DIY: Office Supply Crafts

Many a broke-ass has headed the call of the fluorescent-light liftstyle by working in an office. Whether part-time, or life-time, there’s a good chance you’ve muttered something about “effing TPS reports” under your breath or that you’ve made Jim Halpert’s signature expression at a coworker. However, there are ways to make it bearable, and one of those ways is a hobby. Like say, making crafts and art out of …let’s call them reclaimed office supplies. Because I would never advocate stealing or anything… that would be… wrong. Tiny misdemeanor theft charges aside, let’s check out what our offerings are, shall we?

Envelopes: We’ve already talked about how to make your own envelopes but you can also reuse those security envelopes with the swirly patterns on the inside by turning them inside out. It’s pretty easy, just carefully tear the envelope open, refold and glue.

Stickers/Labels: These work well for DIY Manicures – either round shaped stickers for a half moon mani, or regular stickers and punch out a shape with a scrapbooking hole punch for stars or hearts or whatever neat swirly shape you can find.

Paper Clips/Binder Clips: It’s relatively easy to spruce up clips by adding bows, or paper cut outs decorated with stamps. Likewise, binder clips can be covered in fabric or ribbon and reused for a variety of things. You know… there are about a bloody million amazing paper clips crafts (like this surprisingly rad necklace, or these sweet charms, or these neat cards…) These earrings are really pretty. And this paper clip stair runner is craziness.

ponies, y'all

Post It Notes: There is some sick post it note art going on – you can find plenty of inspiration with a quick Google search – so plan out a color theme or your Mario and Dragon mosaic and get to stickin’. This is especially fun to do with post its in shapes like stars, or hearts, or flowers in a pattern on a wall. Also, like almost everything else, there’s a quick broke-ass Ikea lamp hack (I’m pretty sure I owned that p.o.s. lamp and I really wish I’d known about this when I did). There are some other neato ideas here.

Rubber bands: actually work really well when used as a gift bow (but might make that gift a wee bit time consuming to open).

If you’re looking for a way to organize all your office-y odds and ends, you’ve got some options there too: gluing together glass jars, or painted cans is pretty effective. This soda bottle desk organizer just involves cutting, painting, sealing an edge and adhering with glue. And matchbooks and Altoids tins can be repurposed too.

Images courtesy designsponge.com, howdoesshe.com, howaboutorange.blogspot.com, picable.com, realsimple.com, blogs.babble.com