Aric Monts

Corporate life is rather glum when you think about it.  You spend most of your day inside four walls, usually containing a cube that is roughly 20 square feet (4X5).  You spend your time in this box staring at a computer, talking on the phone and/or writing on paper or your whiteboard.  While there are trips to the coffee maker, visits to other cubes, and the occasional bathroom break, your corporate life is contained in the cubicle.

So why should the executives have all the fun of spending their days in giant offices, clad in rich, stained wood, with a corner view of the city?  That’s right, workers need to take more action and tell the corporate world that they matter too.  How do you do this?  Simply by customizing your cubicle to the point that no one will be able to forget it.

Custom cubes equal productivity as surrounding ourselves with creativity and objects that inspire us not only provide stress relief and relaxation, but also let us show who we are.  Getting those creative thoughts going in a comfortable environment is a giant step ultimate productivity.

Steps To The Unforgettable Cube

First step is to determine what theme your cube design is going to follow.  This is where your personality comes in, be it a sick sense of humor, conservative eccentricity or liberal modernity.

Once you’ve chosen your theme, right it down and post it on the wall of your cube.  Put it somewhere you will see it regularly.

Second, check your company policy on cubicle decoration.  Understand the limits of cube customization so that you can pimp your cube and not get fired for it.  You might even find vague guidelines that can be pushed a bit that will really take your new, productive cube to a whole new level.

Third, with your theme and company policy in mind, start brainstorming on things you would like to have in your cube.  From desk clocks to storage units to pen holders, think about things that you can add to cube that would make you more productive.  Once you have a list of functional items, think about the artistic side that would enhance the cube.  The majority of the objects that you will place in your cube are going to be artistic, so really think about whether or not you would like to decorate with tapestries, statues, paintings, or a combination of both.

Fourth, start shopping around at creative places.  The goal is to find items that match your theme as cheaply as possible.  Here are some thoughts on places to shop:

1. Thrift stores (one person’s junk is another person’ cube decoration!)
2. Discount stores like BigLots!, Ross, and CostCo.
3. Bed, Bath, & Beyond.
4. Garage Sales
5. Catalogs (clip the page and hang it near your theme)

Fifth, once you’ve acquired the stuff, it is time to start decorating.  Place the objects as free form as possible or as strictly square as possible, depending on your personality type and theme.  Place them knowing that you should rearrange them every few months and even introduce and remove pieces from time to time.  The idea is to keep the environment fresh.

Sixth, if you can, experiment with moving your monitor/computer setup to different areas of the cube. Typically, most cubes are designed to place the monitor, chair and components in a single spot, but play around with it.  Like mentioned in step 5, change things around as frequently as you need to.

Further Thoughts

Just a few additional thoughts on things to include.  In addition to the mandatory productivity items, you might want to make sure you include at least one of the following into your design:

1. Plant (plant varieties are available for well-lit cubes and low light cubes)
2. Clock (use your imagination and have fun with finding the right one)
3. Calendar (helps with visualizing the year, quarters, weeks, etc)
4. White Board (awesome for brainstorming on the fly)
5. Task Lamp (for low light cubes, choose one with a full spectrum bulb)
6. Coffee/Tea mug (you don’t have to put coffee in it, water is better for you)

The biggest thing to do while designing and creating the cubicle to remember is to have fun.  The idea is to create not only a comfortable environment to work in, but also create an evolving piece of art that expresses who you are.   Try it, you will enjoy it!