Decorative Office Supplies

[Deleted]

I want to put some photos and decorative around my desk. Been here since July and I have nothing and it's time to spruce it up. Make it "home".

I want to get some photos printed for some cheapo frames I have. They're mostly instagram photos.

But what's a good MM place to get photos printed? Walgreens? Target? Costco? (I don't think I've developed/printed photos in 5 -6 years)

I also want some fun knick knack-y type decor for my desk. I'm in a cube so I can't really hang stuff. I think I'm going to browse Target today at lunch.

What do you have decorating your desk?

[ijack]

Since I moved it I don't have much - pictures of the girls mainly.

[StJess80]

Photos. Autographs (one from Clarence Thomas. It's relevant to my job and I think it's hilarious.) I also have little hanging bulbs to store paper clips, push pins, etc. Random organizer boxes, and a monitor riser w/ storage in it.

[Deleted]

Nov 13, 2012 11:33:12 GMT -5 blissanity said:

What do you have decorating your desk?

My desk?

I don't decorate my desk.

I use my desk.

[Deleted]

Some of my knick-knacks (the cactus is a pen)

[Deleted]

Nov 13, 2012 13:47:24 GMT -5 carrotsmakemefat said:

I find photos to be unprofessional, but that is a popular choice. Just don't post photos of you partying with your friends. A simple photo of you with an SO (if you had one) is ok.

I love my bamboo plant

A cute calendar?

Well that's a given. I don't even have those on FB.

I don't have an SO but I do have an adorable 3 year old niece. So I'm printing a few photos of us, one of me and my besties, and one of me and my siblings.

Why do you think photos are unprofessional? I've never heard that before. I've always seen photos in offices of Directors/VPs/C-level.

[Deleted]

Nov 13, 2012 13:57:24 GMT -5 blissanity said:

Why do you think photos are unprofessional? I've never heard that before. I've always seen photos in offices of Directors/VPs/C-level.

Photos humanize men.

[Deleted]

Nov 13, 2012 13:57:24 GMT -5 blissanity said:

Nov 13, 2012 13:47:24 GMT -5 carrotsmakemefat said:

I find photos to be unprofessional, but that is a popular choice. Just don't post photos of you partying with your friends. A simple photo of you with an SO (if you had one) is ok.

I love my bamboo plant

A cute calendar?

Well that's a given. I don't even have those on FB.

I don't have an SO but I do have an adorable 3 year old niece. So I'm printing a few photos of us, one of me and my besties, and one of me and my siblings.

Why do you think photos are unprofessional? I've never heard that before. I've always seen photos in offices of Directors/VPs/C-level.

I think photos of family members are fine, but photos of friends are not.

I am iffy on whether photos of pets are professional, though I have them in my office. I like to live dangerously.

[heyrebekah]

I don't think there is anything wrong with photos, just not too many of them or it kind of looks like you don't want to be there if that makes sense. And here I'm mostly thinking of some women here with pics of their kids plastered all over their cubes, so not something you need to watch out for.

My desk is mainly decorated with free mugs and firm swag. I really need to step it up around here.

[mbcdefg]

I have a photo of me and MH, and that's it. I prefer an uncluttered look, and I don't like to invite people into my life/business by displaying a lot of personal stuff. In the past I've had a small cactus, a souvenir coffee mug, a photo of my dog.

I worked in a couple places where a bunch of us were suddenly laid off (contracting gigs), and it just added insult to injury to have to pack up a bunch of personal stuff rather than just making a quick exit. So I prefer to keep it minimal.

A few young women in my vicinity have decorated their desks with stuffed animals, tons of photos (some of which are from high school/college), knick-knacks and toys, etc. IMO it just looks juvenile and unprofessional.

[Deleted]

Nov 13, 2012 13:59:42 GMT -5 v said:

Nov 13, 2012 13:57:24 GMT -5 blissanity said:

Well that's a given. I don't even have those on FB.

I don't have an SO but I do have an adorable 3 year old niece. So I'm printing a few photos of us, one of me and my besties, and one of me and my siblings.

