Not everyone can afford to go out and buy new office furniture. Here are some tips to give you some creative ideas about building a great home office on a budget.

Use Things You Have

Look around the house for things that you already have. Go through your loft, garage or cellar. You’ll be surprised at what you find you already have.

Your Office Desk

Do you need a custom made office desk for a tight space? With three sturdy pieces of wood and some nails you can build one for now, before you can afford to go and buy a new office desk.

Second Hand Stores

Second hand stores are great places to find office furniture. If you can’t find what you need on your first visit, keep going back.

Car Boot Sales

Don’t forget about car boot sales. Many treasures are found every week at these and office furniture is no exception. Keep checking the newspaper. You’re bound to find something for your home office.

Swap With Friends

Swap Office furniture with friends. Maybe the office desk gathering dust in your mate’s cellar is exactly what would work great in your home office.

Visit Professional Offices

Visit professional offices to see if they are redecorating. Some quality hotels redecorate guest rooms every four or five years. They’ll sell their old furniture cheaply and some of these you will find are good for office desks and office chairs.

BUYING FURNITURE ONLINE

If you’re lucky enough to be able to buy new office furniture, if this is the case you need to make sure you shop online as this is the cheapest option.  Some questions you need to ask before you purchase are:

Is it Easy to Assemble?

Does it come already assembled, or is it simple to assemble? Do you have the tools you will need? Are the instructions in English?

Will it Last Long?

Does the office furniture you’re buying have a warranty? Is it sturdy? Is it real wood? Check because sometimes they’ll trick you into thinking its real wood and put a thin layer of veneer over the particle board to look like wood.

Is it Safe?

Look at your office furniture from top to bottom and make sure it’s safe. Look for:

Position of nails
Sturdiness
Sharp corners

Does it Need to be Portable?

A small office desk on wheels that you can roll into a corner maybe what you need if you have little space, or an office desk that can be shut up into a tidy cabinet.

Is Your Office Desk and Office Chair the Right Height?

Make sure your office desk and office chair are the right height for you.  Make sure your feet are comfortably on the floor when sitting in your office chair and that the top of the office desk is at a good distance to work from.