Should You Buy Second-Hand Office Furniture?

You want your office to look great, but don’t want to spend all you have to do so. Considering purchasing some or all of your items second hand is an option. Also, be sure to carefully plan what you can spend and what you are going to spend it on.

Office Furniture
By Seth Miller

If you think that setting up your office with furniture to make it more presentable is a very expensive decision, think again. Designing your office while maintaining a budget is possible. By knowing what to do and what to buy, you can not only have a very professional and functional office, but also one that is quiet attractive too. You can create everything you want and need in an office without spending all of your savings.

Two things must be remembered and adhered to when designing an office on a budget. First, you should only buy what you really need. The second rule is that you should spend the majority of your budget for your office design on things that will help your office to serve you better.

Following these two rules will not only give you a very affordable office, but also one that is very work friendly. Remember that following these two rules may seem simple and easy, but they’re not. Picture yourself shopping for office furniture and equipment; you are surrounded with all sorts of new gadgets and gizmos. These things could have your heart racing and wanting to buy what you don’t need.

To be able to reach your goal, you must put together a list of office equipment and furniture that you’ll use and need when you setup your very own office. Listed below are the three most important pieces of office furniture that you will need.

An office desk should be the top priority on your list. To find an affordable but presentable office desk, try to look at auctions, surplus stores and your local newspaper listings. By looking for used or surplus items, you have the advantage of buying furniture at a cheaper price.

An effective office must have a place to store its files. Filing cabinets are a simple solution. The problem is that you may find out that even small filing cabinets, when bought new, may prove to be too expensive. Maximize you money by using the same procedure you did when you bought your office desk. Always search for the best deal.

And finally, you will need a comfortable office chair. When buying an office chair you must remember that you’ll be spending most of your time sitting in that chair, so it is highly advised that you shouldn’t hold back on your expenses when buying your very own office chair. The qualities to look for when buying an office chair are an excellent back support and ergonomic features wherein you can sit all day long and not have any problems afterwards. Expect to pay hundreds of dollars for a very comfortable office chair.

Furniture provides detailed information on Furniture, Bedroom Furniture, Patio Furniture, Office Furniture and more. Furniture is affiliated with Office Computer Furniture.

Office Decor Tips

Is your home office attractive or a MESS? Would you welcome clients in or do you prefer to meet at coffee shops rather than letting them into your home? Here’s some help.

Home Office Feng Shui Guidelines
Some of the most important feng shui office evaluation techniques are covered in this article.

Home Office Decor Ideas
There are many things to consider with home office decor and organization.

Home Office Decor
Your home office decor and furniture are important, how to choose what works best for your space.

Home Office Decor

Want more time and money? Well having a properly planned office can give you more of both. Here are some home office decor and furniture ideas.

Home Office Furniture: Choosing the Right Computer Desk
By Kathryn Whittaker

Your home office should be planned carefully, as the right equipment and office furniture will not only save you time and effort, but money, too. Old or inconvenient office furniture results in a messy workspace, loss of productivity and can eventually lead to back or wrist pain. When you depend on yourself for your income, any time you are not working to your full productivity, you are losing money. That is why most business owners need to pay special attention to their computer furniture, choosing the one that provides top performance.

According to a new review, nearly 75 percent of home business owners do not have a designated home office equipped with the right office furniture. With new space efficient computer desks, any room in an apartment or house can be transformed into a convenient home office.

Office furniture that you will need first consists of a computer desk, storage or shelving and a computer chair. The computer desk is the keystone of your home office, and if it isn’t working for you, it is in your best interest to replace it with one that does.

With the right computer desk, you should have plenty of flat work surfaces providing enough room to use your computer and keyboard comfortably. At your computer desk, you will have to arrange separate areas for using the computer and completing other projects including administrative jobs or paperwork.

The style of computer desk depends on the type of work you do. If you have to work with papers, you will need more flat work space. To add extra flat surfaces consider a computer desk with an additional wing or curve. A corner computer desk suits small home offices and can be easily accommodated in a den or even in a living or a dining room.

If you often use books, binders or thick heavy manuals, you may choose a computer desk with shelving or a closed overhead cabinet space on top for an easy access to printed materials without losing any of the valuable flat surfaces.

Choosing the best room to situate a home office also depends on your type of home business. If your activities require daytime phone calls operating in the same time zone you can easily operate from the living or a dining room which tend to be quiet and empty during the day in most households. If your business needs more space for storage and additional working surfaces for mailing or labeling, you will be more comfortable in the den or basement. If you are working part-time in the evenings, a computer desk can be easily placed in the bedroom where you can work quietly while other family members occupy the living room watching TV or listening to music.

Finding the right place for your computer desk and a small home office does not have to ruin your budget or the style of your home. In fact, having a home office can be of great help to all family members bringing technology to any household.

Home Office Decor Ideas

Need some home office decor ideas?  Doesn’t everyone!?

When running a home office getting organized and creating a great decor are usually the furthest thing from our thoughts since there is always so much work to be done.  Here are some ideas.

Home Offices for Success and Achievement
By Melissa Galt

With telecommuting becoming more popular, and work hours always longer, even one to two days a week at home now requires the establishment of a productive niche, if not a room for career success.

