Used Vs. New Office Furniture: The Pros and Cons

There’s no debate about it, when it comes to purchasing things we need, everybody would go for what is brand new and there are good reasons for that. Brand new products are better, not damaged and you can always return it back if they happen to not work exactly as they were designed. However, they cost a lot and sometimes people just have to make do with second hand items. This is very common in the furniture world.

We are going to compare used and new office furniture, look at the reasons that lead people to get either of them as well as the benefits and limitations of choosing ol furniture over new and vice versa. If you are thinking of furnishing your office but are unsure on what to go with, stick around and learn a few tips along the way.

New Office Furniture

Any person starting their business for the first time is always consumed by the need to make an impression. This makes them go all out, at the expense of the budget, to go for brand new furniture pieces. This comes with its own mix of pros and cons as outlined below.

Pros

• Better Aesthetics: New office furniture looks better from all angles. Having never been used comes with a lot of benefits since everything is fresh and clean. From the paintwork, the upholstery, the framework and any other additions that make furniture functional. Having new furniture in the office elevates the profile of the office in a major way and this is exactly what you need when starting out; a strong image to win the confidence of your potential customers.

• Warranties: Buying new office furniture comes with warranties and other after sales services as you are buying it directly from the manufacturer. This gives you privileges  like the ability to return the furniture if it doesn’t fit your needs within a certain period. The furniture can also be replaced if it breaks way too soon due to mistakes that have nothing to do with you. In a nutshell, new furniture comes with follow ups and this protects your investment.

• Better Quality: New furniture is better quality and will last you much longer as it is completely unused. Every single part has been constructed with care using the best materials money can buy and all these add up towards determining what the final price will be. Quality furniture means that you and the people working under you use comfortable, durable and reliable pieces of furniture that don’t cause body aches.

• Flexible Payment Plans: You can get flexible payment plans when you buy brand new furniture by striking a deal with the manufacturer. What makes this worth it is the fact that you will be getting high quality pieces of furniture that will help you achieve what you want even as you continue making the payments. At times you may even get great discounts and offers that knock the price down.

• High Resale Value: Brand new furniture has high resale value. At some point you may feel the need to refinish the space with bigger and better furniture and you could kill two birds with a single stone by selling off what you were using, something that can only be possible if you were the first buyer. Depending on how well you have maintained them, you can fetch prices near what you bought them for and that’s an underrated achievement.

Cons

• Expensive: Furniture is not cheap and the more you need, the more you will have to spend. Depending on the quality of materials used, the cost could run into thousands of dollars and this is one of the reasons why people baulk away from going with brand new furniture and choose to go with used ones. The benefits are many in the long run, but the initial cost can be too much for new businesses.

• Longer Shipping: The time it takes to place an order to the furniture arriving at your door is very long. Most furniture makers don’t simply make furniture hoping someone will walk in and buy it, they depend on orders and this can take weeks and by the time it arrives, you may have lost valuable business. This means you have to make the order much earlier.

• Requires Professional Help: Setting up your office with brand new furniture will require the help of professionals in order to make use of the space available to the best of your abilities. This is extra labour and it rarely comes free. You eventually have to pay something from your pocket to get this done.

• It Arrives Disassembled: Most times, brand new furniture comes in their separate pieces and this is necessary to make their shipping much easier and faster. But this means you will have to handle the entire process of assembling everything from scratch. You can use a manual that comes along with the pieces but this can be a lot of work for those involved.

Used Office Furniture

Used furniture is what you go for when getting new furniture is beyond your budget, after all, setting up an office is not a cheap undertaking.  If you are stuck at this point and unsure on whether to go with used furniture or not, the following are the pros and cons that should help you make that decision.

Pros

• Affordable: Used furniture means it has been owned and used by another owner before you and this fact alone knocks the price down significantly. This allows you to save money and get functional pieces of furniture in return. On average, used furniture goes for less than half the initial price and you can even knock it down a little further if you know how to bargain.

• Always Ready: Used furniture doesn’t need weeks of construction or a prior order to be placed. It is ready for shipping at any time and this saves time. If you are running against the clock as far as opening an office is concerned, then you have to go for used furniture to speed things up a little. You can get your furniture shipped to you within hours from the moment you place the order.

• It is a Form of Recycling: By buying used furniture you are stopping them from ending up in a landfill. By repurposing used furniture for your establishment, you will continue using that piece of furniture for a little longer before it finally breaks down beyond use. On top of getting a better deal, you are keeping the environment cleaner.

