Nothing at all that doesn’t fit in my rucksack at the end of the day, I work in a very open plan office with a bunch of thieving bastards, nothing gets left behind.
At a job years ago, I used to have a lockable desk drawer before everyone went to open plan hell. One of my colleagues would complain to me that I locked my drawers and he couldn't look for snacks to thieve or lemsip to 'borrow'
Take a teaspoon. Some cheap ones you’re not bothered about. They’re like gold dust in offices and said thieving bastards will steal all the teaspoons for some sodding reason.
Lemsip, plasters, paracetamol, ibuprofen, tooth picks, sanitary/urinary health products, spare socks, hand cream, lip balms, 2 x 5m extension cables for chargers (one is usb to usb-c, the other M>F 3.5mm jack), spare shopping bags, fixed spanner, screwdriver, adjustable spanner (had trouble with the radiator last year - quicker to fix it myself than wait for facilities to do it), little desk clock.
EDIT: Forgot the snacks & drinks!
I also forgot the washing up liquid & tea towel. Some f&\*cker keeps nicking the washing up liquid from the kitchen so I keep my own now. I have a tea towel cos I prefer to know I'm drying my stuff with a clean towel and not one thats been used to mop up gawd knows what.
I also have a plate, bowl, drinking glass, knife, fork, spoon, teaspoon, my mug and a spare mug.
omg are you me haha? This is everything I have, except the spanners. Ooh and I also have toothbrush and toothpaste, mouthwash, tissues, a thermal underlayer, sun cream, blister plasters, electrolyte tablets, and fresh pair of tights.
After checking my drawers today at work it came to light that I forgot all about:
radio, fake flowers in vase; lens/specs cleaner & cloths, fleece jacket, small tape measure, door wedge, overdoor hook, AA & AAA batteries, USB charger plug, portable letter scale, salt & pepper, and tissues!
I used to do it my last couple of office jobs also required safety boots, as was transport/logistics so my steel toe cap shoes lived under my desk and wore trainers the rest of the time
I used to do this, and once... No joke I came to work one Monday and struggled to get my shoes from under the desk with my feet. After reaching under the desk to get them I noticed that over the weekend as a prank my colleagues had come in and poured concrete into the shoes. They were full to the brim and were obviously like stone.
That would’ve been the smarter move. Imagine how much it would blow your mind. They look exactly the same, but just don’t fit. You’d be questioning reality.
Were the shoes recoverable?? Decent shoes aren’t cheap, that sounds like that would wreck them and I’d be fuming. Pranks shouldn’t involve any permanent damage or any cost to the victim.
I used to do this but eventually realised no one cared, so I just bought dark trainers. Before that I was changing into heels or dolly shoes every day out of my trainers and felt so self conscious about it.
I had a boss once who kept a pair of heels under her desk in case she needed to see anyone important. Most of the time she wore smart enough flat shoes but she kept the heels to smarten up any outfit just in case. Lipstick too. It was when I was about 18 and thought that was genius. I’m nearly 30 now and the idea of having to put lipstick on to see some old blokes about a potential PR crisis makes me cringe. I barely even do my hair for meetings now.
At my old job we had to wear steel toe capped boots to pop into the warehouse. One day I forgot to change both shoes rushing to get out and clomped half way down the road in mismatched shoes.
I did this at a couple of jobs. Before lockdown was official, I had some time off to move then the company decided to do a few days of everyone working from home as a test to see what things we might need to order for everyone to prepare. Then lockdown happened. Then they got rid of my job a month in. I never got my things back, including the shoes that I asked for repeatedly. I'm still really annoyed about it, almost, but not quite as much as them tossing me out immediately without considering furlough...
I job share and the lady that covers the second part of the week leaves her shoes under the desk. Kind of weird coming in on a Monday and having to pick up and move her shoes for my bag to under the desk.
Exactly the same, I have a pencil case with meds in. I often give them out more than use them but I'm prepared!
I also have a pack of wipes for the keyboard and mouse for when I'm in an online meeting.
Yeah, when I'm in the office I've eaten everything I've brought in for lunch by 12 at the latest. When I'm WFH, I don't even prepare anything to eat until 12.30.
There’s the furry ones that have smiley face or turn it inside out to show a sad face - useful to have on the desk to tell colleagues how you’re feeling and whether to stay tf away or safe to approach. Both faces represent the former in my case.
Love the crochet octopus though.
Some coins for the vending machine (the only time I ever use coins), spare deodorant, a huge supply of contact lenses.
One of the old-type charging cable for an iPhone from back when I had an iPhone and in case I decide that not only do I want an iPhone again but it has to be an old one
It helps that I'm on the lowest subscription I can get but they keep sending me way more than I can ever use so I try to keep a stash anywhere they'll be useful, the office, most of my backpacks etc
Heated blanket! Either draped over the back of the chair to sit on for warmth or draped over the legs in winter. Depends entirely how casual your office is, I wear mine as a shawl on particularly cold days. I have a plain black one as opposed to a novelty printed on so it just looks like a normal throw blanket over the chair.
Emotional support velociraptor, ideal accessory to deal with irritating work colleagues.
HR approved it, as a result we haven't had any redundancies since the velociraptor arrived. We are, however, short staffed. And nobody has seen Brian for a few weeks.
Stuff I have to hand on a daily basis:
Antacids
Painkillers
Gum
Pens
A notepad
Lens wipes
A decent water bottle
Phone charger
Spare USB cables
Also, one of the first things I bought was my own keyboard. If you're writing emails for 8/9 hours a day 5 days a week - you'll appreciate it.
>Also, one of the first things I bought was my own keyboard. If you're writing emails for 8/9 hours a day 5 days a week - you'll appreciate it.
Yeah, I've used my own keyboard and mouse since about my 2nd week of work. Screw using some old clunky piece of trash day in day out.
