StyleMyCube

Pet Animal Rubberbands!  Made from silicone, these unique and colorful rubberbands are shaped like animals.  Now when your coworker asks to borrow a rubberband give them the option between a blue turtle or a yellow duck… 

The Staple-Free Stapler?  This ingenious and space saving piece of equipment leaves your papers metal free!  This has to be somewhat environmentally responsible, right?     

 These fun & unique products are now available at a Container Store near you (or online of course): www.containerstore.com

If you’re stuck in Cubicle Nation, then you’ve probably discovered the value of a good pair of headphones by now. Whether they are for blasting techno while working that insanely boring project or sneaking in a youtube video, headphones have become a must-have in the office place. For those allowed to use headphones at work, being able to escape from the numerous annoying sounds produced by a common workspace to either quiet bliss or streaming music has literally become part or our focusing process. Without headphones pumping sick 80’s tunes in my ears half the day, my mind would easily wander another 10-15 times during the workday. Furthermore, headphones are great because they offer a little bit of privacy in the otherwise very public cubicle landscape. People are less likely to come over to your cube when they see you with headphones on. For these reasons and others, headphones have truly become a cube necessity - the question is are the expensive headphones really worth their price tag? (more…)

For artistic types: The design firm Harry Allen reinterprets the ordinary to create a stylish and witty desk set which plays on iconic forms of typical objects in an office setting (i.e. pencils, rubberband ball, business cards).  The Reality Desk Set includes a pencil tray,  a paperweight, and a business card holder made of a white resin cast from real objects. 

As you strain your eyes beneath the flickering flourescent light above your cube and are hit by waves of Seasonal Affective Disorder, you might wonder if this is any way to live. Thankfully, there are products which simulate natural lighting and are scientifically designed to enhance vision and viewing comfort. Two popular products include the Ott Lite Vision Saver Plus designed by Dr. John Ott a photobiologist who discovered the remarkable effects that natural light has on living things while filming the Secrets of Life Series for Walt Disney and the Bright as Day Lamp which offers brilliant, glare-free, wide spectrum light. Now you can continue along happily with your work in the simulated light of a Caribbean island and not have to worry about sunburn.

Customize your cube with your favorite pictures. The various online photo shops (ofoto, shutterfly, etc.) offer customizable products such as mugs, mousepads, coasters, notecards, calendars, stickers, and magnets. Slap on that digital vacation picture of you and the family and have the best looking coffee mug in the office! Check out the magic tile mug at ofoto. The basic premise is while your mug may appear plain black, when you pour a warm beverage in, your picture “magically” appears…. wow!

The USB port to your computer is a source of power for fun techy gadgets. Everything from fragrance dispensers to heating pads to lava lamps are available to you via USB. The USB gadget industry is so evolved that there’s an entire blog at www.usbgadgets.org devoted to USB Gadgets. Here’s a list of the top 5 unique USB gadgets for your cube:

USB Mini Fridge:

The “coolest” way to keep your drink cold - this retro-styled USB powered mini fridge guarantees that you’ll never return to a warm soda after a long afternoon meeting. Now all of your coworkers will gaze at you thirstily as you drink your cold frosty beverage.

USB Heating Slippers:

A great resolution to the battle of the thermostat in the office for the perpetually cold person. The product boasts a cozy design for defrosting your feet. Related items include USB heating gloves and a USB “cafe pad” to keep your coffee mug warm.

USB Vacuum:

For the office neat freak, a USB powered vacuum cleaner designed to rid your keyboard, monitor and surrounding work area of dust and debris. This product features an easy to clean Filtration system to trap dust. Another related product found online is a USB Humidifier.

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For creative, cost-conscious, and nimble-fingered folks desk accessories can be created using the Japanese art of origami. The best part of creating your own origami desk accessories is that they are easily customizable depending on the color, size, pattern, and texture of paper you select. Now you can create cute paper clip boxes and adorable pencil boxes for the price of paper… and hopefully minimal blood, sweat, and tears (watch out for paper cuts!!). Visit the Origami Resource Center for directions on how to construct up to 50 different types of boxes. From the “Fancy Box” to the “Star Box” you’re sure to find a box to suit your tastes. Happy Paper Folding!

There’s no easier way to communicate, “While I may be in a cubicle now, I’ll soon be in the corner office” than by adorning your cube with well-engineered, sleek, stainless steel desk accessories. The leading designer in the stainless steel craftmanship is none other than a German company called SKS Design and the line is called Blomus. Each Blomus designed piece appears to be a modern piece of art and is designed with a simplistic, yet functional flair. While the line is a bit pricey (we’re talking in the range of a $55 stapler), it may be worth the price for the type of statement you’ll be making around the office. Now your only problem will be vying with your tape dispenser for your coworker’s attention.