Used Office Furnishings: Benefits And Drawbacks

When you are looking for new office furnishings, are you looking for brand-new, or are you willing to consider used? This is a big question because it dictates where you will shop for your office furniture. If you're unsure of which way you want to go, it always helps to weigh the pros and cons of used furniture first. 

Pros

Oh, So Affordable!

Used furniture is ideal when you are on a tight budget. For example, a young doctor or lawyer who is just starting their own practice is probably going to have a very tight budget. There are still hundreds of thousands of dollars in school loans to be paid, and now they have to pay office rent and pay for furniture and supplies. Buying used cuts a lot of startup expenses for anyone starting their own business. 

A Wide Selection

Walk into any used office furniture store and you will see that there are lots of options. There are so many styles to choose from, and numerous items that are duplicates to make the office more cohesive in decoration/appearance. If you find a style you like, but end up short a chair or desk, you can bet that that store will do what it can to find another copycat piece when you buy what you need from them. 

Cons

It May Be Outdated

Some used furniture is surrendered and sold at auction, but it's not always current with decorating trends. You may end up with three dozen waiting room chairs clad in mustard yellow, bright orange, and avocado green pleather from the '70's. If you're actually going for that sort of look, then it works out great. If you're looking for something more modern, then you might have to try several used office furniture stores before you find what you want. 

It May Be Too "Vanilla" 

Of course, there is the opposite end of the decorating spectrum. What may be vibrant but dated is juxtaposed with what is too modern and uninteresting. There are a lot of chrome and faux wood office desks and furnishings out there, and that too, may not be what you want. It's difficult sometimes to find just the right items when you shop used, but you should keep trying if and when your budget restricts you. A more eclectic approach may be necessary if you are short on time to make these purchases.