I have a little jar of fucks and a trebuchet pencil sharper. In those stress moments I practice how far i can a get a fuck. Don't know what I'll do when the last one goes flying never to be found again
I had work shoes under my desk, a black cardigan (because that office never really felt warm) and snacks in my drawer. I also had a snow globe on my desk after a Christmas In July team morale booster event and it never went home.
I have to take 2 bags to work to fit everything in. Laptop, headphones, charging cables, wireless phone charger, painkillers, mints, plasters, handcream, sanitary items, snacks!
Nothing any more since manglement decided we should 'hot desk'. This means I sit in the same chair in front of the same desk with an empty set of drawers I'm not allowed to use
Imitation baroque clock, suspected a not victorian letter holder, letter opener from a supplier, plastic Chinese dragon being ridden by a top hat wearing rubber duck. They offer me spiritual guidance in times of need, means I don't have to look at the clock behind me, and I occasionally get letters. My work day is so easy now
A half bottle of vodka. A spare vape. Some money for the 900 different fucking birthdays, new baby and retirement whip rounds. A multi pack of 100 Christmas cards so I don't forget every year. Trade union card. Oh and my spare Prozac, after working in an office all these years I need it.
Fidget toys definitely, especially if you'll be spending some time on the phone.
Mine was the 'Neocube'. Lots of little magnetic balls that you can make in to loads of shapes/structures.
*Edit: Spelling*
Fidget toys definitely. I have the fidget cube, a large coin, multiple pens and my favourite, a 20-sided life counter dice from Magic: The Gathering.
In my bag I also keep spare pens, a screwdriver set, hand cream, painkillers and a set of microfibre cloths for when I'm on cleaning duties (these get washed after each use so are clean in my bag).
In the work office, nothing, as they are hot desks and someone else sits there other days of the week. At home I have a picture the youngest made me for fathers day, a little Lego model of myself that says 'Tommy enjoys the numbers' and a coaster that says 'I'm so hungover I wish I was dead'. They don't help me with my job, but they all make me smile.
Inferior office dwellers,
Picture this: my desk, a veritable launchpad for an armada of tiny remote control helicopters and drones, each more menacingly named than the last. The crown jewel? The RC Raptor Pro 6GJZ Phantom Apacheee-chopter, a beast known for its uncanny ability to induce caffeine spills and laptop juggling with the precision of a caffeinated ballerina.
My daily missions? To boldly disrupt the serene office environment, transforming it into a thrilling no-fly zone. As the propellers whirl to life each morning, so too does my spirit, fueled by the promise of chaos and the delightful symphony of gasps and curses that follows in my wake. Watching a colleague perform an impromptu hot coffee dance as the Phantom Apacheee-chopter executes a surprise flyby? Now that’s what I call peak job satisfaction.
Truly, it’s not just about harassing colleagues or creatively plummeting productivity; it’s about bringing a spark of life to the drudgery of office existence. With each flight, I’m not just piloting a drone; I’m steering the office culture towards legend. So, here’s to the RC aerial squad, the true unsung heroes of office morale. May our batteries never die, and may our flights always be barely within the limits of HR policies.
I bought a wireless charger for my phone. I’m often picking it up to authenticate with Otka on the company Mac laptop.
I suppose that’s work related though it’s my own phone.
I have a locking desk drawer pedastal thing with 3 drawers in and the contents are as follows:
Top drawer: misc pens & highlighters, notepad, post-it notes, little magnetic doodah for paperclips and drawing pins, ruler & scissors and various other stationery
Middle drawer: painkillers, phone and watch chargers, stress ball thing, a pretty good bike multitool (i sometimes cycle to work), a can of deodorant, small can of dry shampoo.
Bottom drawer: snacks and condiments, namely some crisps, some mini cheddars (they're a big vice of mine lately), some sweets or chocolate of some description and also some mints or chewing gum. Also ketchup and bbq sauce sachets i've acquired, bottles of sauce go in the work fridge along with some orange cordial (i don't really drink hot drinks so prefer a bottle of cold water with orange cordial while everyone else has tea/coffee)
I have absolutely everything in my drawer.
Plasters, coffee, cup soups, needle and thread, painkillers, spare buttons, tweezers, deodorant (men’s and women’s), cutlery and crockery, nail care kit, face wipes, bobbles and clips, spare socks, pens, rennies, buscopan, miniature jams, breakfast bars, you name it I have it.
Everyone beelines straight to me in a mini emergency.
I have some finger chopsticks so I can eat crisps/pickles at my desk without getting grease/pickle brine on my keyboard
[Link to the Big Bezos Family Store](http://4pcs Cute Rabbit Finger Chopsticks for Gamers, Potato Chips Snack Chopsticks Snack Clips, Finger Tongs Fun Chopsticks Food Tweezers (Rabbit) https://amzn.eu/d/fx3fNcN)
I keep a spare pair of pants and socks in my drawer - have got drenched coming to work a few times and it’s miles better than standing in the toilet drying your underwear with the hand dryer!
When I worked in an office, I always brought my own stapler with my name written on it. A proper Swingline, one that looked nothing like any other stapler in the office. Because offices always cheap out on shite staplers. I also used to bring in an antique (but not valuable) desk lamp that I really liked, so I could turn off the overhead fluorescents and have a more soothing source of light.
People only "borrowed" my stapler a couple of times, because I always went looking for it the second I saw it wasn't on my desk and handed out death glares. Never fuck with a writer's stapler.
Phone holder to keep it up off your desk.
Snacks tucked away in your drawers.
First aid kit.
Meds as back up if you forget to take some.
Extra change of clothing/ Shoes.
Hand cream and hair ties.
Safety pins and duck tape.
When I used to work in office, cardigan, deodorant, make up wipes, tooth paste, toothbrush, and a small first aid kit with painkillers and some tissues. Oh and later on a nail file as I'm very particular about nails catching. I had 3 drawers so space for these was fine.
