So you work from home? Fantastic. But, do you have the workspace you want? The idea of working from the comfort of your bed may be appealing, but it won’t do anything for your productivity. When you’re working from your home, it’s your responsibility to ensure you stay as productive as possible. You won’t be able to do that unless you have a workspace. Every freelancer needs a space they can go to each day. This is essential in ensuring that you can put your work aside at the end of day. If you’re working from bed, when do you know it’s time to put the computer away? It’s important to compartmentalize your job so you can enjoy your home time too! So, how do you get a workspace when you’re starting out? At this point, you might not have made enough money to splash out on expensive furniture. No problem. These tips should give you an idea of how to get your office going with barely any cost!
Keep it Simple
The first step to getting an office that doesn’t cost is to keep things simple. There’s temptation to say that you can’t work until the space is perfect, but that won’t help anyone. As long as you have a workspace set aside, you’ll be able to get the work done. It may not be the space you imagined, but that’s okay. Don’t think, either, that you need all the top technology to get going. You’re going to be starting out with the bare minimum, and that’s okay. You’ve already got a computer right? That’s all you really need. A computer and an internet connection. This doesn’t mean that you can’t have your dream workspace at some point. It means that you need to accept the space you have now. The more you distract yourself with what you want, the longer it’s going to take to make money you need to get it.
Prioritize
As you’re working on a budget, you need to focus on what’s most important. Before you buy anything, write down a list of what you need and rank it in importance order. Things like a chair and desk should be top of your list. Bookcases and rugs can always wait! You may be impatient to get everything straight away, but it pays to prioritize in this way. Plus, those little extras give you something to work towards. When you find it hard to drag yourself to your desk, remember that you can get the office you want if you work hard!
Coupon Sites
Coupon sites can be a fantastic way to save money while stocking your office. Looking on sites like DontPayFull.com means you can buy the furniture you need for cheap! Bear in mind that you may need to adjust your needs to suit the offers out there. It’s worth making a list of everything you need and considering which companies can provide it. Remember that you’re keeping things simple at this stage. Don’t go crazy buying furniture you don’t need because you can save a little money. It’s not saving if you don’t need it! Concentrate on getting a desk and a chair. You may also need a side table if you have a printer. Leave it there for now! Everything else can come later. Spreading out the purchases will make the expense seem less anyway. It pays not to get carried away.
Get Creative!
You could save yourself spending any money at all by getting creative with your office. Why not repurpose items you already have in your home? Making your furniture can be fun, and is a sure way to make the space your own. Is there any way you could make your desk? Do you have an old coffee table or vanity stand that you don’t use anymore? You could repurpose a desk out of pieces of wood you have lying around! You could make your shelving out of cheap pieces of wood. You could even buy some cheap books, and use those to make a shelf instead. And, you don’t need to spend top dollar on art prints for those walls when you can make your own! If you’ve got a painting streak, get to work painting some pictures to hang. If not, you could always print images from the internet. Buy a cheap frame to hang them in, and no one will know the difference. Have fun here. You could get the space you want in no time, and spend nothing!
Secondhand Sites
There’s a trend for people to sell their old pieces online. Get to grips with sites like gumtree.com and see if there’s anything you could use in your office. If people are desperate to get rid of pieces, they sometimes offer them for free! You need to be on the ball to find those gems. Keep an eye on the listings around you so that you can act as soon as the perfect thing comes up. It might be worth looking on social media, too. People often put their unwanted pieces for sale on Facebook. Search to see if there’s a buy and sell site for your area. Again, some people offer free pieces, but you’ll need to snap them up quickly. Sign up for updates so that you see what’s posted the moment it goes up!
Ask Friends & Family
If you can’t find anything online, why not see if your friends and family can help you out? Most of us have furniture we don’t want lying around. Someone you know might have the perfect thing, going to waste in the attic! You could put your own post out on Facebook to see if anyone has what you’re after. If you don’t want to do that, ask a few people and see if they can spread the word. If you feel awkward asking, make it clear that you’re willing to pay. You’ll still be paying a lot less than you would to buy things new!
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