So, I work in a small office and there’s this coworker who keeps “borrowing” stuff from my desk – pens, sticky notes, my stapler – without ever asking. At first it was fine, just little things, but lately it’s been driving me crazy because I actually need these things when I’m in meetings or on calls.
Yesterday I noticed my favorite pen was gone again, and I finally asked them, politely, in front of a couple other coworkers, to just ask me next time before taking anything. They got annoyed and said, “It’s just office stuff, chill out.”
I feel like I was being reasonable… I’m not hoarding my supplies, I just want to be asked first. But now some coworkers think I overreacted.
So, AITA for speaking up, or should I have just let it go?
NTA. It’s a common courtesy to ask unless you have a informal agreement or friendship where you both mutually borrow each other’s stuff
NTA- put a lock on a drawer in your desk and put all of your things in there.
“My desk is not the supply closet.”
At every office job I’ve had stealing someone else’s pen, especially their *favorite*, was tantamount to murder. Your desk isn’t a supply closet. NTA
NTA I work in a small office too, and I have my name on things that I really want to keep at my desk, like my stapler. I would suggest putting things in a drawer if you have one, or some other sort of container, and maybe it’s also time to take a stroll past this person’s desk and help yourself.
A favorite pen isn’t just stuff, NTA. Missing items from a desk gets infuriating, when you need it.
This is why I started using fountain pens. Nobody knows how to use em and nobody has stolen them. NTA
NTA. You’re not a supply closet.
I think the real problem is not that your coworker takes things, it’s that they never put it back. In my opinion, that makes your coworker TA, not you.
It sounds like you need to put your materials somewhere that your coworker cannot easily access them. Maybe leave stuff on your desk that they can take and then when it’s gone, they can’t take it anymore. But the stuff you like… Keep that hidden if possible.
NTA! They need to get their own stuff from the supply cabinet instead of taking yours. Yikes – no!
NTA
I would go to the supply closet (if you have one) or a dollar store and get her some supplies. Give them to her in a basket with a ribbon and tell her that she has her own stuff now, she can stop taking yours.
NTA…Instead of throwing out non-working pens, collect them and place them where you usually put your pens. Leave the first few pages of you writing pad clean, then use the rest of it. You get picture.
NTA. I absolutely abhor when people try to justify being rude and inconsistent. It’s your stuff. I’m very particular about my pens, so this would make me lose my shiz.
NTA. Even if you don’t purchase your own office supplies, you went to the trouble of ensuring you had the supplies you need on hand. Coworker should be doing the same. Since coworker seems unrepentant about it, I recommend some petty passive aggression here. Keep your needed supplies in a drawer instead of out on your desk where anyone can easily see them. Ideally you would lock the drawer if you are able to do so when you step away from your desk. Give coworker no opportunity to treat your desk like the supply room. Force them to ask to borrow something and then direct them to the supply room/closet when they do.