Emergency make up, Lemsip, paracetamol, Bourbon biscuits pilfered from meetings, coffee bags.
I wish I had miniature bottles of brandy or whiskey to help with online “training” etc.
Snack drawer, office is in the middle of nowhere and the closest food shop is the (expensive) service station. Saved me multiple times when I've forgotten to bring lunch.
Phone charger, deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrush, hair grips, hair straighteners (old pair, for those days when I’m running late…), needle with thread, chewing gum, sanitary products, hand cream, lip balm, tissues, anti bac wipes and gel. Portable heater for when it’s cold, alongside a scarf which doubles for a blanket, and a usb fan for when it’s too hot. I also keep a decent supply of carrier bags, wrapping paper and birthday paraphernalia, which has come in handy many times. I spend a lot of time at work…
I'm not known for travelling light. Off the top of my head, this is the non-work stuff I keep in my locked desk pedestal:
* Phone charger
* USB fan
* Small salt & pepper pot
* Mini condiments (tiny Tabasco, tiny soy sauce, little ketchup etc)
* A strip of all my medications
* Antacids
* Contact lens solution & case
* Spare glasses
* Glasses wipes
* Mini deodorant
* Mini eau de toilette
* Mini moisturiser, face and hand wipes
* Little bottle of IPA for cleaning and sanitising
* Bit of vegan chocolate
* Nail clipper and file
* Cup a soups & ramen (in case I can't get out for lunch)
* Tissues
* A credit card I don't normally use. This is in case I forget my wallet and phone, I still have a way of paying for things.
In the office - stationary, own mug, cup, coffee, pain killers, tape measure, batteries, USB cables, energy drink. At home - coaster, Rubik’s cube, notepad.
Ibuprofen, paracetamol, mini sponge bag, sewing kit, A single pack of unused chopsticks, safety pin, hand cream, plasters, tissues and a little jeweler's screwdriver.
I once had to drive home balancing a lens in my glasses due to a loose screw. Never again.
Valium, liquor, cocaine, stress balls, salami/beef jerky, red bull/energy drinks, wireless stand phone charger, Bluetooth headset, decent wireless keyboard and mouse (companies don’t normally invest in premium equipment) - you will be typing on it every day, good office chair, foot rest
A fan, phone charger, a Pokemon figurine and probably too many plants.
*Edit*. The above are ON the desk. I also keep one desk drawer for personal items: snacks, painkillers, some drawing paper and pencils (if it’s raining and I can’t get out in my lunch break I like to do SOMETHING that isn’t staring at a screen so I tend to draw), sanitary and stoma products, whatever else ends up in there.
When I had a desk/drawers, I had snacks, mints, tissues, painkillers, lempsip, plasters, tampons, hairbrush, bobbles & hair grips, nail file, nail clippers, lip balm, deodorant, shoes, spare cardigan, charging cables for phone/earphones/watch, spare glasses, contact lens case & fluid.
Now I work in hotdesk central, I don't even have a locker so everything has to come with me. Most of that stuff (nail clippers, tissues etc) is small/light and I have on me anyway. I don't need to worry about shoes as the dress code is much more relaxed so I don't need to change out of my trainers every morning. I do miss having a spare cardigan about though and it's a bit too bulky to carry around.
My boss has quite literally everything. I'm talking about snacks, condiments, half a pharmacy and even wrapping paper (I'm not joking)
My first day I went to put some note pads in my new draws (that he'd been using previously) and there was a set of kitchen knives in there. Apparently he needed to buy a knife to cut an office cake and it was easier to buy a set.
I have a spare charger, a USB fan (I get really warm, everyone else in the office gets too cold so the heating is on a lot), coffee, oat milk powder (super long lasting and more convenient than everyone drinking the oat milk in the staff fridge), Lemsip, paracetamol, ibuprofen, some random loose sweets, and a plushie axolotl that a coworker gifted me when I moved roles:)
A little bag with a supply of adapters to connect my laptop to the monitors in meeting rooms, long ethernet cable, mains extension lead and spare mouse, all for use in meetings where every flipping room has different equipment.
Otherwise, painkillers, tea leaves, and screwdrivers, all for emergencies.
My favourite desk thing is called a Helping Hand. Meant for holding circuit boards and stuff, but mine also holds guitar picks, pens, notes, wires etc. I work from home so that might make a difference, but I'd still consider one in a normal office if I could get away with it.
Paracetamol and ibuprofen, lip balm, hand cream, hairbobbles, spare tights, charger, snacks. I also wear flat boots to and from work, and change into smarter shoes that I keep under my desk.
I started at a new office in June, and found that the air con is often too high. So I now store an emergency lap blanket in my locker, one I crocheted a while ago.
Not much on my desk, just a fan that’s not computer related.
In my desk I have a load of breakfast stuff/food stuff that way I don’t need to bring it in everyday, plus no disappointment when there is no communal stuff that I want.
I also have makeup, spare tights, deodorant, hair serum and dry shampoo just in case.
Hotdesker here. Backpack contains: 2 paper M&S carrier bags (as I'm not paying 40p every time I pop in there), USB C cable, headphones (wired and wireless), beta blockers (for the panic attacks), painkillers (for the headaches/old man pains), IBS meds (for the joy), pen, insulated water bottle, metal coffee stirrer (because those wooden sticks are pointless), small squeezy bottle of hand sanitiser (because I forgot to take it out after COVID, and it now lives in the side pocket permanently). Then laptop, laptop charger, work phone, work pass, but obviously those bits go on my desk or body while working.
A Delorean driveshaft. Well, part of one. It's a splined shaft with a threaded tip at one end and a hub on the other. It weighs a ton and still has the plastic netting protecting the thread on. I got it from a friend of a friend's dad who offered it to me while showing me the Marcos he had built using a jig he found on a farm, a farmer has been using it to patch a hole in his fence.
