It might be that when you started working from home, you didn’t want to spend too much time or effort thinking about setting up your office. You would have wanted to ensure the plan was going to work for you before you invested too much into it.
Maybe now you’ve been doing it for a while, and you are pretty happy with remote working. You’re being productive, your work-life balance is better, and you don’t particularly like the idea of going back to an office now.
If so, that is what a lot of people are feeling. Equally, a lot of people will be in your position in terms of your home office. A space that was thrown together quickly through necessity, a space without all the important pieces of furniture or equipment, perhaps even one that uses a kitchen table or a couch rather than a dedicated work area, is not going to work well in the long term.
Rather than spending a lot of money when setting up your home office (which is very easy to do), it’s wise to look at how to do it on more of a budget. With that in mind, read on for some ideas.
Set Up A Home Office On A Budget
Make A List
Before you start shopping for items you think you need, it’s worthwhile making a list of all the things you actually need. It might be that you can save money right from the start because although you feel something would be useful, it might not be something that can help you in reality.
So what is it that you actually need in your home office?
It will depend somewhat on what you do for a living and how much space you have. If you hold face-to-face meetings with people, for example, you’ll need additional chairs compared to if you work by yourself. If the room you’re in is small, you’ll need more storage. If there is little natural light, you might opt for extra lamps. Work out just what you need rather than what you think you need or want, and you can save money.
Buy Used Furniture
Used office furniture is available for a fraction of the price of brand-new furniture. Look in the classifieds, online auctions, and bankruptcy sales for deals on gently used or repossessed furniture.
In fact, there are all kinds of places where you can find used furniture and even equipment like laptops and printers. Local schools and colleges, churches, house clearances, and more could all yield excellent results. It might take some time to find what you need, and you’ll need to check everything over thoroughly to ensure it’s going to work for you, but in terms of saving money, this can be a great way to get started.
Buy Quality Furniture
Not everyone is going to like the idea of buying used items for their home office, even if their budget suggests it’s the best option. If this is the case for you, then you’ll need to ensure that whatever brand-new items you buy, they are high quality. You’ll need them to last for a long time in order to get your money’s worth out of them.
Again, take your time finding the ideal items. Don’t just buy from the first store you come across; make sure there are good reviews and that the prices work for you. A great example of where to look is My Home Furniture office furniture. You can see that the furniture is high quality and that the price is good for most budgets.
Bundle Your Internet
In the absence of an internet allowance from your employer, it is up to you to determine how to get as much cheap broadband as possible. If you have more than one option for an internet service provider, it may be worth your time to call each one and see if you can use their competition to obtain a better deal on their premier broadband plan.
The same goes for household electronics like your TV set; see if you can find any deals on bundles.The more items you can bundle together, the more chance there is of getting a good deal. Suppliers will be happy to help you if you go to them for all your needs, so it’s well worth asking the question. Remember, negotiation is not a dirty word, and although it might not be your favorite thing to do, if it means you can get a good deal that you’re happy with and that saves you money when you’re working from home, it’s a good idea to learn how to do it well.