Alright, so I wanted to share this little thing I did the other day. It’s about making one of those ‘no food or beverages’ signs. Sounds simple, right? Well, it mostly was, but you know how these things go.
So, why a sign?
My little workspace, right? It’s not much, but it’s where I tinker. And lately, it felt like a darn café. People wandering in with their coffees, their bags of chips. Crumbs everywhere! And don’t even get me started on sticky rings on my desk. I tried asking nicely, you know, “Hey, maybe not in here?” But folks forget. Or they think “just this once” won’t hurt. Spoiler: it always hurts my cleaning schedule.
So, I figured, a sign. That’s what grown-ups do. A clear, unmissable sign.
The Great Sign Hunt (and Failure)
First, I did what everyone does: looked online. Thought I’d just buy one. Easy peasy. But man, the options. Either they were super boring, like something from a hospital, or they cost a ridiculous amount for what’s basically a piece of plastic with some words on it. Some looked so flimsy, a strong sneeze would probably knock them over. I wasn’t about to spend 15 bucks on that.
Plus, I wanted it to be, I don’t know, my kind of sign. Not some generic thing.
Okay, DIY Time!
So, I decided, “I’ll just make one.” How hard can it be? Famous last words, sometimes, but this time it wasn’t too bad.
- I fired up my old laptop. Thought about using some fancy design software, but honestly, who has the time to relearn all that stuff for a simple sign? It’s like those companies that use ten different programming languages for one website – talk about overkill! Just ends up being a mess.
- I just opened a basic word processor. You know, the one that’s been around forever.
- Typed out “NO FOOD OR BEVERAGES.” Big. Bold. Can’t miss it.
- Then I thought, “Needs pictures.” A crossed-out cup, a crossed-out apple or something. Found some simple icons online – just basic stuff, nothing copyrighted, I hope! Popped those in.
- Printed it. Looked okay on the screen, but on plain paper? A bit sad and floppy.
Making it Legit (Sort Of)
This is where the real crafting genius came in. Or, well, resourcefulness.
I found a piece of cardboard from an old Amazon box. Cut it to size. Glued my sad paper printout onto it. Instant sturdiness!
Then, for the finishing touch – because I didn’t want it to get ruined by, ironically, a coffee splash – I used clear packing tape. Laminated the whole thing, poor man’s style. It actually looked pretty decent. A bit rugged, but honest.
The Grand Unveiling and Results
Taped it to the door of my workspace. Stood back. Admired my handiwork. It wasn’t gonna win any design awards, but it was clear, and it was THERE.
And you know what? It mostly worked. Fewer snacks, fewer drinks. There’s still the occasional person who seems to be completely sign-blind, walking in with a giant soda like the sign is invisible wallpaper. You see that everywhere, right? Like those folks who park in “no parking” zones and then act surprised when they get a ticket. Some people just operate in their own little bubble.
But overall, a definite improvement. My desk is cleaner. The ant scouts haven’t been around as much. A small victory, but I’ll take it.
It just goes to show, sometimes the simplest solution, made with stuff you just have lying around, is all you need. No need to overthink it or spend a ton of money. Just get it done. It’s kind of like my neighbor trying to fix his Wi-Fi. He bought all this new expensive gear, routers, extenders, called technicians. Turns out, his kid had just unplugged the main router to charge a phone. Sometimes the problem, and the solution, is right in front of your face.