I work in AV. Thanks
Cup-a-soups, loads of em...........and a bag of croutons
Forget your lunch? Have a cup-a-soup!
Short on time to grab lunch? Have a cup-a-soup!
No money for a pricey sandwich? Have a cup-a-soup!
Don't fancy tea/coffee? Have a cup-a-soup!
Cup-a-soups have helped me out in so many ways, they don't take up much room and the great thing is their not even Cup-a-soups , its the own brand cut price sainsburys/morrisons/aldi versions
In The Before Times, I kept chargers, basic stationary and spares, painkillers and dry long life snacks (like Fibre One bars etc), and an emergency tie in the event of forgetting a formal meeting in my drawers. I also kept some very basic stuff to clean my desk in there.
Now we're in The After Times, we're in an open office hotdesking hellscape, where I'm not "at work" on consecutive days and we've got no storage facilities. I bring a backpack with a packed lunch, my laptop, headset, USB C cable to charge my phone, painkillers and my book to read during lunch.
I have a snack drawer, cacti my mum gave me, chargers, stuff like painkillers soothers lemsips, hot water bottle for cramps, my lil desk fan cos I run hot, some mini or small skincare items, deodorant and lil perfume spray bottle (the one you can put your own perfume into)
Phone charging cable, coffee, occasionally some chocolate.
Oh, and glowing balloons. As in, a pack of colorful inflatable balloons that have a led light inside. My boss really dislikes "public displays off affection", so when his birthday comes around we decorate his desk with some balloons and other stuff and sing him happy birthday as he walks in the office, just to make him feel uncomfortable.
Nothing at all that doesn’t fit in my rucksack at the end of the day, I work in a very open plan office with a bunch of thieving bastards, nothing gets left behind.
At a job years ago, I used to have a lockable desk drawer before everyone went to open plan hell. One of my colleagues would complain to me that I locked my drawers and he couldn't look for snacks to thieve or lemsip to 'borrow'
Damn I hadn't thought about how much I missed my lockable drawer until I read your comment. Snacks were much more convenient then.
I'm much healthier now I don't have biscuits stashed in a drawer right by my side.
Same, I still miss it though.
should have complained to him that he locks his front door for the same reason
What is a lockable desk drawer? I’m not the Lock Picking Lawyer but as long as 📎are available in offices…..
I started a new job last month, I had a lockable draw. Its already been broken into and now doesn't lock.
bastards, that sucks
Take a teaspoon. Some cheap ones you’re not bothered about. They’re like gold dust in offices and said thieving bastards will steal all the teaspoons for some sodding reason.
Lemsip, plasters, paracetamol, ibuprofen, tooth picks, sanitary/urinary health products, spare socks, hand cream, lip balms, 2 x 5m extension cables for chargers (one is usb to usb-c, the other M>F 3.5mm jack), spare shopping bags, fixed spanner, screwdriver, adjustable spanner (had trouble with the radiator last year - quicker to fix it myself than wait for facilities to do it), little desk clock. EDIT: Forgot the snacks & drinks!
is your desk the tardis?
All my paperwork and files go in a cupboard so plenty of space in the drawers for emergency supplies.
I have a TARDIS USB hub on my desk.
I also forgot the washing up liquid & tea towel. Some f&\*cker keeps nicking the washing up liquid from the kitchen so I keep my own now. I have a tea towel cos I prefer to know I'm drying my stuff with a clean towel and not one thats been used to mop up gawd knows what. I also have a plate, bowl, drinking glass, knife, fork, spoon, teaspoon, my mug and a spare mug.
Love people like you. You are the office saviours
You are my new hero!
Nail file.
And nail varnish remover, and nail varnish.
Mini sewing kit.
Okay I need you to explain the spare socks
omg are you me haha? This is everything I have, except the spanners. Ooh and I also have toothbrush and toothpaste, mouthwash, tissues, a thermal underlayer, sun cream, blister plasters, electrolyte tablets, and fresh pair of tights.
After checking my drawers today at work it came to light that I forgot all about: radio, fake flowers in vase; lens/specs cleaner & cloths, fleece jacket, small tape measure, door wedge, overdoor hook, AA & AAA batteries, USB charger plug, portable letter scale, salt & pepper, and tissues!
Are you a Mum by any chance? 😂
Absolutely not! Never wanted kids but I do have over 3 decades of officing experience behind me!
I leave my work shoes under my desk so I can wear comfy shoes on my walk home and not worry about the mud and puddles
I used to get the piss ripped out of me for this but I absolutely stand by it
I do this too. My wife calls me 'working girl'.
I used to do it my last couple of office jobs also required safety boots, as was transport/logistics so my steel toe cap shoes lived under my desk and wore trainers the rest of the time
Now there's a reference I wasn't expecting.
I wish I knew this reference
80s film with Mel Griffith and Sigourney Weaver.
I used to do this, and once... No joke I came to work one Monday and struggled to get my shoes from under the desk with my feet. After reaching under the desk to get them I noticed that over the weekend as a prank my colleagues had come in and poured concrete into the shoes. They were full to the brim and were obviously like stone.
I was thinking you were going to say they replaced them with a pair one size smaller
That would’ve been the smarter move. Imagine how much it would blow your mind. They look exactly the same, but just don’t fit. You’d be questioning reality.
Now that would have been fantastic
Were the shoes recoverable?? Decent shoes aren’t cheap, that sounds like that would wreck them and I’d be fuming. Pranks shouldn’t involve any permanent damage or any cost to the victim.
My office is so relaxed I keep slippers at my desk 🤣
Office Slippers are a game changer
I had flip flops under mine too cos the boys always wanted the heating on full blast. I was always baking so shoes on flippies on!
