including yours truly) have been called back into the office to fulfill our duties in person. Some worry about disease, others about commuting. Me? My only concern is the décor.
The latest variant of the coronavirus, Omicron, is beginning to peak on the East coast, suggesting that we’ll soon see the end of this new wave. And yet, thousands are still dying, and this variant seems to be targeting the youth a lot more than other strains. But as we enter the third year of life in a pandemic, people are starting to throw caution to the wind.
Take a walk down to Rice Village and you won’t see a mask in sight. The Houston Rodeo has officially dropped their music lineup, promising the show will go one despite lower vaccination rates among Texans. And the CDC has dropped the quarantine time from 10 days to five… you know, when you may still be contagious but might not yet test positive.
In other words, the world seems sick of living in a pandemic and playing by all of the original precautionary measures. Employers in particular are eager to see people back in the office. I too have been ordered into a cubicle.
It’s a long and funny story, but the end result is me being told to be physically present for my job. My writing job. The one that is largely self-guided and creative in nature. OK, I guess, it’s how it’s always been, I’m happy to comply. But now there’s a new problem; how do I make my transition comfortable?
By making my cubicle fabulous. Duh.
I’ve had many jobs. Construction worker, retail associate, music journalist, multimedia journalist, wedding planner, wedding photographer, diner waitress, painter, janitor, seamstress- the list goes on and on. Somehow, I managed to never end up in a cubicle. I knew I would someday, likely when I decided to give up on my dreams and sell out to some energy corporation, but never this soon.
Upon arriving at my cubicle, I knew I wanted it to look like Stevie Nicks puked on it, which meant I would need some spooky and vintage items. Spooky, but not tacky. Vintage, but clean. Well, there’s only one thing to do: go shopping.
Some things I already owned, other things I picked up from a couple different stores. I got my office supplies at Walmart. The other decorative and storage items I was able to find at Five Below and a couple of local thrift shops.
Five Below is both my worst enemy and best friend. As advertised, everything within the store is $5 or less. It’s affordable, but it’s also easy to fall into a trap of thinking you can afford everything. I always end up spending $30 to $40 and have little to show for it. Regardless, I found some nice things for my cubicle. The store seems to be going through a gold theme, so the wall organizer, moons and whiteboard all match. I also picked up a skull succulent, a salt lamp, and a block calendar for some extra decor. All this for less than $25.
Thrift shops are one of my favorite havens on earth. I have the sticker color per sale day for all the major thrifts chains committed to memory. But I also love a lot of the little local ones that are more specialized to cater to certain tastes or items. From the shops around Houston, I’ve scored actual vintage items (with what seems to be excellent resale value) such as a clock set in granite and a 1940’s telephone. I also found a GROSS wooden jewelry box that I brought back to life after a deep clean, some new stain and polish, and replacing the foam and felt lining within. Lastly, I picked up some more knick-knacks like pretty frames, a mini bust of David, a random black candlestick, a crystal vase, a lamp and the list goes on and on. You get the idea, thrifting is a dangerously addictive hobby. 10/10 will thrift again.
From Walmart, I found a cool cell phone holder/charger/pencil holder. It was a little over-priced at $10, but the heart wants what the heart wants. I also grabbed a bunch of sticky notes, pens, thumb tacks, paper clips – you know, all of the basic office supplies a girl could need. As a precautionary measure, I also stocked up on cleaning supplies. Disinfecting wipes, tissues, rags, face masks, anything to keep disease at bay.
A lot of these items are decorations. Others are functional, and the rest are just maintenance supplies. But I also recommend having some personal items stashed away, just to make sure you’re comfortable.
For example, I have a drawer dedicated to snacks and water. I also have some tea and energy drinks. Medicine and personal items like moisturizer, face wipes and a toothbrush can also work miracles when in the need of a midday pick me up. In another drawer, I have a blanket and a sweater. It gets really cold in the office, and I just can’t work if I’m shivering.
Ladies, do you wear heels? I do. Oxford heels, actually, almost every day of my life. But it can get a little tiring. Although Oxfords are among the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn, my feet can still feel a little stiff after wearing them for 10 or more hours a day, even if eight of those are spent sitting down. So I solved this problem by bringing in a pair of fluffy slippers.
Overall, office work is hard. Certainly nowhere near as hard as most other jobs, but taxing all the same. Your spine and eyes hurt. I’ve noticed I am increasingly more unproductive in a cubicle than I am elsewhere. Any little bit of homey comfort is helpful, and I encourage any other cubicle-dweller to take pride in their space and make it feel more like home.
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