Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Modular Working

Last Thursday, my boss dropped by my office to inform me that I would be getting new office furniture. It was scheduled to arrive sometime in mid-July.

It got there on Friday. Unfortunately for me, I had taken that day off. So when I returned to work yesterday, my desk was gone. The stuff from on top of my desk was gone. The stuff from inside my desk was gone. EVERYTHING from one side of my office was gone!

In an amazingly short period of time, furniture boys had brought in and assembled the new stuff and left me to bring back my things and set up my new space.

So what did I get? A new desk. One of those fancy, modular things with built-in shelves and lots of drawers and file space. Not bad. Previously I just had a desk. I guess you would call it a non-fancy, non-modular desk. With one drawer. And no filing space. I had to leave my office and walk down the hall just to get to the one file drawer I was able to use. So the new stuff is definitely an improvement.

And now I have spent a couple of days doing nothing but putting things in those drawers, on the shelves, on the desk. And what a great opportunity for tossing old crap stuff and organizing things. I've thrown out a lot of old stuff. And I don't do that lightly. I hang on to everything. Just in case. But it seemed like it was time to throw out the manuals for software that we haven't used in ten years. My computer hasn't had a floppy drive for a very long time, but I was still hanging on to those last three blank floppy disks. Just in case. And of course some actual software. Software that has not worked with the last four versions of my operating system. I still had those disks. Just in case. But now...all gone!

So now my office is clean and neat. And modular. And I have no doubt I will just be so much more productive now!

Or at least I can nap in a clean space.

21 comments:

the blogger formerly known as yinyang said...

It's good that you did all that cleaning. Are you going to be storing pillows in your modular desk now? ;)

whimsical brainpan said...

Congratulations on the shiny new office furniture!

I am a "just in case" person myself so I know what you mean. I'm glad you were able to get rid of some stuff, more space on your desktop to lay your head down.

Andrea Frazer said...

"I hang on to everything. Just in case." Boy, did that strike a chord. I used to be that person, too. Of course, I hung on to regrets and anger and hurt, too. Just in case I needed them in my future. Then I just got sick of it and am trying to craft myself into a modular desk type soul. I wonder how I'd look with wheels and a file drawer hanging out of me? (Congrats!)

Unknown said...

New furniture! Excellent! I love getting new work furniture because it gives you an excuse to do nothing.

Mom not Mum (Sandy) said...

Out with the old - in with the new. Hmm guess I'll toss out those floppies I've got in the drawer now as well.

Jazz said...

Naw, you won't be more productive, but you're right, it will make for a better nap.

Charlotta-love said...

I love a good cleaning spree. When I moved from Utah to Georgia in only my car...I got rid of lots of stuff. And it's just makes life lighter somehow. Yeah for change...and new furniture!

Em said...

Change is good! Cleaning is good. But Dorky Dad has it right..a great excuse to do nothing. LOL

Yin - no pillows. Yet.

And for the other "just in case" people...go ahead and toss it! :)

Mama P...I saw you in that cool new swimsuit. I'm not sure wheels and a file drawer would really match. ;)

Shrink Wrapped Scream said...

My hubby drives me potty. I chuck everything, he retrieves it. Last week I binned the fathers day cards - oops, okay, I'm not the most sensitive of wifey's, but how the hell was I to know he'd be so upset? He'd planned on taking them to London with him (he works away most weeks). Why can't he just take the kids with him instead, and make us all happy??

Anonymous said...

As long as the front of the desk goes to the floor, (ala George Castanza & the Yankees), you should be all set for nap time.

tulipmom said...

Are you to talking to me? Yup, I'm another "just in case" person holding onto floppies and a zillion other things I probably don't need.

However ... why is it that when I do finally throw something away, the very NEXT day someone in this house needs or wants it?

Enjoy that nap.

Angel said...

yay, a nap! that's always good. I love to get "organized" and clean out old stuff and file everything away...makes me feel smart somehow. gee, doesn't take much, does it? ;)

Big Brother said...

Lucky you, as a teacher my chair and desk are older than I am. We're celebrating the 40th anniversary of the palce next year and I'm sure that my desk is older than the school is.

Gretchen said...

Go for the nap. Congrats on the new desk, and BTW, I've tagged you for a meme. No obligation, of course.

MaryB said...

Ha! When I moved to New York last year, I finally - finally! - threw out boxes of floppy disks from - oh, I don't know - 1986, maybe? Congrats on the new furniture!

Greg C said...

That reminds me, it is time to clean my office. I can't find anything. :)

Chicky Pea said...

Napping in clean space is good....

Michelle said...

Yay on the new furniture!!!

I, too, am a "just in case" person! Gotta hang on to it just in case SOME day I might need it.....never mind that I haven't used it in 15 years! lol I am a bad pack rat! *hanging my head in shame*

Logophile said...

You know, now that you've discarded that stuff SOMETHING is going to happened and you are going to wish you'd just kept that (fill in the blank)!
Its good to downsize the piles of useless stuff though. Not to mention new furniture is ALWAYS fun!

SzélsőFa said...

I always thought I wrote something as a comment here. I keep coming back (this is the 3rd) time only to find that my comment is not here. So.
Modular space?
That must be the key to office success.
Words from a notorious throw-it-away type of person.
:))

CS said...

Until a couple of weeks from now when it returns to its natural state (she says sitting at a desk filled with piles of paper). But that's cool that you got new and improved furniture! Does it have one of those sleeping compartments under it like George Costanza had? That wuld be sweet.o