Buying Office Furniture in 3 easy steps

Given that we generally spend more time in our offices than in our homes it is important to create a comfortable, functional and even inspiring atmosphere for yourself and your employees.

While you might think that it is no problem to just whip a few pieces of office furniture together to create a confortable environment a little bit of thought will go a long way towards creating a more productive and therefore more profitable environment

For a start a little bit of research will save you time money and a whole lot of anxiety along the way.

Remember that while you might not be able to buy everything you see, the time may well come when you can and the research you do in the beginning will assist in ensuring that you give yourself the right options when this time comes

Step One: Assess your business and your needs

You should be asking yourself questions such as :

• What am I trying to accomplish through my business?

• How many hours will I spend in my office to accomplish my goals?

• Who else will be spending time in my office?

• How important is image to my business and office?

• What pieces of office furniture do I have to have to operate my business?

• Will my business expand in the future?.

Once you've assessed your business, you should have a very good sense of what furniture you will need as well as the importance of its look and feel. Make sure that you assess your space to make yourself aware of any space limitations you may have. Measure your work stations carefully to make sure that what you choose will fit.

Step Two:- Use what furniture you have already got

Once you have established what you need and before you go rushing out to shop you ought to take a good look at what you have. There is no reason to start from scratch unless it is absolutely necessary.

If you are working from home and moving into a larger office, you may already have one desk set and simply need to purchase an additional one. Maybe you have a few pieces that with a little bit imagination and a quick coat of paint could well fit into your new office. If they fit your office image, use them!

This is also a good time to realistically estimate how much money you can spend on furniture. If you're on a tight budget, as many business owners are, it's generally not a great idea to spend a large amount of money on high end furniture, unless you think that ‘image’ is key to determining your business's success.

Step 3:- Choose your supplier and make your purchase

Once you have a clear sense of what you want, it is time to go shopping. As with any major purchase, it is a good idea to shop around before making your final decision. Compare prices and products to find the best deal. The Internet and websites such as Décor and Furniture are a great place to start

Once you have found the kind of office furniture you want you should get at least two and preferably three quotes before making your final decision. You should also consider that you might like to rent your furniture rather than buy in the beginning.

Furniture dealers can help you with this decision and should also be able to show you what lines of office furniture can be easily expanded in the future. You will almost certainly have to phone around to get the best deal and once you have a price don’t be afraid to take it up with your supplier of choice to see if they will match the best prices out there.

For those with a bit more time auctions can also be great fun and often offer real bargains too. Just make sure that you go, knowing what you want and be careful not to get caught up in the moment.

Once you've chosen a supplier, make the purchase and set up your office! Remember that getting and updating furniture can be an ongoing process, so keep a furniture file of all you research so that when the time comes time to expand or change your business, you can quickly sift through your options and get exactly what you want at the right price