Why do you think photos are unprofessional? I've never heard that before. I've always seen photos in offices of Directors/VPs/C-level.

I think photos of family members are fine, but photos of friends are not.

I am iffy on whether photos of pets are professional, though I have them in my office. I like to live dangerously.

What's wrong with friends over family? What if I didn't have a typical family system? Am I suppose to avoid having photos around that make me happy because they aren't my immediate family?

I don't see how a photo of me and my friends celebrating my graduation is unprofessional. Now a photo of me and my friends downing shots and/or grabbing boob that would be unprofessional.

[ejpint]

I have three small framed photos hanging on the wall facing me (so they aren't immediately apparent to anyone coming into my office, but I can see them) - they are professional photos of me and H from our wedding/engagement sessions. I have one other small framed print of me on vacation in France from years ago nestled on top of a filing cabinet next to a plant and my "work" books (a collection of professional development and management literature).

Actually on my desk and in other parts of my office, I try to keep things professional. Not a lot of knick-knacks, a decorative pen holder with company logo, a framed professional certification, an engraved clock I received as an award, and then some awards received for various things.

People are in and out of my office a lot, both internal clients and external candidates and visitors. I wouldn't want my office to appear unprofessional.

[Deleted]

Nov 13, 2012 14:04:59 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

A few young women in my vicinity have decorated their desks with stuffed animals, tons of photos (some of which are from high school/college), knick-knacks and toys, etc. IMO it just looks juvenile and unprofessional.

That's a bit much for me; stuffed animals? ^o)

I just want a splash of personality. A collage frame, my bamboo plant and 1-2 knick knacks.

[Deleted]

Nov 13, 2012 14:06:04 GMT -5 blissanity said:

What's wrong with friends over family? What if I didn't have a typical family system? Am I suppose to avoid having photos around that make me happy because they aren't my immediate family?

I don't see how a photo of me and my friends celebrating my graduation is unprofessional. Now a photo of me and my friends downing shots and/or grabbing boob that would be unprofessional.

Something about photos of "besties" makes the person seem young and immature to me. At almost 26 years old, I would want my workspace to make me look older and more professional than I am, rather than like I'm just out of college.

When you're a bit older/more seasoned I think you can get away with a lot more (though by that point in time, you very well may not want pictures of your "besties" in your workspace).

[Deleted]

FTR my boss has 3 large framed photos of his kids. His boss has 2 or 3 framed photos as well.

I did a quick survey on the way to the bathroom and it seems everyone has multiple photos, random clippings and/or knick knacks.

[countthestars]

I think a nice pic of you with friends is good. A pic of you and friend at a bar/tailgating/in halloween costumes is not good.

[Deleted]

Nov 13, 2012 14:17:20 GMT -5 v said:

Nov 13, 2012 14:06:04 GMT -5 blissanity said:

What's wrong with friends over family? What if I didn't have a typical family system? Am I suppose to avoid having photos around that make me happy because they aren't my immediate family?

I don't see how a photo of me and my friends celebrating my graduation is unprofessional. Now a photo of me and my friends downing shots and/or grabbing boob that would be unprofessional.

Something about photos of "besties" makes the person seem young and immature to me. At almost 26 years old, I would want my workspace to make me look older and more professional than I am, rather than like I'm just out of college.

When you're a bit older/more seasoned I think you can get away with a lot more (though by that point in time, you very well may not want pictures of your "besties" in your workspace).

I'm not trying to argue but wrap my head around why. I just don't see how a single woman, displaying photos of friends is unprofessional and immature.

I don't have children or pets so displaying photos of other important people in my life makes sense; like photos of me and my friends.

The graduation photo is a bad example, I won't use that one because I look terrible in it. But my point is I just can't understand why a professional photo of me and 1/2/3 of my friends is unprofessional.

[Deleted]

Nov 13, 2012 14:21:46 GMT -5 countthestars said:

I think a nice pic of you with friends is good. A pic of you and friend at a bar/tailgating/in halloween costumes is not good.

Well, duh. That's a given. I would never display photos of me drinking, wearing minimal clothing or anything less than professional at work.

