Sunday, June 22, 2014

Step Into My (Low-Cost) Office

This is a guest post.

Step Into My (Low-Cost) Office

Running a home office has many advantages: it’s easier to get to work and to focus, and work is completed more quickly and creatively. The downside to running a home office is that all expenses relating to your office are yours and yours alone. For this reason, it’s a good idea to cut costs wherever possible.


Buy office supplies you can afford

There’s nothing worse than purchasing new office supplies that break easily or don’t perform as advertised. When it comes to equipment for printing stuff out, such as printer toner and paper, buy affordable products that are proven by consumer testing to be effective. Pens or drawing pencils should also be of high quality to prevent frustrating failures that can distract you from your work. White boards, dry erase boards and other supplies are just as important. Buy the best quality supplies that your budget allows, and keep your eyes open for special sale pricing.

Go for used furniture if possible

To launch a business from a home office, it will need to be furnished and fully set up. Funding the building of a home office is expensive, however. It pays to do a little garage sale bargaining, thrift store shopping and online hunting to find all the right furniture you’ll need.

Every office needs a desk. Choose one that’s right for the amount of space you have. Be sure to measure the office space before shopping. You’ll need to figure out which size range is comfortable and sensible for the space you have available. Remember that office life can get pretty hectic, so you’ll want space for all those writing pads, post-it notes and knick-knacks! 

If most of your work is completed on a computer, a huge desk probably isn’t necessary. However, you’ll need an area to place a printer/scanner/fax machine/copier combination that has enough storage space for spare toners and paper.

Those whose jobs are centered on hardcopy paperwork processing or mailing and shipping will need a more generous desk size and work area. Many desks today have enough surface and storage space to accommodate home office needs.

Invest in some new or refurbished equipment

The machines that will be used in your office need to be reliable at all times. Purchase dependable computers that have enough storage and a fast enough processor for your needs. These can be purchased new or refurbished if saving money is your main priority. Your wireless router should be excellent to avoid frequent outages. Buying your printer new is recommended. They’re affordable and you can get a new one for just as good a deal as you can a used one these days!

Using these tips can help you save a lot of money on establishing and maintaining a home office. Make financial decisions that are best for right now and upgrade when it is affordable. With the right equipment, your office should run like clockwork (handy, as you’ll probably have to work to deadlines!).

See my disclaimer.