Starting a new office job. What to take with me?

[CatsArePeople]

Cup+tea, set of pens, diary... what else?

Biscuits to share!

biscuits. noted.

Stash of snacks ie cereal bars, paracetamol..oh also salt lol

I wouldn’t take anything on the first day, beyond maybe a mug. I’d gauge the lay of the land as to what I needed. Bringing biscuits on the first day could look a little try hard!

@TheGirlInTheGreenDress

I wouldn’t take anything on the first day, beyond maybe a mug. I’d gauge the lay of the land as to what I needed. Bringing biscuits on the first day could look a little try hard!

I'd agree. First day = keep it simple

Teaspoon!
Money or lunch.

In my drawer I have deodorant and body spray. Immodium and solpadeine. Scissors and pens
Decent calendar and scrap paper

Definitely take a box of biscuits or cakes. It’s a real winner.

@Cherry321

Definitely take a box of biscuits or cakes. It’s a real winner.

I've worked in a variety of places, private and public sector. People bring in cakes/sweets after they come back from holiday, or when it's their birthday. I have literally never seen someone bring in cakes on their first day in a job.

Also - it's January. I bet half the department will be on a diet or trying to hit healthy eating goals.

Water bottle. A couple of masks. Hand sanitiser. Packet of wipes in case you are hot desking. Good sized handbag!

Will you have a desk or will you be hot desking? If the latter, you probably don't need anything bad a pen and notepad and then what you normally carry in your bag.

When I worked in an office I always kept a nail file, clear nail polish in case of holes in tights, tissues, my own calculator I like (accountant so absolutely have calculator preferences 😂), large pen collection, notepad, snacks to see me through to lunch 🐷, phone charger and headphones handy. If your phone uses a lightening port I'd try and bring some av headphones you like so they can attach to a computer. You might have to watch some training videos.

noted. phone charger, calculator, water bottle, paracetamol, wipes.

Confidence

well... for me it would be headphones, reading specs, spare gloves (yes I have cold hand problems), a jacket, lunch, pen/pencil, charger for my music device

Hopefully they’ll provide stationery!

Don’t bring in biscuits…. Cringey

Apart from my lunch which I have a small cool bag for, and a bottle of water, I'd not take anything that wouldn't fit in my handbag, such as paracetamol, purse and phone. If it's an office job, all sundries such as pens etc will be provided, chances are so will tea, coffee and a mug. First day will be about getting you set up in your computer, id passes, meeting people and finding your way around.

I always carry a spare pair of tights and underwear in my bag, just in case.

Sanitary products and pain killers

Deodorant and chewing gum for freshness

Water bottle and travel coffee cup

Lunch and spare cereal bars in my drawer

I also keep a pair of flats under the desk in case I go for a lunchtime walk

Top up makeup, powder and lipstick

Notepad and pen

Milk. Definitely milk if you drink tea/coffee.
All offices are different, sometimes the company provides it, sometimes staff buy it on a rota, sometimes it's simply 'bring your own'!

@CoffeeChocolateGin

Milk. Definitely milk if you drink tea/coffee. All offices are different, sometimes the company provides it, sometimes staff buy it on a rota, sometimes it's simply 'bring your own'!

Plenty of offices don't have a fridge to put it in though. It's tricky.

On day one I just assess the lie of the land, beverage-wise, so I can bring the right stuff from day 2 onwards.

On day one, someone will always lend you a slosh of milk if needed. But if you bring it unnecessarily, you just end up with luke-warm milk on your desk.

Water bottle, lunch/snacks, paracetamol, phone and charger. That's all you need really. They'll provide a pen and notebook, although you can take your own if you prefer.

I usually pop out to buy lunch, but take one or two snacks and a diet coke.

I never used to have chewing gum in my bag until the morning I was sick in the office toilets (was pregnant), didn't have any gum and had to ask around, no one else had any and it was a long hour to wait until my lunch break to buy some!

So if you're pregnant, take a toothbrush and toothpaste, and if you're not, take gum, because if you don't need it, someone else might and will be very grateful!

Calculator?? What decade are you working in??

hairyscary I still have my gcse maths calculator
In my 40s

Most accountants still carry calculators. I can do all the fancy excel shizzle, but for a quick calc, a calculator is perfect.