One of the most exciting parts of starting a new business is setting up your office. This can be very fun, but it can also get pretty overwhelming, especially if you are working with a tight budget. Here are a few tips on how you can set up a great looking office without spending a fortune:
Coworking Spaces
Consider setting up shop at a coworking space instead of renting or buying a traditional office space, at least for the first year or so of your business. The beauty of coworking spaces is that they come already fully equipped, often with the most up to date and state of the art facilities and amenities. You wouldn’t have to spend a cent on equipment, only on rent. A great coworking space is the Common Desk, one of the highest rated facilities when it comes to coworking and hospitality.
The Common Desk’s office buildings feel and operate like cutting edge boutique hotels, and their facilities and customer service are top notch. The Common Desk offers office spaces in Fort Worth, Oak Cliff and Granite Park, Texas, as well as several other locations. All of them are strategically placed in great areas where you can get good customer traffic or entertain clients comfortably.
Save on Office Equipment
If you do decide you’re better of buying or renting a permanent office space, remember that you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on brand new office equipment or furniture. You can save up to several thousands of dollars by purchasing used or refurbished office furniture and equipment such as printers, copiers and scanners.
When buying used furniture and equipment, be sure to source your items from a reputable and trustworthy company. Well established companies will have thorough quality checks and be able to guarantee that the used equipment they sell you is in good working order and is functioning as it should.
When it comes to furniture, you don’t need to buy brand new items for areas that won’t receive high customer traffic. Save the beautiful new furniture for your reception area, but for back areas such as your breakroom or production room, used tables and chairs will do.
Spend on Technology Wisely
You will probably need at least one computer in your office, and the correct software to do all the tasks needed to run your business successfully. However, computers and software can be very expensive, and it’s easy to spend too much on software you don’t really need. Before going shopping for your IT equipment, do your research and find out exactly what kind of computer you’ll need, and exactly what software to buy. Most offices in general would need a basic office suite as well as programs for task management, scheduling, timekeeping and accounting.
At the end of the day, preparation is key when setting up your office on a budget. Do your research and get plenty of information before buying anything, and be sure to compare prices and packages meticulously in order to get the best deals. Being prepared, organized and strategic will help make the experience of setting up your office a smooth and stress-free one.
