Tips for Furnishing a Home Office on a Budget

One of the most common questions I get from people who know I work from home is how to furnish a home office on a budget, I get it a lot. Since I’ve been in this office furniture game for close to two and a half years now, I feel like I have gotten some insights into this question. I am by no means an interior designer, so please don’t look to me for any home remodeling advice unless you’re open to canary yellow walls throughout.

I understand the desire to do a home office on a budget myself. I mean, I’m not the only person who notices that our hard earned dollars don’t go as far as they used to. It really is a different world than it was just a few years ago. But I would like to point out how awesome that so many of us have done adapting to an ever evolving world. Especially when it comes to money! We have learned to save where we can so furnishing a home office on a budget should be no exception.

So with all this in mind, I want to share with you a few tips that I have picked up for furnishing a home office on a budget.

Home Office on a Budget Tip #1- Select a Brand and Stick with Them

This will take a little research on your part but it will pay off in several ways. First all of your office furniture will match perfectly. All the brands found on the Madison Liquidators online marketplace are keen on establishing matching series of office furniture, which means that they will carry a matching general style as well as matching finishes. This will benefit you the most in your finished product because if you set out to furnish a home office on a budget you can end up with a hodge podge of kind of similar furniture styles and finishes. If you’re not careful, it could end up looking like a decision that 2007 Britney Spears would have made… and if you don’t remember that era then trust me, it wasn’t pretty.

To avoid this trap, look to a Brand and at least stay under its umbrella if not going so far as to select the series. In the end, this will have such a huge effect on your space that no one will think that you designed your home office on a budget. I say that because we have many great partners, and each of them have classic, stylish office furniture that has the ability to set the tone for your workspace for years to come. Remember, this isn’t just your business office, it’s a part of your home. For that reason alone, I always suggest to someone who is wanting to furnish a home office on a budget to stick with a brand so that the workspace will compliment the rest of the home while also being highly functional for all of your business needs.

Today, I will show you how I would roughly furnish a home office on a budget myself as an example. Madison Liquidators has so many awesome brands and partners to choose from, so I will be selecting office furniture from one of our oldest partners- Harmony Collection.

Home Office on a Budget Tip #2- Everything Revolves Around the Desk

This should be the defining factor of your office furniture choices when furnishing your home office on a budget. The desk is the main office furniture piece in any office so I say that it the most important piece of the overall purchase, so the largest chunk of the budget needs to be for the desk. The desk also establishes the tone for the rest of the pieces on your list. Build everything around the centerpiece and everything will fall into place. Remember when selecting a desk, that there will always be a balance between the amount of desk that you can have against the budget, so select wisely.

For myself, I am looking at a modern design for my theoretical home office on a budget. Therefore, I am looking at the Harmony Collection Elements series for the desk I would be choosing.

Modern L Shaped Desk with Drawers

Starting Price- $1,425.00

So I have checked off modern style in my search to furnish my home office on a budget, along with my need for multiple workstations. Since we are on a budget, it is natural to gravitate to the smallest size which is 72" x 60" x 24"D main desk. However, being on a budget means not just saving money but also making smart decisions. To me the smart decision is for just fifty bucks more, you can get a 72" x 60" x 30"D main desk. Trust me, you’re going to want that extra six inches of main desk! I cannot emphasize this enough. That extra few dollars will not ruin your home office on a budget but not having it just might.

Now that we got the main desk out of the way, I want to let you in on my cheat. Like I said, furnishing a home office on a budget isn’t just about making cheap purchases, it’s about making smart purchases. This desk may cost a little more than some of the other desks that I could have chosen but those other desks don’t have built in side storage that includes one lateral drawer, one storage drawer and an open bookcase. So what this desk has done has mitigated or eliminated the need for an additional storage cabinet purchase. Just by focusing on our need for the main desk, as a bonus we have addressed a secondary concern as well. This is a huge benefit to your home office on a budget!

Remember when I said that we need to stick with one brand for a universal finish choice throughout? This desk offers a bonus as it allows you to contrast the desktop and the base or match depending on your style. The Harmony Collection signature finish selections are- Aspen, Espresso, Modern Walnut, Newport Gray, and White. I may just be a basic bro, but I am selecting white on both the base and desktop which will contrast against the metal U legs. That means that all the secondary purchases I make should have at a minimum a white tone in them or provide a contrast against the white, that’s the unity of my home office on a budget at work.

