Hide Your Printer, step by step
So as much as you folks gushed over our temporary string handles for our new Effektiv file cabinet (note: this is sarcasm), we did scoop up some actual hardware that we much prefer.
They are black glass handles that were originally $9, but Hobby Lobby (aka Schlobby Bobby) was having one of those perpetual 50% off sales, so they were $4.50 a pop instead.
As I mentioned here, I was a bit nervous about installing them, since it was up to me to make sure they were all centered and level (Sherry + measuring = meltdown). So I triple-measured and even made myself a little guide out of card stock. First, I figured out that my holes needed to be 6.25″ and 9.25″ in from the edge if I hoped it to be centered (which is why I drew those two vertical lines), and we chose we hoped the handles to be placed 2.5″ down from the top of the door (so I brought in that horizontal line 2.5″ down from the top fold). I used the crease in the paper to line it up consistently for each handle and some tape to hold it in place while I screwed through it to create guide holes. Perhaps I should’ve splurged the $3 or so to buy the little plastic hardware guides that a lot of you mentioned from various places (Ikea even had one), but this in fact ended up working truly well (and I was not sure the Ikea one would work with non-Ikea handles).
Once the holes were made in my guide, it also made it straightforward to flip the piece of paper over and use it on the opposite cabinet door (ensuring perfectly symmetrical placement).
Luckily all of my holes came out perfectly. But it was only after drilling them that I noticed not all of the handles were ideal. Urgh. Notice how the holes on the right handle are perfectly centered? And the right hole on the left one kinda looks wonky, like it is raising an eyebrow?
If Hobby Lobby were not on the other side of town (good news, we simply heard one is coming closer to us in October) I would’ve driven back and exchanged the two bad ones. But instead I simply drilled the corresponding holes in the door a bit longer (you know, taller?) to account for the crookedness. Then we could simply tighten the hardware to hold them in place so they were pleasant and level. That worked out simply fine, thank goodness. Note: this all looks quite whitewashed, we cannot wait to get some color on those walls.
They are certainly a subtle addition from afar, but up close they make us glad we waited to find these outside of Ikea’s big blue doors (or are they yellow?).
Sherry calls them “her lovies” and says things to them like “do not you look posh today?” when she walks into the room. Gotta admit that I truly like them too.
We especially like how the shape kind of plays off of the caning in our office chairs (which will look a whole lot better when we make some desk upgrades among a thousand other things):
Oh, but no post about a file cabinet is complete without a look behind the doors at the glamorous things that we store in there. A printer & camera bag. Oooooh. Extra paper & hanging files. Ahhhh.
Our wireless printer (an HP PhotoSmart C4780 that we do not enjoy – let us simply say it is quirky) fits in there quite nicely (it is 17 x 11 x 6.5″) since the paper tray folds up when not in use. Of course it still has a wire for the power cord, which I first attempted to slide through the back by drilling a hole. Then I realized it’d be easier simply to detach the top shelf of the Effektiv momentarily (since it installs in three vertical parts) and then lift it slightly and tuck the cord through the crack in the back (thanks HP for making a compact flat cord!).
See, you cannot even see it:
In the file cabinet drawers there are plenty of, well, files. Surprise!
We picked up some colorful hanging ones from Office Depot (for something like $7 for 25) to make filing a bit less manilla. If only there were some green ones in the mix, we could nearly call them Sue the Napkin’s more productive sister: Susan the File Folders.
We even chose to store some various printer papers in there for straightforward access. You know, for that one time a month when we in fact print something.
So thar she be for now. Effektiv is officially decked out with handles (string, you will be missed) and various office necessities (pile in the corner of the room, you will also be missed). Up next? Perhaps some furniture rearranging and certainly some building/lighting/general upgrades.
In the meantime, who else is obsessed with hanging files? Have you ever ended up with crooked hardware that has a sarcastic eyebrow-raise-thing going on? Did you notice I spelled card stock as all one word in my file tab (Sherry gently mentioned that to me a second ago)?