• Antique Look: Sometimes you may be lucky enough to land used furniture with a very cool vintage design and this can transform your office from normal looking one into a classy and unique working space. This kind of vibe is what makes your customers feel good being around the office.

Cons

• Are Worn Out: Anything that has been used will always come with some form of damage or an appearance of being worn out. Functional as they may be, when you use a worn out piece of furniture for a space as serious as the office will give your establishment a bad look.

• Unpredictable: You never know what you may get when it comes to used furniture. The seller will try everything to complete the sale and this includes hiding important information about damaged parts or other issues. Finding out that the furniture you just bought is missing a leg or the upholstery has bugs is the last thing you want to deal with once you have already paid.

• No Warranties: Most times, used furniture is bought from individuals rather than manufacturers and there’s little that people can do to address your concerns once you have parted with your money. All they care about is getting the furniture off their hands and ocne that is done, you will not have access to them again and you will be forced to live with any fault that comes with the furniture.

Final Verdict

The choice to go with new or used office furniture is influenced by a lot of factors and each of them should be taken seriously if you hope to find furniture that fits your needs. If you do choose to go with brand new furniture then do due diligence and get the best value for your money and that will come in the form of Flexispot. 

We are the best office furniture makers around and we have all types of products from sit-stand desks like the Adjustable Standing Desk Pro Series, or standing desk converters like the EdgeRiser Standing Desk Converter or ergonomic chairs like the Soutien Ergonomic Office Chair to that you can get without breaking your bank. 

Feel free to check out our website and browse through our long list of office products that will  make your office more homey and refined.

Guest Post - 4 Home Office Layout Tips for Small Spaces

Working from home is one of the many ways the current pandemic has affected the world. But the now prevalent remote work culture offers many advantages and presents many challenges. 

Workplace distractions have always been present, but professionals used to the relative calm of corporate spaces often find it challenging to focus amid the noise and general busyness at home.

One solution to this is creating your own home office. A dedicated place where you can sit down and have everything you need can help ensure that you work efficiently and resist the temptation to pet your cute puppy or lay in your comfy bed all day long.

The goal is to replicate your original office's vibe as much as possible so that you can be as productive as you were pre-pandemic. Since houses are not office buildings, this can be difficult to pull off, especially for those who reside in small apartments, condominiums, or live with family members.

Not everyone has spare rooms that they can quickly convert to a spacious home office. If you're one of those who have this problem, you'll be happy to consider these work from home tips that will help you design the perfect home office.

1. Location, location, location

The most important thing to consider in your home office layout, and the first in this list, is where you want it to be.

Many often choose the guest room or the study.  But since you're reading this article, there's a good chance you have neither. Don't be discouraged. There are likely many available spaces at home if you look with a critical eye.

Find an area that can be distinct from the rest of the house. Are there any lofts or nooks where you can fit in a desk, your computer, and a chair? Is there extra space underneath the stairs? Even the space beside your bed can be a good choice. Some have converted their closets to hold their essentials or even the entire home office. Kitchen or living room areas are also popular choices.

You can use a bookcase, curtains, or screens to section off your designated corner to ensure enough privacy. With a clever layout, you can make a comfortable working place anywhere.

2. Choose multi-functional furniture

Since you're low on space, it would be best to choose furniture that can fulfill multiple functions simultaneously. For example, some who settle on a bedroom slash home office use their vanity table. Makeup and accessories that generally occupy this table go into baskets when work is in session.

There are also expandable desks that add more surface area instantly, and some can be tucked away into a drawer when not in use. You can customize a cupboard to hide your desk at the end of a workday.

Always keep in mind exactly how much space is available when picking your home office fixtures.

3. Be resourceful with storage

Finding enough storage can be incredibly challenging. Avoid having your office equipment and other knick-knacks take up precious desk areas. Try using wall-mounted storage instead. You could assemble shelves in front or beside your desk. Utilize stackable boxes and baskets for vertical storage.

Meanwhile, you should keep frequently used essentials and important documents near the desk for easy access. A proper filing system reduces clutter and can make a small space seem bigger.

4. Decorate

Just because you want to replicate an actual physical office doesn't mean you have to copy the look. One of the perks of having your very own home office is that you may design it however you want.

