After a year of working from home with all its Zoom calls, pets running underfoot during conference calls, and kids interrupting every five minutes, many of us will be uttering a sigh of relief as we hit the office doors once again. And what better way to celebrate the return to office life than by taking a whirlwind tour of some of the quirky items we use to personalize our workspaces? Yeahhhh, that’d be great!
We couldn’t start our tour without mentioning the red stapler used in the 1999 movie Office Space, a cult movie classic. Underappreciated worker bee Milton (Stephen Root) snagged it from his boss’s (Gary Cole) desk. The movie and its famous stapler were in such high demand that Swingline released the classic red stapler in 2002. To beef up your homage to Office Space, add an Initech mug to your office routine. And, since it’s 2021, continue the theme with an Initech logo mask. It’s just the thing to show your Office Space dedication.
Of course, there’s always the bobblehead doll when it comes to decking out a desk. They come in all shapes and sizes, and you can even order a custom bobblehead doll for yourself or a favorite coworker! Outfit your desk with a Joanna from Office Space bobblehead, a Dwight from The Office bobblehead, or even a Bernie in mittens bobblehead.
And speaking of The Office, how about a stapler in jello to add a few laughs to your desk? To really get a Monday going, nothing works better than a cuppa in a “World’s Best Boss” mug just like Michael’s, creepy-yet-lovable Dunder Mifflin Paper Company boss. For your office keys, how about a Schrute Farms Bed and Breakfast keychain? By way of an interesting tidbit for The Office devotees, the show first aired on March 24, 2005, in the US but was first released in the UK in July 2001. The US version started on a shoestring budget with minimally-known actors, including several from the casting and writing departments who had not formally acted before, but the show went on to become a global favorite making its actors household names.
The Simpsons fans can save their pennies in a desk bank that’s a bust of Homer or rock it old school with a Simpsons’ family mouse pad. And just for kicks, here’s some Simpsons trivia for you. Did you know that Maggie’s “price” in the show’s intro reflects the cost of raising a baby and was changed throughout the series? Even more reason to save those pennies!
Bazinga! Know a Big Bang Theory lover? Sheldon and Stuart action figures would look just right perched on a bookshelf. Alternatively, a clever Big Bang Theory mug listing out a weekly menu based on the characters’ favorite eats would also do nicely.
And lest we do a disservice to our readers, we must include a Trekkie item or two. These Star Trek sticky notes fill the bill. Or how about this captain’s log notebook? Die-hard Trekkies know that substitute captains could choose to update the log directly like Spock did or use an alternate acting captain’s log.
To include the Trek without the Wars would be the highest offense, so consider this Star Wars Death Star perpetual calendar to keep you on track or this truly clever Darth Vader pen holder. We’re pretty sure it’s one no dedicated Star Wars fan could resist. We’ll close it out with a Star Wars Mandalorian baby Yoda sticker. Awe, all the feels.
Don’t let the Bobs downsize your creativity. Go ahead, express yourself and share the flair!