Getting the right office furniture is part and parcel of setting up a business operation. That applies to simple home offices as well as large multi-city enterprises and everything in between.

Here are several things you can do to ensure that you buy office furniture as economically as possible.

* The first step is to plan your office. Write down your exact needs. Figure out what furniture you will need at the minimum. These are things which if absent will impair your ability to run the business.

Here's the most important rule for buying office furniture economically -- everything other than the essentials you identified above is an optional extra. You may decide to buy it or not depending on your budget. Buy only what you truly need.

* Draw out a sketch of the office and where each piece of furniture will go. This is a vital step in cutting down waste as well as in planning your office properly. You may discover that the big, attractive desk you saw at the discount store will actually take up space that's needed for something else.

This step will help your fine-time your real needs further. It will help you focus on the must-have furniture as opposed to the nice-to-have stuff.

* Now that you know how much you will need to spend on furniture, make a decision regarding whether you'll buy it outright or rent / lease it. If you are under a severe budget constraint, leasing may be an option to look at.

* Functionality rules over appearances. Sure, it's great if you can afford office furniture that looks terrific. But in general, it is better to plan your office space keeping functionality in mind rather than looks. You will likely save a lot of money that way.

* Think about what you already have. This applies more to a home office than to other types of offices. If you have a well-designed chair with good back support, for instance, you may be able to eliminate that item from your purchase list.

* Get creative with your needs, particularly for home offices. Do you really need to buy a large desk? How about placing a board across two filing cabinets? That's one way you can instantly create a desk with storage space!

How about swapping furniture with a friend? If you have children's furniture you no longer need, maybe someone you know will be willing to swap them for storage units.

* Consider buying use furniture. Where can you get them? Lots of places -- auctions, businesses closing shop, estate sales, government sales, classified ads, garage sales, used furniture shops and more. Good hotels redo their guest rooms every few years and may sell furniture at low prices.

One issue with buying used furniture from many of the sources mentioned above is that you may have to arrange transportation on your own. That can be a problem sometimes.

Nevertheless, buying used furniture is one of the best ways of saving money on office furniture. Don't overlook it.

* If you do need to buy new furniture, avoid buying at full retail wherever possible. Large stores often have special deals available from time to time. For instance, floor display models that have minor scratches may go for steep discounts.

With a bit of planning, it is possible to dramatically reduce your expenses on office furniture. Use some of the above ideas and get the functionality you need even if you have a limited budget!

About the author:

Mary West writes on workspace design. Her articles on office furniture at http://www.guide-to-office-furniture.info/ and http://www.guide-to-office-furniture.info/office-furniture-ideas. html include tips on how to buy on a budget and other ideas for saving money on furniture purchases.