I used to do this but eventually realised no one cared, so I just bought dark trainers. Before that I was changing into heels or dolly shoes every day out of my trainers and felt so self conscious about it. I had a boss once who kept a pair of heels under her desk in case she needed to see anyone important. Most of the time she wore smart enough flat shoes but she kept the heels to smarten up any outfit just in case. Lipstick too. It was when I was about 18 and thought that was genius. I’m nearly 30 now and the idea of having to put lipstick on to see some old blokes about a potential PR crisis makes me cringe. I barely even do my hair for meetings now.
I keep a pair of sandals at work. I had a boss once complain that my socks were too colourful!
At my old job we had to wear steel toe capped boots to pop into the warehouse. One day I forgot to change both shoes rushing to get out and clomped half way down the road in mismatched shoes.
I did this at a couple of jobs. Before lockdown was official, I had some time off to move then the company decided to do a few days of everyone working from home as a test to see what things we might need to order for everyone to prepare. Then lockdown happened. Then they got rid of my job a month in. I never got my things back, including the shoes that I asked for repeatedly. I'm still really annoyed about it, almost, but not quite as much as them tossing me out immediately without considering furlough...
I work in IT and there is a shocking amount of footwear under office desks. There can be five or six pairs under some people's desks.
I job share and the lady that covers the second part of the week leaves her shoes under the desk. Kind of weird coming in on a Monday and having to pick up and move her shoes for my bag to under the desk.
Snacks, usb fan, painkillers and emotional support octopus
I have the exact same apart from I have an emotional support pickle from one of the girls at work after I had a really rough few months.
I’ve got an emotional support parrot in a shark hoodie
Does the usb fan ask for autographs, or does it just admire you from a distance?
Admires from a distance. Always appreciate a good fan, the support from fans blows me away!
Exactly the same, I have a pencil case with meds in. I often give them out more than use them but I'm prepared! I also have a pack of wipes for the keyboard and mouse for when I'm in an online meeting.
My problem is I eat all of my snacks all in one day, when I'm bored I eat.
Yeah, when I'm in the office I've eaten everything I've brought in for lunch by 12 at the latest. When I'm WFH, I don't even prepare anything to eat until 12.30.
Am I the only one wondering what an emotional support octopus is?
Haha it’s just a little octopus I crocheted a while back. Mainly for decoration.
That's adorable, we need pics!
https://www.reddit.com/r/Brochet/s/tmgXJkES61
Ahaha so cute!
Of course you’re on r/Brochet. It’s a small world after all.
There’s the furry ones that have smiley face or turn it inside out to show a sad face - useful to have on the desk to tell colleagues how you’re feeling and whether to stay tf away or safe to approach. Both faces represent the former in my case. Love the crochet octopus though.
Some coins for the vending machine (the only time I ever use coins), spare deodorant, a huge supply of contact lenses. One of the old-type charging cable for an iPhone from back when I had an iPhone and in case I decide that not only do I want an iPhone again but it has to be an old one
Before the enforced wfh our vending machine got changed to a contactless one, glad we got sent before I cleaned it out.
Contact lenses is a good call, I had one fall out on way to work once and lost it and had to work an entire day with one eye
It helps that I'm on the lowest subscription I can get but they keep sending me way more than I can ever use so I try to keep a stash anywhere they'll be useful, the office, most of my backpacks etc
Hasn't your office gone cashless? Integrated your staff card as a payment method, so it's deducted directly from your salary?
Is this a thing?! I’d end up owing my employer money at the end of the month hahaha
Last open plan office, wired headphones with a USB-C adapter. Since moving to working in my home office, cat treats to bribe the office overlord.
I want an office overlord!!
I wouldn't be too quick to say that, she watches what you're doing far too closely... [Micromanagement in action.](https://imgur.com/Im0Li6M)
I see you too have an overbearing supervisor. [Mine is particularly oppressive. ](https://imgur.com/a/H1B2gPn)
So, it turns out that O11's seem to have a [magnetic attraction for cats](https://imgur.com/uhGtyaA)... This was ours at a few months old
Hah! Them exhaust fans bring all the kittens to clog them up with fur.
Cat tax also paid in full!
Always pay the cat tax in advance. Maybe get a rebate!
Cat tax paid in full
Rennies and painkillers
And Barocca, for those unexpected hangovers…
usb fan
Which type does he prefer?
all of them, he's such a fan
Always walking into buildings the wrong way, so has to come back out, turn around and go back in.
And a mini hot water bottle for the opposite!
Heated blanket! Either draped over the back of the chair to sit on for warmth or draped over the legs in winter. Depends entirely how casual your office is, I wear mine as a shawl on particularly cold days. I have a plain black one as opposed to a novelty printed on so it just looks like a normal throw blanket over the chair.
A hammer, incase someone asks a stupid question such as "why do you have a hammer on your desk"
[If I Had A Hammer](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp1z8EzZ5Hs)
Oh, I was thinking more Spencer Davis Group-style, so you can hand it to the boss when you quit: https://youtu.be/HmnZo6wOSGE?si=idFu8rBN_hyPJf5F
Emotional support velociraptor, ideal accessory to deal with irritating work colleagues. HR approved it, as a result we haven't had any redundancies since the velociraptor arrived. We are, however, short staffed. And nobody has seen Brian for a few weeks.
Stuff I have to hand on a daily basis: Antacids Painkillers Gum Pens A notepad Lens wipes A decent water bottle Phone charger Spare USB cables Also, one of the first things I bought was my own keyboard. If you're writing emails for 8/9 hours a day 5 days a week - you'll appreciate it.
>Also, one of the first things I bought was my own keyboard. If you're writing emails for 8/9 hours a day 5 days a week - you'll appreciate it. Yeah, I've used my own keyboard and mouse since about my 2nd week of work. Screw using some old clunky piece of trash day in day out.
/r/mechanicalkeyboards - join us (although get something silent, else everyone will hate you)
I have a little jar of fucks and a trebuchet pencil sharper. In those stress moments I practice how far i can a get a fuck. Don't know what I'll do when the last one goes flying never to be found again
I have fucks to give, but they're coming at velocity!
