It’s Day 1 of your new job, and you’re eagerly waiting to see your new office space. What style will your furniture be? Where will you hang your diploma? Will your window have a park or city view?
Well, think again. It’s a cubicle. And it’s smaller than your closet.
Truth is, entry-level and well-seasoned professionals alike find themselves in a cube for much of their careers—many companies opt for the ease, cost-efficiency, and community that those faux-walls provide. So like it or not, you might not be leaving cubicle-land any time soon.
But just because your space is small doesn’t mean it can’t be big on organization—or style. Here’s how transform your pint-sized office from confined to divine.
1. Get Organized
The biggest complaint I hear from my cubicle-bound clients is that they just don’t have enough workspace. To fix this, lift your everyday office supplies—paper clips, post-its, pencils—off of your desk with a charming organizer.
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2. Clear the Decks
Get those space-hogging flat items—your inbox and important files—off your desk, but keep them within grabbable range with this file rack.
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3. Put it All-in-One
For extra-tiny spaces, choose a multi-organizer—files, projects, office supplies, and binders all elevate in a snap.
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4. Hang it Up
Keep your go-to documents neat, tidy, and easily accessible with these clips, designed specifically for fabric cubicle panels. (Who wants paper with push-pin holes in it, anyway?)
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5. Get a Pocket Protector
Prefer your docs protected from the dangers of spilled coffee? Put up these handy pockets, also designed for fabric-walled cubicles.
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6. Hide the Evidence
The area below your desk has less leg room than an airplane—definitely not enough room for your work tote, handbag, some defunct files, and a closet’s worth of shoes. Instead, stash your goods in a decorative box on top of your cubicle cabinets—no one will have any idea there are flip-flops inside.
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7. Hang Your Handbag
You don’t like to put your bag on the floor at a restaurant, so why should you at work? Give your work bag the respect it deserves and hang it in the spotlight with this cubicle hook.
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8. Conceal Your Cords
There’s no bigger eyesore than a mess of wires and plugs. Keep your cords in check by wrapping extra length with cable ties and hiding power strips away in a cable box.
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9. Stay in Control
Another option for getting your cords and cables in order stylishly: these cheerful Cordies from Quirky.
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10. Freshen Up
Now that your space is all cleared out, get the stagnant air circulating with a small (and stylish) desk fan. (Of course, if you’re always cold, stick a small space heater underneath your desk.)
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11. Keep Watch
Cubicles can leave you feeling a little overexposed. Keep an eye on people approaching from behind with this rear-view-mirror, and you’ll never be caught planning your next vacation (or, let’s be honest, trolling for your next job, where you might actually have an office) again.