Whether you have an extra room to devote, a basement you can remodel and outfit, or you are remodeling an unused closet for that office space, there are some important considerations you’ll want to make.

When you truly have a dedicated home office niche, well designed for productivity you will earn more, get more done in less time, and look forward to it. Call in a professional if you don’t know where to start!

Get organized, Get storage!

Do take stock of how much storage you need and what type. This is necessary for both old records and current records. While we’d love to live in a paperless world, it seems there is more and more, instead of less and less. It has to be effectively stored for easy access and preservation. A damp basement subject to mold isn’t going to work well. Cruising through a place like the Container Store or at least Office Depot and Target will give you some fresh ideas on how best to create a system personalized and customized for your business. This may also be a good time to call in an organizer for a first hand look at your storage needs by an expert.

Create a dedicated work surface!

No it isn’t practical to think you can work on the coffee table or dining table and have it all either put away (ha!ha!) or shoved aside in time for dinner or kids to watch TV. You need a dedicated space, separate and private, that you can close off. This can be another room, a closet transformed, or even an office armoire, but you need the privacy. Remember every time you move your stuff something gets misplaced and since we already spend about 2 years of our lives standing in line and looking for keys, can you afford to lose more time?

Have the right equipment!

Make a list of the equipment you need and what you use the most. While it is easy to buy a four-in-one-machine, that isn’t effective if you need it doing more than one function simultaneously. Also, up front consider your electrical demands. Do you need additional outlets? Do you need dedicated phone lines?? Sure many folks can just pull out a laptop and go for it, but others of us need a bit more. While computers can now fax, email, voice transcribe, and much more, if you aren’t familiar with all of this and it is reinventing the wheel to consider learning it, come up with other means. At the risk of sounding antiquated, I still have a hard copy fax, I don’t scan much and it saves time. All this equipment also takes space, don’t forget!

Know that ergonomics matters!

Working out of a breakfast chair or off a stool is not generally comfortable. If you aren’t comfortable you aren’t as productive. Get a good chair, on a five star base if you need it (most of us do!). A high back is generally more ergonomic than a low back, and arms count.

Light to get it all done!

You wouldn’t go to a professional office and work by flashlight, so don’t do it at home! Overhead lighting is often harsh and glaring and creates eyestrain. The best is a combination of overhead, whether recessed or flush mounted (a central ceiling fixture), and task lighting. Task lighting can be a halogen desk lamp with a 2-way bulb. It is focused on the task at hand. The right lighting will truly make you enjoy the space more, and look forward to getting it done.

Establish your identity!

This is particularly significant if you have clients coming to your home office. It should represent your career field and showcase your accomplishments. This could be framed articles you have written or been written about you. It also typically entails diplomas and awards. (You spent a lot of time, effort and often money earning these, show them off.) If you want to incorporate artwork, it should reflect your field. Graphs and charts, or even a map with pins indicating business locations is appropriate. This also reinforces your credibility and reputation as much for you as for others.

Ready for clients!

Do you have to entertain clients in your home office? If so, it needs to look professional. That means a separate room with seating for clients as well as your desk and support pieces. It can be a residential feeling, perhaps a Country French writing desk, or a contemporary glass top on a stainless base with appropriate seating. It does need to emphasize business, and not look like house leftovers. Be sure you have an extra table if needed to spread out presentations or sales materials. The floor is not a good resort!

© 2005 Melissa Galt

Melissa Galt, Lifestyle Designer, Speaker, & Author, is the owner of Melissa Galt, Inc., a full service interior design firm based in Atlanta. She has been decorating clients’ homes all over the Southeast for more than a decade, making their interior visions come true. She speaks to audiences nationally , on how to use design as the catalyst for “creating the life you’ve always dreamed of”. Melissa is the creator of Design Destinations, a free monthly guide to designing your signature life. To sign up for her FREE monthly newsletter, visit http://www.melissagalt.com/

Home Office Feng Shui Guidelines

Does your home office feng shui help or hurt your productivity?

Feng Shui Office

Things to take into account at the time to look for feng shui office harmony.

At the time to look for feng shui office harmony, there are many important things to consider and to use in order to achieve your search for harmony goal. Through this article we will provide you with some of the most important feng shui office evaluation techniques.

The main thing to have into account, according not only to feng shui office tips but to feng shui in general, is the energy flow within the place. This energy, called chi, should be able to flow freely through your office in order to allow you think without disturbances.

A next important aspect to consider in your feng shui office evaluation is the position your desk is placed. Your desk should allow you to sit facing the door and with your back pointing at a wall. You should be able to easily see if someone enters the office as well as have a wall as a protection.

Although your desk should allow you to easily see the door, it should not be placed directly across to it. Feng shui office knowledge points that a desk placed directly across the door allows all the energy flow go directly to you. And another important thing to have into account about your desk position is that it should not be facing a wall since the wall would act as an obstacle.

Feng shui office indications also teach that the area that is right directly in front of where you sit at your desk should be clear and without objects disturbing you. This space should allow your energy to flow freely without obstacles, in order for you to easily achieve your projects and goals.

Another important feng shui office tip is that office machines and other objects should never be at the center of the room. Objects in general and specially machines are an obstacle for the flow of energy which ideally should be able to travel freely within the room.