How to Decorate Your Desk at Work

Displaying Pictures

Frame photographs of your family or loved ones. The classic way to brighten up your work space is to frame some pictures of you and your family. Choose some cute photos that represent who your family is and put them in a frame to prop up on your desk. Face them toward you so that you can look at them throughout the day. Tip: If you have pictures of your family on your phone, send them to a print shop to get hard copies. You can find inexpensive picture frames at most home goods stores. Attach picture frames to your cubicle walls by hanging metal hooks over the sides of your cubicle.

Attach pictures to a length of yarn on your cubicle walls. If you’re tired of frames, try attaching photos to a long pieces of yarn instead. Cut a length of yarn about 5 feet (1.5 m) long and attach it to your wall with 2 push pins. Use paper clips or miniature clothespins to attach your photos to the yarn. You can use multiple pieces of yard to do many sets of photos, or cut a piece smaller to only display a few. You can also attach yarn to the walls of an office.

Buy a digital picture frame to change up which photos you show. Printing out pictures can get expensive, especially if you are keeping up with growing children. Purchase a digital picture frame and create a slideshow of your family and loved ones to show how they look now. You’ll save on printing costs and be able to personalize your photos instantly. There are many types of digital photo frames. You can find one at your local electronics or home goods store.

Create a slideshow of photos as your screensaver. If you often leave your computer idling, you can make a slideshow out of your favorite photos to display when it is in rest mode. Open the screen saver settings on your computer and customize it to display the photos that you want to show. If you have photos on your phone that you want to display, email them to yourself and download them onto your computer.

Creating a Cozy Space

Keep a plant in a pot on your desk. Add some life to your desk by keeping a small potted plant near your computer. Choose a pot that has drainage and be sure to water it as often as is recommended for your specific plant type. If you are worried about keeping up with watering, cactuses and succulents need less water on average than other plants.

Use cute magnets or push pins to hang things up. If you have a magnetic area of your cubicle, purchase some bright or glittery magnets to hang up reminders and notes. Or, buy colored push pins to display to-do lists and messages. You can find decorated magnets and push pins at most craft stores.

Add a lamp to your desk for better lighting. Often, offices have overhead fluorescent lights that aren’t the best at making a place feel cozy. Use a desk lamp or small nightstand lamp to give your space some warmth and create a better atmosphere.Tip: Buy a full-spectrum light bulb to simulate natural light. You can find small, cheap desk lamps at most home goods stores.

Put a throw pillow on your desk chair. Desk chairs are usually pretty boring, and can even be uncomfortable. Find a patterned throw pillow to set on your desk chair to add some personality to a plain seat. You can use it as an extra cushion to sit on or put it behind your back for some lumbar support. You can change out your throw pillow to match the colors on your desk, or use the seasons as a theme for your pillow.

Hang string lights in your cubicle or on your walls. Small, subtle string lights can create some ethereal lighting and keep you in the holiday spirit all year long. Choose some small, white string lights for a classic look, or buy some colored ones for a more bold approach. Hang them around your cubicle or office with push pins, and make sure the end can reach an outlet. You don’t have to keep your string lights plugged in all the time. You can turn them off if your natural light is good enough, or unplug them when you leave work.

Set candles around your workspace. Candles create a cozy vibe, whether or not they are lit. Buy some large candles in fun colors and place them around your computer and work area. Your workplace may not allow you to light them, but they will still look cute. If you are worried about your coworkers who may be allergic to scents, look for some unscented candles at the store.

Organizing with Style

Purchase a calendar that shows your personality. Calendars are essential for staying organized, and you probably have one in your workspace already. Buy a cute calendar with fun pictures for each month to stay organized while making your space look nice. Calendars usually go on sale after January since they are not in high demand.

Add patterned paper to the bottom of your inbox tray. If you have an inbox or outbox tray already for your paperwork, spice up the look of it by adding a sheet of paper with a design to the bottom. Once you clear out all your papers, you’ll have the added bonus of looking at a cute and festive design. Chevron or striped paper are classic, cute patterns to choose for your tray.

Organize markers and highlighters in a mason jar. You probably have a ton of permanent markers and highlighters in your desk already. Keep these together and within reach by stashing them on your desk in a clear mason jar. Tie a ribbon around the jar to give it a pop of color. Keep your desk uncluttered by throwing away dried up markers and highlighters.

Color coordinate your office supplies. If you use things like paper clips, push pins, and binder clips, purchase some in the same color or style to keep your desk coordinated. Find ones that are all in blue, or ones that all have stripes. Your papers will look cute and you can display your office supplies as a decoration and a functional feature.Tip: Put your office supplies in a small basket on your desk to keep them out in the open and within reach.

Use sticky notes to create a color-coordinated design. You probably use sticky notes already in your daily office life. Instead of sticking them on your cubicle or office walls randomly, try making a rainbow of sticky notes, or creating a heart design. You can stick with a holiday theme and make a pumpkin out of orange sticky notes, a santa hat out of red ones, and a simple snowflake from blue ones.