Gallery: 3 Ways to Optimize Your Work Space and Reach Office Nirvana
Nicholas Calcott01full
Nicholas Calcott021-robot
“I started at Etsy straight out of college. When they sent me an offer letter, there was a picture of a robot. The CTO, Chad Dickerson, had picked out a found-art robot specifically for me. It’s a supernice memento and reminder of how small we were.”
Nicholas Calcott032-worm
“At Etsy, when you join you get $100 to spend on your desk. I found a lot of cool things, but the one that caught my eye was this space worm. It’s a very large, custom-knit item. But then I decided the space worm needed friends, so I expanded my collection of plushies.”
Nicholas Calcott043-plushie
“Plushies are a small reminder of us working in a community that makes really cool things. They’re also just fun. I’ll lay my head on them. Other days I’ll just throw them against the wall or toss one to somebody on my team.”
Nicholas Calcott054-hypnotoad
“I have a bunch of vinyl toys on my desk, like the Hypnotoad from *Futurama*. But I liked the packaging for the character so much that I’ve kept it on my desk. People will stop by and say, ‘All glory to the Hypnotoad.’”
Nicholas Calcott065-lazysusan
“I work in a desk pod with a bunch of people on my team. I’ll turn my monitor, so they can see the design I’m working on, with this cool lazy Susan made by a guy in West Virginia.”
Nicholas Calcott076-blocks
“One of our cofounders, Jared Tarbell, used an algorithm to make this block of wood with Space Invaders carved into it. I’ve always loved the idea of code as art, and it’s a great reminder.”
Nicholas Calcott087-valentine
“Four years ago I was feeling bummed out about Valentine’s Day, so my friend and I made a pact to be each other’s valentine. She sent me a giant glittery card with the Pokémon Charizard on it. I’ve kept it all these years on my desk.”
Nicholas Calcott098-postit
“The Post-its are one of the consequences of having a desk in a shared space. My coworker Kyle, across from me, uses the back of my monitor as his to-do board.”
Nicholas Calcott109-laptop
“I use the laptop screen for our chat platform. I use my monitor for work.”
Nicholas Calcott1110-kitsune
“This is my latest purchase from Etsy. It’s a *kitsune*, a nine-tailed fox in Japanese mythology. I really like the design and it reminds me of *Okami*, a videogame that I play.”