A splash of color can instantly lift your mood and help you get down to business. You can be as creative as you want to be. Maybe you can paint just one wall with your favorite color. Place some plants in hanging pots to liven the area. Fill the room with pictures of people who inspire you.

You don't have to hold back, but make sure that all the pretty decor does not distract you from the tasks at hand.

Everyone deserves to have a comfortable workspace to spend hours in. By following these tips, you can make a home office that fits perfectly no matter how limited your space is. We have one last reminder, though—personalize. As helpful as these tips are, they can only be beneficial if they suit your needs. Feel free to adjust these suggestions.

Remember, the goal is for your productivity level to stay the same as before or even higher. Who knows, because of all the benefits that your perfectly designed home office affords you, you might prefer to continue working at home after the pandemic ends.

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Author: Noel Brago is a Project Development Associate at Studio N — the latest living space inside Filinvest City's Northgate Cyberzone. Noel’s interest in houses and architecture led him to a career in real estate. Outside work, you can find him writing articles on business, real estate, and finance.  

Guest Post - How to Optimize Your Work Environment and Make Your Office Space More Efficient

Every successful business is fueled by high efficiency. But, as everyone knows from everyday life, attaining that much necessary efficiency is difficult if the space around is full of clutter and not that well optimized. Just like you can’t finish any job in your house if you are constantly tripping over stuff, the workers can’t fulfill their tasks if they are surrounded by chaos.

So, let’s take a couple of neat ways to optimize the work environment and make your offices far more efficient.

Split the space into open zones

By open areas, we mean the recreation area, productivity hubs, places where people can take a break and hang out for a bit, sofas, collaborative spaces, and so on. The benefits of such an open design are numerous. First, by tearing down the artificial boundaries, you are getting a lot more space to use more productively. Second, when your workers feel tired, they will be able to easily transition to some other, more comfortable workstation without taking an active break. Open space also feels less constraining, as well as encourages chatter and brainstorming.

Cut the excessive storage

In previous decades, the main goal of every space – offices and homes alike – was to squeeze in as much storage space as possible to keep the clutter under control. Fortunately, the offices no longer have that millstone around their necks. Namely, by focusing on Cloud tech and digital documents, modern offices are cutting their print volume and reducing the number of necessary equipment (e.g., shredders, bins, etc.). This solution is also very eco-friendly, innovative, and in tune with the modern business environment, so there's no good reason to skip it.

Start from the scratch

In some cases, trying to adapt the existing space that simply wasn't built with productivity in mind takes too much time, money, and effort to pay off truly. If you are facing this problem, you should consider starting from scratch and building your offices around the specific needs of your company and your staff. This solution can prove to be more financially beneficial in the long term as well. Take, for example, a modern modular building that packs excellent price, strong durability, and all other requirements necessary for utilitarian constructions like offices.

Maximize natural light

In terms of interior design, natural light is a true blessing that should be utilized to the fullest extent.  First and foremost, expanding the available window space opens up the room and makes the enclosed, dark environment seem larger. In turn, allowing more natural light into the office cuts the need for bulky light fixtures and reduces the energy bills. Finally, natural light has a very positive impact on the overall mood in the office. According to recent research, exposure to natural light has a very positive impact on the sleep, activity, and quality of life of the workers.

Use multipurpose furniture

In one of the previous sections, we have mentioned that you should keep the number of storage pieces at a minimum. But every office needs some storage to be functional. That is why you should put more focus on the multipurpose furniture pieces like, for instance, storage islands with a work surface that double-down as a neat co-working space. Storage units can also be squeezed underneath the sofas, desks, and even chairs. Wall-mounted foldable desks and standing pieces with casters are the ideal solutions when you need an on-the-go place to perform some critical duty.

Resort to small-scale furniture

Last but not least, we have to mention the size and scale of your furniture. Since you are aiming for optimization and efficiency, you should try to get the pieces that are as slender as possible. This also goes for the large multipurpose units that will be the centerpieces of your new, reorganized office space. As for the decoration, this is the case where you should try to be conservative as possible. If you want to make your office trendier, decorate strategically with wall-mounted units. Using expansive mirrors will open up space even more while raising the overall visual impression.

Wrapping up

We hope these few tips gave you some general idea about the ways you can declutter and open up your small and cramped offices. Human beings are not well-adjusted to chaos. In order to thrive, they need a peaceful and organized surrounding. So, if you want to keep your workers at the optimal level of efficiency, be sure to make their offices as clean and as organized as possible.