Home Office on a Budget Tip #3- Select your Needed Accessories

Okay, so we’ve spent a large chunk of my budget already and need to add a few items to complete the room. I would possibly need a little more storage for long term work and a desk chair. However, I would have visions of adding a few items down the road that would give me a more complete home office. But for now, since I am building a home office on a budget I am going to set those items aside so that I get the most out of my basic needs. Once again budgeting is making smart decisions and I do not want my overall ability to perform work to suffer because I had to buy subpar office furniture that’s cheaper so that I could have the full office right now.

Items that I am setting aside for now for the sake of my home office on a budget, but will look to pick up after the effects of the big purchase is relieved are a whiteboard to be mounted next to my desk, and perhaps some guest chairs. Even though I don’t expect professionals in my office, my kids are going to be in the middle of it all the time and it’s a fact of life that until I purchase nice professional chairs they are going to drag their own chairs into my office to talk to Dad while he’s working.

Some items that I will always avoid when furnishing a home office on a budget are wardrobe cabinets… I’m already at home, there’s a place for my coat. I don’t care how cool it would look in the space, I do not need it. The same goes for a full coffee station in the office. I will just go down the hall to my kitchen. Always take advantage of your home to keep from purchasing what is really unneeded office furniture.

As far as what I would get to fill out my home office on a budget, like I said maybe a storage cabinet and an office chair. There are dozens of storage cabinets that you can purchase, just select the one or two that best fits your needs within the budget. If you’re lucky, the side storage of the desk will be more than enough. As far as office chairs, this is where I would allow myself to get a little creative. Since this is the final major purchase of furnishing a home office on a budget, it’s an opportunity to add a splash of character.

Mesh Back Office Chair

Price- $445.00

Another Harmony Collection offering for your home office on a budget. This office chair will provide a much needed splash of color against the all-white office furniture that I have selected. All the upholstery options are Black, Gray, Jet Black, Lime Green, Olive Green, Orange, Red, Rust Orange, Sky Blue, and Smoke Gray. Personally, I am going to go with that bold red to really add some drama to the space for me to see every day as I begin my work. The chair itself is height adjustable with adjustable arms and has tilt-lock, tension control and an adjustable seat slider. Also, the price of this office chair versus what they can be will be a huge positive for your home office on a budget!

Home Office on a Budget Tip #4- Finish Out the Space

So the major purchases have been made but the space is not complete. There will be a need to furnish the rest of the space. With this, since we are building a home office on a budget, I would suggest freely repurposing home furniture, or available family pieces that need a good place. There’s always some wall art tucked away in a closet, garage, or attic that can be used. Also, don’t be afraid to look at second hand stores and yard sales when you are finishing out your workspace.

Remember these things if already purchased do not affect the budget at all while second hand items will come with huge markdowns. Since they are accent pieces, they can always be changed out later. So what if you have to use curtains that were in your grandparents bedroom for thirty years? If they were well taken care of then you can worry about replacing them down the road. For now, these tips will help you make the tough decisions for furnishing a home office on a budget.

I have one final tip that I would like to pass on to you for furnishing your home office on a budget. I saved it for last in hopes that you will retain it.

Home Office on a Budget Tip #5- Reach Out to the Experts for Help

Madison Liquidators has a full staff of dedicated customer support pros. They have many years of assisting customers with all aspects of purchasing office furniture. They have helped others with furnishing a home office on a budget many times in the past and look forward to their next call. If you need help with style, they got you. If you have questions about scheduling, shipping, installation or any other matter, they are the experts and I encourage you to lean on them.

I know there is a tendency to try to do everything on our own but if we have easy access to the professionals with all the answers, we should call on them. It’s like having the ability to cheat and get away with it. So please don’t forget this tip, it really is that important. If you are getting ready to furnish a home office on a budget, then start the right way, call on the Madison Liquidators customer support team!

Final Thoughts

So there are my five tips for furnishing a home office on a budget. No two home offices are the same and that goes for purchasing the office furniture that goes with it. With so many variables such as size of the space, the style of the office, or the need of the office furniture many questions can arise. Hopefully these tips will help in your journey and if you are ready to begin, why not begin with tip #5 and call our customer support staff today to get their insight. Our number is (888) 760-1579, give us a call to get started with your home office on a budget!

Additional Home Office Resources

• Working from Home? Here’s How to Optimize Your Space for Multiple Uses
• Small Office Desks For Homes with Limited Space