How to Find the Right Home Office Furniture and Equipment

Finding furniture and equipment for your home office doesn’t have to take much time or money. Yet the right furnishings and equipment can help you avoid a few common problems, including the ones below.

Using the wrong work surface.

A desk or workspace that’s too narrow, too deep, too tall or too short can affect your productivity. Instead of using a workspace as a place to work, you may turn it into a dumping ground for papers and supplies. Think about what you’re going to do in your home office, and then find the right desk or work surface to handle each of those tasks.

Buying cheap file cabinets.

Now is the time of year when file cabinets, office chairs and supplies go on sale. You may see a file cabinet at a deep discount, but consider how long it will last. Drawers that don’t glide open, get stuck, or don’t open completely can put a damper on filing. Instead it will be easier to stack papers on top of the cabinet until you’re ready to fight with the drawers. Keep in mind the saying, “You get what you pay for.”

Not measuring furniture.

You may find the perfect desk or credenza, but if you don’t have an idea of whether or not it will fit in your home, you may be in for a big surprise. When you don’t measure before you shop, your furniture may not fit through the front door, up your stairs, or within your home office. Know ahead of time how large your home office furniture can be. Otherwise, you’ll waste time shopping for the wrong furniture and you’ll waste money on delivery fees.

Choosing the wrong space.

The first space you choose for your home office may not be the best. At first it may seem ideal, but eventually the room can turn out to be too hot or too cold, too noisy or too quiet. Avoid moving your equipment, furniture and supplies several times by trying your new home office space for one month. That should give you enough time to decide whether or not you’ve picked the right place to set up shop.

Storing unnecessary hand-me-downs.

Take a close look at the furniture in your home office. Is each piece serving a purpose or simply taking up space? Maybe your neighbor gave you a chair, yet the free chair may be costing you aggravation. If any furniture or equipment in your home office is keeping you from being productive, donate it immediately.

If you could start over, would you set up your home office differently?