How to Build a Great Home Office on a Budget

If you’ve decided to get away from the rat race and start your own home business, congratulations. This could be a great way to enjoy more freedom, earn a better living, and do something that you love. You should know, however, that you will need to build a great office space if you want to be as productive as possible. You may have already started to look at setup options and been taken aback by some of the prices you saw. Building a home office can indeed be expensive, but you can also create a perfectly functional space you’ll feel great in on a budget. Let’s take a look at how you can build a great home office on a budget.

Start Small and Build Up

You don’t need to have the best setup to start. The space doesn’t necessarily have to look perfect either. Start with the bare essentials and work your way up. As you start earning more money, you’ll be able to make some additions and modifications.

Go Online

One of the best ways to reduce your costs when building a home office is to go with an online supplier. Many of these suppliers will ship items directly from their warehouses which allows them to cut down on operating costs and pass those savings down to customers.

You have to be very careful with the type of supplier you work with, however. You first have to do your research on them and know how they source their products. You also have to check how much research and development has gone into their designs. Some suppliers will make furniture that looks great but hasn’t been built with ergonomics in mind, and ergonomically unsound furniture will make your days much more difficult.

If you’re looking for a great supplier who sells ergonomic office furniture, we suggest you give Branch a close look. They take design very seriously and their items have received plenty of accolades because of how well they’re built. This is the perfect place to start if you’re looking for simple modern furniture with features that will promote productivity and overall health.

Go for a Desktop

If you’re going to do most of your work from home, we would suggest that you look into desktops instead of laptops. A desktop will always cost less than a laptop with comparable specs. You can choose to pocket those savings or use them to get yourself a better machine.

DIY as Much as You Can

You should also look at what you can do yourself instead of calling professionals for everything. Things like painting or installing wallpaper can easily be done on your own. Tons of tutorials will teach you how to do those things and you’ll be able to save tons of money by doing so. You’ll also get a huge sense of satisfaction knowing that you built the space yourself.

Buy Used if You Can

If you’re really strapped for cash, you can always look for used furniture and electronics. This may not sound like the best advice for a home office, but you’ll most likely be able to get exactly what you want since people sell their used items for a number of reasons; not just because they are outdated. However, you can never really tell the true condition of a used item. Buying anything used is a gamble, but it can be an option if you have no choice.

Use What You Already Have

You should also look at whatever you may have lying around the house that could fit in your home office. Maybe you have some old pictures or art pieces tucked away in a closet that could be inspiring or a nice chair that you’re not using in a guest room. It’s always better to go with real office furniture, but if you’re in a pinch, using items from other rooms could work.

Go Bargain Hunting

Garage sales, thrift shops, and flea markets can be absolute goldmines when it comes to office accessories. You could find things like lamps, bookshelves, and some salvageable furniture in some cases. Look for deals on Craigslist as well and see if any office in your area is trying to unload some items they may have. This could be a great opportunity to get huge discounts on things like printers, laptops, desktops, and monitors, among others.

Remember to Save Receipts

If your home is your primary place of work and you’re self-employed, know that you could have some of your costs deducted from your revenue and save on taxes. This is why you need to keep all your receipts. You should also keep receipts related to any modifications you make to your home as these may be deductible as well.

If you want to build a great home office but are strapped for cash, you can use these few tips. You’ll be able to build a space you’ll feel great in and improve it as you go.