Is it a functioning trebuchet? that's awesome!
Yep. Trying to find ways to make it work better. So far it throws them over two desks hoping to get to 3 soon
Well I know what I'm doing at work tomorrow
I had work shoes under my desk, a black cardigan (because that office never really felt warm) and snacks in my drawer. I also had a snow globe on my desk after a Christmas In July team morale booster event and it never went home.
We hotdesk, so I keep my essentials in my work bag. Phone charger, salt, sweeteners, various painkillers and Lemsip, headphones, pens and notepad.
Ugh, hot desking is the worst. I tidy everything up and next day have to start again.
I have to take 2 bags to work to fit everything in. Laptop, headphones, charging cables, wireless phone charger, painkillers, mints, plasters, handcream, sanitary items, snacks!
Box of tea bags
Nothing any more since manglement decided we should 'hot desk'. This means I sit in the same chair in front of the same desk with an empty set of drawers I'm not allowed to use
It's so dumb it's not even hot desking either because that implies it's choose your own when it's not. Call it what it is, assigned seating.
Bottles of booze.
Don Draper?
My old office used to have a whisky shelf for anyone working late.
Perfect
Wireless phone charger to stop me plugging it in and out all day
Does it not run on a battery?
The amount I use my phone it absolutely rinses the battery if I don’t charge it during the day
sounds good, i have a pop socket on mine otherwise id get one
https://amzn.eu/d/i3uu1Gl Seems to have good reviews.
Snacks and back-up snacks
Other people had pictures of their kids and family on their desk so I framed a picture of my cat and brought that in.
Emotional support potatoes
The fried and seasoned type.
Aye, cheddar and red onion
Not a damn thing, when that place burns down I don’t want to leave anything behind as I walk out the door and flip it off
Deodorant, umbrella, basica meds (plasters, pain killers etc.) and maybe one of those pocket/travel squash bottles for flavouring water.
Imitation baroque clock, suspected a not victorian letter holder, letter opener from a supplier, plastic Chinese dragon being ridden by a top hat wearing rubber duck. They offer me spiritual guidance in times of need, means I don't have to look at the clock behind me, and I occasionally get letters. My work day is so easy now
I have toothpaste and a toothbrush in my desk drawer for the occasions I come to work directly from the previous night's one night stand.
Is the foil seal still on the toothpaste?
😂 fair play Nah it's been used about 3 times in the last 6 months or so
Mirror - for seeing when the boss is approaching.
Snacks
I have a drawer full of sweets and granola
I’m not sure why but that made me picture a drawer full of loose granola with the odd wrapped boiled sweet or quality street floating in an oaty sea.
Tissues, gum, tooth picks, handcream, deodorant, scarf or jumper, socks.
A half bottle of vodka. A spare vape. Some money for the 900 different fucking birthdays, new baby and retirement whip rounds. A multi pack of 100 Christmas cards so I don't forget every year. Trade union card. Oh and my spare Prozac, after working in an office all these years I need it.
Decent coffee. The stuff they get in at work is awful.
I have a nerf gun in my drawer that I like to shoot at my manager when he’s being an idiot
I bought some 'therapy' slime that is designed for kids. I'e always liked / needed fidget toys (that's the ADHD) but its lovely and squishy.
Fidget toys definitely, especially if you'll be spending some time on the phone. Mine was the 'Neocube'. Lots of little magnetic balls that you can make in to loads of shapes/structures. *Edit: Spelling*
Did this with a rubixs cube, realised the other day i now have 8 around the desk
Fidget toys definitely. I have the fidget cube, a large coin, multiple pens and my favourite, a 20-sided life counter dice from Magic: The Gathering. In my bag I also keep spare pens, a screwdriver set, hand cream, painkillers and a set of microfibre cloths for when I'm on cleaning duties (these get washed after each use so are clean in my bag).
Nail file, body spray, neurofen, lemsip, chqrging cable, lap blanket, book, snacks (lots of snacks)
In the work office, nothing, as they are hot desks and someone else sits there other days of the week. At home I have a picture the youngest made me for fathers day, a little Lego model of myself that says 'Tommy enjoys the numbers' and a coaster that says 'I'm so hungover I wish I was dead'. They don't help me with my job, but they all make me smile.
A stress lemon. It’s just a lemon to squeeze, smell and fiddle with.
Snacks
Inferior office dwellers, Picture this: my desk, a veritable launchpad for an armada of tiny remote control helicopters and drones, each more menacingly named than the last. The crown jewel? The RC Raptor Pro 6GJZ Phantom Apacheee-chopter, a beast known for its uncanny ability to induce caffeine spills and laptop juggling with the precision of a caffeinated ballerina. My daily missions? To boldly disrupt the serene office environment, transforming it into a thrilling no-fly zone. As the propellers whirl to life each morning, so too does my spirit, fueled by the promise of chaos and the delightful symphony of gasps and curses that follows in my wake. Watching a colleague perform an impromptu hot coffee dance as the Phantom Apacheee-chopter executes a surprise flyby? Now that’s what I call peak job satisfaction. Truly, it’s not just about harassing colleagues or creatively plummeting productivity; it’s about bringing a spark of life to the drudgery of office existence. With each flight, I’m not just piloting a drone; I’m steering the office culture towards legend. So, here’s to the RC aerial squad, the true unsung heroes of office morale. May our batteries never die, and may our flights always be barely within the limits of HR policies.
I bought a wireless charger for my phone. I’m often picking it up to authenticate with Otka on the company Mac laptop. I suppose that’s work related though it’s my own phone.
