Open Work Space

It seems that nearly every week another friend mentions that her office has moved to open-plan workspaces. Considering the high price of rent, it makes sense for companies to consider it, but sometimes it means coworkers are sitting less than an arm's length away from one another -- a great distance for a dinner party, but close quarters when one needs to focus.

Earphones may help with concentration, but the lack of one's own desk also often means no desk drawers to stash sundries one may want during the workday.

With a few small personal additions, working in an open floor plan may be a little more comfortable, but keeping personal items contained and tidy is important for such tight spaces. Corralling a few important items into a pretty box means making one's space her own, while still being able to easily move to a different location if necessary.

A box in a neutral color will be least offensive to the symmetry of the space. Here are a few pretty ones, which won't distract the coworker one foot over.

images clockwise from center: Jonathan Adler for JC Penny, CB2, West Elm, Crate and Barrel, and Jonathan Adler for JC Penny, 

And as for what to keep in the pretty box next to the computer? I guess that depends on what one cannot live without! Here's what would be in mine…

image from Tide

 A Tide to Go Pen for erasing sudden stains.

image from Etsy

A small and cheerful pouch for hiding restroom necessities.

image from here

Single dose eye drops to help computer-inflicted dry eyes.

image from Origins

Eye brightening cream to make those eyes look more awake after several hours of staring at a screen.

image from here

A USB charger for when I forget to charge my phone (again!),

as well as a couple hair elastics, gum, and Chapstick.

What would be in yours?