How to Buy Used Office Furniture

Whether you're setting up a home office or starting up a small business, you need to buy used office furniture. You know buying used furniture will save you money, but you don't know where to look.

Buying used office furniture can be easy if you look in the right places.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Desire to buy used office furniture
• Transportation and extra help to move furniture

1. 
    
   Spot used office furniture for sale on Craigslist.

   Check Craigslist
   
   Craigslist is an excellent source for all things used, including used office furniture. See the Resources section below for a direct link to Craigslist.
   
   Click on your city or the city nearest you. Then under the For Sale category, select Furniture. Skim the listings for words that describe the used office furniture you want to buy. Another option is to input search words to find used desks, chairs, credenzas, filing cabinets, etc.
   
   When people relocate, they often sell their used office furniture cheap so they don't have to move it. One advantage of buying used office furniture on Craiglist is that sellers usually list a picture so you can see if the used office furniture will work for you.

2. Shop Thrift Stores
   
   When you're ready to buy used office furniture, check local thrift stores. Since inventory changes daily, check back often. You might find that used desk or filing cabinet perfect for your needs.

3. 
    
   Buy used office furniture to start out.

   Visit Used Furniture Stores
   
   Buying used office furniture at used furniture stores is another option. The prices may be higher than on Craigslist or at thrift stores, but since you're buying used, check to see what is in stock.
   
   To save money, make an offer on a piece that you think is overpriced to see if you can buy the used desk or chair at a lower price.

4. 
    
   Start small and set goals for new office furniture.

   When you're just starting out with a home office or a new business, inexpensive used office furniture may work great for you. If having new office furniture is important to you, set a goal to buy new office furniture in a year or after you meet a milestone. But to start with, used office furniture will probably serve the same purpose and may end up covered in paper most of the time anyway.

Tips & Warnings

• Check the quality when you buy used office furniture. Make sure the pieces are structurally in good condition.
• When buying used office furniture, you will more than likely have to move the pieces yourself. Enlist the help of a friend or two and borrow a truck if you don't have one.

Resources

• Craigslist

[FrazzledNanny]

on 4/1/2009 Great article full of useful tips. 5*

[elyria]

on 3/31/2009 very helpful info! 5*

[pondripples]

on 3/31/2009 If you have a large office and need cubicles, check with office furniture liquidators in the yellow pages. Liquidators are a great place to look for heavily discounted adjustable chairs too, especially when the economy is slow.

[Gardengates]

on 3/31/2009 Love these excellent ways of getting office furniture cheap! Thanks for all the great tips!

[cherold598]

on 3/31/2009 Excellent tips for how to buy used office furniture. It's possible to save a lot of money.