Congratulations - If you woke up breathing you have another chance

As business owners we are always looking for ways to save money. Whether you're an office manager, company controller, or a business owner, you know that buying new office furniture can be extremely expensive. That's why more and more people are turning to used office furniture to save money while furnishing their offices.


If money is no object, feel free to buy as much new office furniture as you need. But if you're working within a strict budget, used office furniture may be the way to go. If you shop carefully, it's possible to purchase used office furniture that will not only look good, but will also be accepted by employees and customers alike. Some of the benefits of purchasing used office furniture include:


Saving money. If you shop around for the best prices and bargains, you can save more than 50 percent over the cost of buying new office furniture. Most used office furniture pieces have only been used for a few years (or less) and have minimal wear and tear. Once the bubble wrap is taken off and the price tag is removed, most people cannot tell the difference between a new desk and a used desk.


Saving time. If you've ever ordered new office furniture, you know that sometimes it can take up to six weeks to be delivered. Compare that to most used office furniture dealers that can have a van at your front door in 48 hours or less.


Reducing environmental impact. When a used wooden office desk is sent to the landfill, it takes years to break down. Melamine faced chipboard has to go to landfill if beyond repair because the surface cannot be separated from the wood chip and therefore contaminates it beyond use. The cost of stripping chairs into their components is high and not all parts can be guaranteed recyclable. By buying used office furniture, you will get a much better deal and help save the planet at the same time


Getting more for your money. When you buy new office furniture, the resale value can depreciate to 25 percent or less of the original purchase price over five years. But when you buy used office furniture, the resale value can remain as high as 75 percent of what you paid for it.
Many business owners are using the Internet to buy their office equipment, some with disappointing results. Price plays a huge part in budgeting. You shouldn’t have to go out and replace items in less than twelve months of use.


· Consider if the furniture comes in kit form and you have to assemble it yourself.
· More importantly, ask does the furniture have an accredited FIRA Certification (Furniture Industry Research Association) tested for strength and durability. Products tested to BS4875 carry a 5 year guarantee under normal usage and should go on to last increasingly longer.
Product durability and life span are receiving increasing attention. Of particular interest are capital items for the office work place, computers, office desks, chairs and storage etc.

When choosing the products the longevity of the product can be factorised into choice. A chair or a desk that lasts 5 years plus is preferable to the cheaper economical model that carry up to a one year life span.

Consider the impact that the cheaper imported item has on the environment, the thousands of container loads being shipped into the UK. In addition to the waste of raw materials and production of waste, there are also environmental impacts in the energy used to create containers and the transportation of the product by air and road.

Filing cabinets
An economy model has a 5 year guarantee housing a capacity of 25kg per drawer. A Bisley cabinet has a 7 year guarantee housing 32kg per drawer and a Silverline executive cabinet has a 15 year guarantee housing 50kg per drawer.

Things to Keep in Mind


When buying used office furniture, keep in mind that you might not be able to find the colour or design you had in mind. The key point to remember is it's just like buying a used car: you must accept the colour, condition, and size, and hopefully the money you will save will be worth your time and effort.


Recycled furniture isn't for everyone. Although many dealers carry top-of-the-line used furniture, your choices can be somewhat limited. Companies that need large quantities of matching furniture may not have enough options.


If you're flexible about designs, colours and styles, you'll probably find what you need. Remember that you're buying from the dealer’s inventory, not special ordering from a manufacturer's catalogue. Most dealers have large selections of new and used furniture, so you should be able to find a good combination. But if you won't settle for less than perfect — even if it means saving money — recycled furniture probably isn't for you.


Reused furniture, also referred to as "used" or "as-is," describes furniture that hasn't been altered or repaired.


Buying used furniture is an increasingly popular option for small and medium sized firms for one main reason: It's good for a business’s bottom line.


Recycled office furniture typically costs anywhere between 30 to 80 percent less than new furniture, dependant upon manufacturer. Once you figure out how much money you can save, buying another company's discarded furniture begins to sound like a pretty good idea.
And you won't just be saving money; you'll also be helping the environment. Millions of tons of office furniture — most of which is not biodegradable — end up in landfills each year, so you'll be doing your part to reduce waste, helping cut out harmful emissions that contribute to climate change.


There is so much that each of us can and must do, within our own homes, work places, communities and beyond as we work together in common cause to preserve and sanctify life.