I'm talking a cute photo of us last Xmas by a giant Xmas tree, or dressed up for a night at the ballet, etc.

[countthestars]

Nov 13, 2012 14:30:54 GMT -5 blissanity said:

Nov 13, 2012 14:21:46 GMT -5 countthestars said:

I think a nice pic of you with friends is good. A pic of you and friend at a bar/tailgating/in halloween costumes is not good.

Well, duh. That's a given. I would never display photos of me drinking, wearing minimal clothing or anything less than professional at work.

I'm talking a cute photo of us last Xmas by a giant Xmas tree, or dressed up for a night at the ballet, etc.

I think that would be fine

[Deleted]

Nov 13, 2012 14:36:46 GMT -5 jenny1980 said:

Nov 13, 2012 13:59:42 GMT -5 v said:

I think photos of family members are fine, but photos of friends are not.

I am iffy on whether photos of pets are professional, though I have them in my office. I like to live dangerously.

You have a cactus pen. And a pink hedghog! I will hear no more of Erin Condren planners from you.

But I never see my clients here! When I'm seeing clients, my attire and accessories are 100% Stodgy McNofun! (and now that I think about it, since clients have moved into our office for the next few months I may put my toys away...)

Most of my objection to EC planners though is that they aren't my taste. And that I don't babysit so I don't need stickers to mark those days

[pamela]

On my desk I have a framed picture from a training I took in Japan that has our class (which includes my husband) on one side and me operating the console on the other. Then I have 2 pictures of DS. Other than that, I have what was a ivory ceramic candle holder with a snowflake on it that I use for a writing utensil holder.

My plan for new office with more space involves a cute file sorter system for work in progress. And colorful hanging file folders. It's like pulling teeth to get any supplies here so I might as well buy my own and make them pretty. Also means I'm more likely to get stuff returned to me if the colors stand out. I try to avoid pink, but I like teal, green, purple for folder I give to people to get signed.

[sicilygirl]

I have my own office, and it's pretty big (compared to what I am used to), so I have quite a bit in there now. But I work for a small company in a small town where everyone is like family (from what I can tell... I don't actually live in this small town). I have a few framed pictures, mostly of me and my husband or family pictures. I also have my diplomas and CPA certificate framed and hanging on the walls. On my desk? I have a stress ball type thing in the form of a college mascot.

I also have a few pieces of art on the walls.

[otowngirl]

I just realized that one of my pics in my 'Gators section' displays me and four friends (at the 2007 Final Four in ATL) with big-ass beers. Oops.

[WOT?*]

You people are all Stuffy McStuffersons. We had a cement pig statue in the lobby of our old firm. James the Pig (named after a former partner) was our office mascot and we'd pull pranks with him and my stuffed Leo the Lion that DH won for me at the fair (when I brought him from home for the purpose). Of course, we also did newsletters and decorated the kitchen with garland for the season or the occasion. (I'm sad I missed my "over the hill" black and purple party I was planning.)

In the last job I had the basic small clock, pens containers and hodge-podge...mixed in with cartoons of cows and men with mullets based on practical jokes between me and a co-worker. One of the attorneys kept a b/w old-fashioned photo of him and his family dressed Old Westerney framed behind him...to which another co-worker added a zombie face around Halloween last year (among the other twelve we hid in his office here and there) that he kept up for months afterwards just to see how long it would be before a client noticed it wasn't his face in the photo.

Y'all are boring and predictable.

[Deleted]

Yes, I'm in a creative field, although we don't have air hockey tables. At least not at this company. In the past yes and hopefully in my future.

MM is in general a lot more traditional/conservative than what I experience in my real life. It's nice though and I appreciate hearing what others have to say on the subject(s). It's interesting to see how other professionals/industries/environment see things as simple as a photo of your pets/friends/children.

[ondaflipside]

All I got is a photo of DH and our dog together on one of the cabinet shelves, and an am/fm radio. And a gift bamboo plant. The rest of my space is filled with paperwork\binders\folders and work crap

[Deleted]

We have a flip cup table!

But point taken.