What To Consider When Buying Second Hand Office Furniture

May 8th, 2017

Setting up an office for your new business venture is a project that comes with its infinite set of challenges. Even if you are redesigning an office from scratch, it is worth bearing in mind that there are lots of factors that come into play, such as purchasing second hand office furniture.

Did you know that the type of furniture you procure will not only affect the comprehensive outlook of your workplace, but also the productivity of your employees? Well, now you know.

Once you are certain about the location, the next obvious step should be sourcing for the perfect office furniture that reflects your business’ image. Fortunately, starting from scratch need not be a bank breaking affair if armed with the right tips.

Why Choose Second Hand Furniture?

There is always the option of going for quality used office furniture – the paramount tip to ultimately save you enormous amounts of change when it’s all said and done. Moreover, investing in second hand office furniture is a solid way of preserving the environment as you’ll be recycling a product.

In a nutshell, it doesn’t really matter whether you are switching locations, expanding or starting from scratch; investing in used office furniture is certainly in your best interest. While at it, here are some tips and pointers.

What to Consider When Buying Second Hand Office Furniture

1. Get a first-hand look at your second-hand furniture

In this day and age when online buying is a fad, it can be quite tempting to make a judgement solely from what you see on your computer screen – a huge mistake. It is always advisable to create some time for viewing, touching and proper inspection of the furniture before parting with your hard-earned quid.

2. Stick to a budget

While investing in second hand office furniture serves as the less expensive option, racking up a hefty bill while at it can’t be overruled. It is always wise to start by asking yourself how much you are willing to spend on the project, prior to jotting down a detailed budget and sticking to it. Any shopping spree provides a chance for impulse buying, meaning it is really easy to go in over your head.

3. Consult an interior designer

Seeking help from an experienced “friend” before signing up for anything doesn’t hurt. Sure, it is your choice to make at the end of the day, but an expert can be of great help; more so in helping you decide the comprehensive style and types of furniture to consider.

If possible, take advantage of the free consultation offered by most professionals in the niche. You never know what great ideas you had missed out on.

4. Spacing the furniture

When it’s all said and done, the amount of space available in your office is the one aspect that ultimately determines the furniture to invest in. For instance, larger co-sharing desks can prove to be ideal for offices with limited spaces. Conversely, large open plan spaces provide an opportunity to play around with ideas as well as more flexibility. In a nutshell, always make a decision based on the amount of space available when it comes to buying used office furniture.

5. Comfort

As stated earlier, the type of furniture you invest in can significantly influence employee productivity. It therefore goes without saying that for your employees to be productive, they need comfortable chairs, tables and desks. While the aesthetics of second hand office furniture play a lead role as well, your primary concern should be comfort. Besides, what’s the point of having appealing furniture that nobody wants to sit on? Think about it.

6. Aesthetics

Speaking of aesthetics, you obviously want appealing furniture to impress your clients at first glance. Not to contradict the aforementioned tip, but style is just as essential as comfort when it comes to office furniture.

Generally speaking, bold colours and complementing aesthetics create an ideal vibe to sum up for conducive working environments. Coordinate your colours and work with a specific theme of used office furniture to create a calm setting.

7. The desks and chairs

Employees spend most of their time behind office desks, sitting on ergonomic chairs while busy working. With this in mind, it would be in your best interest to find suitable second hand furniture that enhances comfort as the paramount priority. This simply means finding a large, functional desk with enough leg room and a complementing, adjustable office chair while at it.

8. Privacy

Most people work best in secluded, quiet environments and if you are like most; privacy is likely a paramount priority at the workplace. To enhance the productivity of your employees, going for used, sound-proof office dividers can serve as your safest bet.

9.Storage

Every employee has some personal clutter – a framed photo of beloved family perhaps, or an autographed baseball and even both in some cases. This combined with office filing systems and records make it highly likely to be overrun by clutter if not careful. When choosing second hand office furniture, it is always advisable to go for fixtures with enough storage space – more so in regards to the desks.

10. Getting a second opinion

If you are in the market for used furniture, getting a friend to tag along is highly advisable. Try showing someone other than yourself of course, the furniture you intend to buy and hear what he/she has to say about them. You never know the ideas you may get thereafter.

11. Buy from a reputable seller

As a rule of thumb, the quality of used office furniture depends on where exactly you shop. In short, established and reputable second hand dealers will always have great furniture to show for. Moreover, there are after-purchase services to look forward to – free delivery perhaps?

 

The long and short of it is, value should serve as your main driving force. What exactly are you getting in return for your used second furniture? Do you simply fancy a bargain, or are you after quality? With the above tips, you should easily find the perfect office furniture for you, whether that be second hand office furniture.