About the author: Mike Johnston is an avid blogging enthusiast and experienced freelance writer. He’s a regular contributor to numerous online publications where he writes about real estate, construction, home improvement, and interior design.

Guest Post - How COVID has Shaped Co-Working Spaces

Over the past year, coronavirus has seen many of us change the way we work, whether it’s our hours of work, the location or work attire. Although, for many people the change of routine, may become their normality, as many businesses plan for life after COVID.

With organizations looking to trim their expenditure, a key factor that many business owners are beginning to consider is the cost of running their office. As workforces have demonstrated their ability to communicate and work from home effectively, many businesses have begun to adapt their plans as a new era of ‘the office’ begins to form.

As a large majority of businesses begin to implement a part-time or full-time working from home policy, the need to find a flexible office space has increased. 

A study by Andcards stated that 1,688 global coworking spaces were due to open in 2020. As a result, the coworking industry was predicted to grow by 6.2%. This demonstrates that many organizations are becoming increasingly reliant on these types of offices, as they look for a cost-effective option when needing a professional space.

Although businesses with large teams are using collaborative workspaces. Coworking spaces can often be seen as a workplace for freelancers and start-ups. In truth, this demographic often makes up a relatively small portion of the flexible workplace community. As many businesses are utilizing these facilities to have access to a professional environment, whilst lowering their yearly spend.

There’s a variety of ways that collaborative workspaces can benefit, even more so in a time of a Pandemic. We’ve highlighted four ways that the coronavirus pandemic has shaped coworking spaces, into a popular option for many businesses and freelancers today. 

The requirement for flexibility 

The majority of businesses were forced to send their workforce home when the news of the pandemic broke. This sudden change to the normal working environment saw many employees begin their year-long period of working from home and relying on technology for collaboration. 

During this time, the vast majority of offices remained vacant, which resulted in business owners thinking about their long-term office requirements. As employees demonstrated their ability to work remotely, many CEOs considered adopting this model more often with 47% allowing their team to work remotely full time. 

As a result, many organizations began using alternative office solutions to have face-to-face meetings. One solution that is becoming increasingly popular was flexible office rental. By using these facilities, businesses were able to cut costs, whilst having access to a professional environment to host client meetings and interviews, albeit whilst observing COVID safety rules 

The go-to option for freelancers 

The coronavirus pandemic saw a number of elements change within businesses, some of which were their employees. With businesses facing a financial strain, some organizations were forced to reduce their workforce. As a result, many individuals began freelancing within their industries, which led to an extra 84,000 businesses created. 

As more businesses were being formed, the interest in coworking space for rent grew. Freelancers and start-ups needed a flexible place of work away from their homes that offered the benefits of a private office, without being tied down by an office lease and the expense that comes with it.

The opportunity for collaboration  

As business owners look for flexible office rental, they may have overlooked one of the key features to consider. Parallel to being a cost-effective option, many shared office space companies offer the opportunity to collaborate with other members of the business community.  

Using these facilities opens a wide variety of opportunities for members of this community. As freelancers and businesses share communal facilities, it allows for collaborative conversations to take place. Due to the flexibility of office rental, each week can see a high volume of different businesses come together, that wouldn’t normally cross paths. This gives both freelancers and businesses the opportunity to grow their client base.

The cost-effective choice for many businesses 

The past year has seen many organizations search for coworking space for rent as flexible office rental has proven to be hugely cost-effective, due to only paying for the time you use the facilities. Additionally, unlike the traditional office, businesses don’t have to worry about the cost of purchasing or renting furniture, or the expense of IT infrastructure, which can often add to the large budget needed to maintain a private office. 

Alongside cutting costs for equipment, by using coworking spaces, businesses have been able to save money and stabilize their finances. This is due to only having to pay for office space when meeting clients and hosting team meetings.

Are you thinking about your return to the office? 

If your team is due to return to the office in the coming months, or you’re looking for a better finical solution for your business then. With a flexible desk and office rental, there’s a range of options available for every member of our community. Whether you’re a freelancer looking for space away from your home, or a larger organization looking for a part-time meeting space, our modern facilities can accommodate your needs.

Author Bio
Sarah is a marketing consultant at Agora, a leading office and conference room rental in Southampton. Her extensive experience in marketing and promotion of flexible office space businesses has helped her clients to flourish.