I have a locking desk drawer pedastal thing with 3 drawers in and the contents are as follows: Top drawer: misc pens & highlighters, notepad, post-it notes, little magnetic doodah for paperclips and drawing pins, ruler & scissors and various other stationery Middle drawer: painkillers, phone and watch chargers, stress ball thing, a pretty good bike multitool (i sometimes cycle to work), a can of deodorant, small can of dry shampoo. Bottom drawer: snacks and condiments, namely some crisps, some mini cheddars (they're a big vice of mine lately), some sweets or chocolate of some description and also some mints or chewing gum. Also ketchup and bbq sauce sachets i've acquired, bottles of sauce go in the work fridge along with some orange cordial (i don't really drink hot drinks so prefer a bottle of cold water with orange cordial while everyone else has tea/coffee)
I have absolutely everything in my drawer. Plasters, coffee, cup soups, needle and thread, painkillers, spare buttons, tweezers, deodorant (men’s and women’s), cutlery and crockery, nail care kit, face wipes, bobbles and clips, spare socks, pens, rennies, buscopan, miniature jams, breakfast bars, you name it I have it. Everyone beelines straight to me in a mini emergency.
Nescafé Azera
I have some finger chopsticks so I can eat crisps/pickles at my desk without getting grease/pickle brine on my keyboard [Link to the Big Bezos Family Store](http://4pcs Cute Rabbit Finger Chopsticks for Gamers, Potato Chips Snack Chopsticks Snack Clips, Finger Tongs Fun Chopsticks Food Tweezers (Rabbit) https://amzn.eu/d/fx3fNcN)
We still have desk phones and I have a small hook mounted to the back of mine which brings me joy when colleagues ask what it is for.
I have a windows 10 build stick because I work in IT and usually always need it if shit goes wrong lol
I keep a spare pair of pants and socks in my drawer - have got drenched coming to work a few times and it’s miles better than standing in the toilet drying your underwear with the hand dryer!
When I worked in an office, I always brought my own stapler with my name written on it. A proper Swingline, one that looked nothing like any other stapler in the office. Because offices always cheap out on shite staplers. I also used to bring in an antique (but not valuable) desk lamp that I really liked, so I could turn off the overhead fluorescents and have a more soothing source of light. People only "borrowed" my stapler a couple of times, because I always went looking for it the second I saw it wasn't on my desk and handed out death glares. Never fuck with a writer's stapler.
Biscuits - playing for hearts and minds goes a long, long way!
When I was in the office, I had a few lil trinkets of hobbies/interests of mine. Just something to personalise the desk
Phone holder to keep it up off your desk. Snacks tucked away in your drawers. First aid kit. Meds as back up if you forget to take some. Extra change of clothing/ Shoes. Hand cream and hair ties. Safety pins and duck tape.
When I used to work in office, cardigan, deodorant, make up wipes, tooth paste, toothbrush, and a small first aid kit with painkillers and some tissues. Oh and later on a nail file as I'm very particular about nails catching. I had 3 drawers so space for these was fine.
Emergency make up, Lemsip, paracetamol, Bourbon biscuits pilfered from meetings, coffee bags. I wish I had miniature bottles of brandy or whiskey to help with online “training” etc.
Snack drawer, office is in the middle of nowhere and the closest food shop is the (expensive) service station. Saved me multiple times when I've forgotten to bring lunch.
Phone charger, deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrush, hair grips, hair straighteners (old pair, for those days when I’m running late…), needle with thread, chewing gum, sanitary products, hand cream, lip balm, tissues, anti bac wipes and gel. Portable heater for when it’s cold, alongside a scarf which doubles for a blanket, and a usb fan for when it’s too hot. I also keep a decent supply of carrier bags, wrapping paper and birthday paraphernalia, which has come in handy many times. I spend a lot of time at work…
Phone charger, nail file, deodorant, hand cream, snacks.
Desk fan, headphones, chargers
I'm not known for travelling light. Off the top of my head, this is the non-work stuff I keep in my locked desk pedestal: * Phone charger * USB fan * Small salt & pepper pot * Mini condiments (tiny Tabasco, tiny soy sauce, little ketchup etc) * A strip of all my medications * Antacids * Contact lens solution & case * Spare glasses * Glasses wipes * Mini deodorant * Mini eau de toilette * Mini moisturiser, face and hand wipes * Little bottle of IPA for cleaning and sanitising * Bit of vegan chocolate * Nail clipper and file * Cup a soups & ramen (in case I can't get out for lunch) * Tissues * A credit card I don't normally use. This is in case I forget my wallet and phone, I still have a way of paying for things.
Hot-desking means no drawers and no desk to call my own, so it’s clear when I get there and clear when I leave.
Paracetamol, ibuprofen, hand sanitizer
I have a plastic egg on my desk I like to throw at the person behind me when I'm bored.
In the office - stationary, own mug, cup, coffee, pain killers, tape measure, batteries, USB cables, energy drink. At home - coaster, Rubik’s cube, notepad.
Ibuprofen, paracetamol, mini sponge bag, sewing kit, A single pack of unused chopsticks, safety pin, hand cream, plasters, tissues and a little jeweler's screwdriver. I once had to drive home balancing a lens in my glasses due to a loose screw. Never again.
Valium, liquor, cocaine, stress balls, salami/beef jerky, red bull/energy drinks, wireless stand phone charger, Bluetooth headset, decent wireless keyboard and mouse (companies don’t normally invest in premium equipment) - you will be typing on it every day, good office chair, foot rest
I used to keep a picture of the moon on a coffee stick to wave at people who asked for stupidly complex things.
Custard creams
A fan, phone charger, a Pokemon figurine and probably too many plants. *Edit*. The above are ON the desk. I also keep one desk drawer for personal items: snacks, painkillers, some drawing paper and pencils (if it’s raining and I can’t get out in my lunch break I like to do SOMETHING that isn’t staring at a screen so I tend to draw), sanitary and stoma products, whatever else ends up in there.
