DIY Project! Trick Out Your Cube at Work

Meet one of SELF's Editorial Assistants, Alyssa. When's she not scoping out the latest pop culture trends for our Entertainment department, Alyssa can usually be found DIYing. We tap into her craftiness to find out what she's whipping up every week.

Think about it: where do you spend the majority of your time during the week? If you're anything like us, it's a three-sided cubicle that's, let's admit it, hard to make attractive. We wanted to do a little something to spice up cubicle life as we know it, and what better way to do that than with a touch of neon that has a totally practical twist? Good news: Many office supply stores sell bare-bones products that can be injected with a bit of 'tude, minimal effort required. I went with two wood canisters for pencils, pens and scissors, as well as four pieces of cork with magnets attached to the back that will serve as an extra space to tack my edit ideas. (Likewise, feel free to tack on anything that inspires you!) 

You'll need:

2 wooden pencil holders4 square cork pieces1 roll of magnetic tape with adhesive backing blue painter's tapeneon spray paint in the color of your choice

Start by using  the painters tape to create quirky, personal designs on both your pencil holders and cork pieces. I went for a trendy, color blocking-look on the pencil holders, and various lines on the cork pieces, but remember, do whatever you like. Only caveat: Make sure the tape is pressed firmly to the surface, as cork can be very absorbent and you don't want to spray paint to bleed through.

Important reminder: Everything you cover with tape will remain the color of cork/pencil case. Keep that in mind when you design. Then, spray your items with a quick-drying neon spray paint. Spray two coats, letting the first dry for about 10 minutes before repeating. When you're done coating, let dry overnight. 

The next day, cut the magnetic tape into pieces, and stick one piece onto each of the four corners of your corkboard.Simply transport the items to your office and set 'em up. All of a sudden your cubicle doesn't feel so much like a cubicle, amiright?!

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Image Credit: Alyssa Longobucco

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