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Frugal Office Furniture
by Kim Tilley
http://frugal-moms.com
Setting up an office,
particularly a home office, can be really expensive, IF you buy everything new
and at full price! If you're willing to be creative, and if you have a little
time, you can save a LOT of money. Here are some ideas to get your started:
Office Furniture
-Look to what you already have
-at least for the short term. Two 30" file cabinets and a large board do
fine as a desk (they sell them for over $1,000 in some of the fancy catalogs,
just paint yours so they match- no one will know that yours didn't come from
one of these places!) Do you have an old table that will make do as a desk?
-Put the word out - Does your
neighbor have some furniture they are willing to part with that would serve
your needs? Dressers can work as lateral file cabinets (especially if the
drawers are very deep), countertops and even old kitchen cabinets can be
adapted for a home office. Put out the word to family, friends and associates.
Chances are that someone you know is getting rid of something that would suit
your needs.
-Do your research - There are
tons of alternatives to overpriced office furniture. Check out the classified
ads, used office furniture stores in your area, going out of business sales,
garage sales, thrift stores, and even alleyways! You'd be surprised what people
are getting rid of. Sometimes, all something needs is a coat of paint or a
minor repair to be good as new- which means you are recycling too. We hit a
going out of business sale in town and bought 4 file cabinets for $50. Office
Max is selling the same types of cabinets for $200 each. I also managed to get
a small desk for my kids from my neighbor. They had a yard sale that got rained
out, and they were placing everything out for whoever wanted it. I asked them
if I could have the desk, and they were thrilled that someone could use it.
-Buy quality - If you are going
to buy new office furniture, buy quality items that will last. That doesn't
mean buy the most expensive, just be sure what you buy is solid and will stand
the test of time. Be sure to check out antique furniture as well- it's already
stood the test of time. Buy it once and use it forever!
See also:
Frugal Office Supplies
Frugal Office Recycling Ideas
© Copyright 1999-2000 Frugal-Moms.com Inc.
About the Author
Kim Tilley,
a tightwad at heart, is the mother of three active boys and the founding editor
of Frugal-Moms.com. Frugal by force
and later by choice, Kim cut her income by 60% to stay at home with her
children and discovered that anyone can live better for less. Her work has
appeared in print publications such as The Tightwad Gazette. In her free
time, she entertains herself by chasing kids and finding ways to create
something from nothing!
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