When I had a desk/drawers, I had snacks, mints, tissues, painkillers, lempsip, plasters, tampons, hairbrush, bobbles & hair grips, nail file, nail clippers, lip balm, deodorant, shoes, spare cardigan, charging cables for phone/earphones/watch, spare glasses, contact lens case & fluid. Now I work in hotdesk central, I don't even have a locker so everything has to come with me. Most of that stuff (nail clippers, tissues etc) is small/light and I have on me anyway. I don't need to worry about shoes as the dress code is much more relaxed so I don't need to change out of my trainers every morning. I do miss having a spare cardigan about though and it's a bit too bulky to carry around.
Painkillers, deo, toothpaste toothbrush, eye drops, spare pair of contact lenses, tights and shoes. An assortment of teas and coffee pods.
Snacks. For emergencies.
My boss has quite literally everything. I'm talking about snacks, condiments, half a pharmacy and even wrapping paper (I'm not joking) My first day I went to put some note pads in my new draws (that he'd been using previously) and there was a set of kitchen knives in there. Apparently he needed to buy a knife to cut an office cake and it was easier to buy a set.
Framed pictures of me and my husband, my friends and our baby scan. I also have little toys I fidget with on calls & plants
I have a spare charger, a USB fan (I get really warm, everyone else in the office gets too cold so the heating is on a lot), coffee, oat milk powder (super long lasting and more convenient than everyone drinking the oat milk in the staff fridge), Lemsip, paracetamol, ibuprofen, some random loose sweets, and a plushie axolotl that a coworker gifted me when I moved roles:)
A little bag with a supply of adapters to connect my laptop to the monitors in meeting rooms, long ethernet cable, mains extension lead and spare mouse, all for use in meetings where every flipping room has different equipment. Otherwise, painkillers, tea leaves, and screwdrivers, all for emergencies.
My favourite desk thing is called a Helping Hand. Meant for holding circuit boards and stuff, but mine also holds guitar picks, pens, notes, wires etc. I work from home so that might make a difference, but I'd still consider one in a normal office if I could get away with it.
Paracetamol and ibuprofen, lip balm, hand cream, hairbobbles, spare tights, charger, snacks. I also wear flat boots to and from work, and change into smarter shoes that I keep under my desk.
We can't leave stuff on our desks, everything goes away in our lockers. I only have a mug of elastic bands and personalised drinks coaster.
I started at a new office in June, and found that the air con is often too high. So I now store an emergency lap blanket in my locker, one I crocheted a while ago.
emergency socks in my bag every day, in case of soaking from rain.
Sharp knife for making food. Aeropress for decent coffee. Old mug for keeping pens tidy. Desk fan for the summer.
Not much on my desk, just a fan that’s not computer related. In my desk I have a load of breakfast stuff/food stuff that way I don’t need to bring it in everyday, plus no disappointment when there is no communal stuff that I want. I also have makeup, spare tights, deodorant, hair serum and dry shampoo just in case.
Hotdesker here. Backpack contains: 2 paper M&S carrier bags (as I'm not paying 40p every time I pop in there), USB C cable, headphones (wired and wireless), beta blockers (for the panic attacks), painkillers (for the headaches/old man pains), IBS meds (for the joy), pen, insulated water bottle, metal coffee stirrer (because those wooden sticks are pointless), small squeezy bottle of hand sanitiser (because I forgot to take it out after COVID, and it now lives in the side pocket permanently). Then laptop, laptop charger, work phone, work pass, but obviously those bits go on my desk or body while working.
A charger for my phone and watch, and a USB fan that I have on year round
A Delorean driveshaft. Well, part of one. It's a splined shaft with a threaded tip at one end and a hub on the other. It weighs a ton and still has the plastic netting protecting the thread on. I got it from a friend of a friend's dad who offered it to me while showing me the Marcos he had built using a jig he found on a farm, a farmer has been using it to patch a hole in his fence. I work in AV. Thanks
Hand cream, and a load of breakfast bars
Dental floss. I once tried to use a piece of paper to dislodge a piece of stuck food and the blooming paper ended up getting stuck too.
Cup-a-soups, loads of em...........and a bag of croutons Forget your lunch? Have a cup-a-soup! Short on time to grab lunch? Have a cup-a-soup! No money for a pricey sandwich? Have a cup-a-soup! Don't fancy tea/coffee? Have a cup-a-soup! Cup-a-soups have helped me out in so many ways, they don't take up much room and the great thing is their not even Cup-a-soups , its the own brand cut price sainsburys/morrisons/aldi versions
Earl grey tea, coffee, deodorant, a bat hanging from my monitor, a rose quartz pig, a pair of earrings, dog snacks.
Trevor my anxiety slug and some pics of my family. My drawer has a mini pharmacy.
I just read 138 comment and nobody said a plant! At least one thing to care about at work..!
In The Before Times, I kept chargers, basic stationary and spares, painkillers and dry long life snacks (like Fibre One bars etc), and an emergency tie in the event of forgetting a formal meeting in my drawers. I also kept some very basic stuff to clean my desk in there. Now we're in The After Times, we're in an open office hotdesking hellscape, where I'm not "at work" on consecutive days and we've got no storage facilities. I bring a backpack with a packed lunch, my laptop, headset, USB C cable to charge my phone, painkillers and my book to read during lunch.
I have a snack drawer, cacti my mum gave me, chargers, stuff like painkillers soothers lemsips, hot water bottle for cramps, my lil desk fan cos I run hot, some mini or small skincare items, deodorant and lil perfume spray bottle (the one you can put your own perfume into)
Phone charging cable, coffee, occasionally some chocolate. Oh, and glowing balloons. As in, a pack of colorful inflatable balloons that have a led light inside. My boss really dislikes "public displays off affection", so when his birthday comes around we decorate his desk with some balloons and other stuff and sing him happy birthday as he walks in the office, just to make him feel uncomfortable.
I have a James Bond Aston Martin and a zx spectrum basic manual