Buying Office Equipment: A Guide

Are you looking to open your new office? 

Before you do, you want to make sure you invest in the right office equipment. You probably have a basic idea of what to buy, but you want to make sure you buy the right business office equipment.

You have to consider what’ll help your office run smoother. You have to consider what’ll help your staff be more productive.

Buying Office Equipment: A Guide

So what’s the best business equipment you need for your office? Here’s what you should consider for your office equipment:

• Internet Connection

The first step is to find a great solution for your internet connection. You want to invest in a router that provides high-speed internet service for your office.

You’ve also got to research the security features of the internet service. When you run an office, you have the responsibility of making your staff feel secure about their data.

It’s also best to have a wired internet connection in case you have any issues with the Wi-Fi. You can also invest in personal hotspot devices which are a great alternative to Wi-Fi and wired internet.

• Desks and Chairs

These are the basic office equipment items that’ll take you the longest to buy! You want to make sure you take your time to find a desk that’ll fit your tech. This includes computers, printers, accessories, etc.

You also want to test out different chairs to see which ones are most comfortable for long hours. You can expect loyal staff to leave your business solely because they feel discomfort during the workday.

Make sure you also find the best prices for desks and chairs. Within this category, you can often find expensive products where the prices don’t correlate with the quality!

As such, you want to use a service such as Price It Here to find the best deals for your office equipment.

• Printing and Copying

The next step is to buy printing and copying equipment for your office. You can consider buying one large printer for all your staff members. Or, you can buy a small printer for each staff member.

Senior staff members will likely prefer to have a personal printer. You can buy a personal printer for them and then a larger one for junior-level staff members.

You can also buy a personal printer that has an in-built copying machine for your senior staff members. For other staff members, you can buy a larger photocopier that can handle continuous copying.

You also need to make sure you research the type of ink and paper you’ll need for printing and copying. You’ll have to budget accordingly to make sure you replenish paper and ink when needed.

• Storage

You’ll need to also consider the storage equipment you’ll need for your business.

The first is to buy boxes to store paperwork, gadgets, and other smaller objects. These boxes can get kept in a storage closet in your office.

Storage equipment also includes equipment for digital storage. You might want to consider buying an external hard drive for each of your staff members. You can also give senior staff members a USB flash drive.

Alternatives are buying blank CDs or DVDs for storage. While these are increasingly less common, you might find them a great option for storing large files.

• Presentation Tools

Next, you want to consider buying presentation tools for your office. You can start with buying whiteboards.

You can buy a whiteboard for each meeting room. You can also buy smaller whiteboards for each staff member, which they can use for brainstorming.

You may also want to buy a cork bulletin board for your office’s common room. Your staff members might also like small bulletin boards to create reminders for their own work.

You can also buy a projector for each meeting room. This is good for longer presentations or even for movie nights when your employees want to take a break from work!

• Take Care of Waste

Make sure you don’t overlook buying office equipment for getting rid of waste.

Each room in the office should have at least one large garbage bin. You can also buy smaller bins for each staff member to keep at their desk. You can also buy shredders for getting rid of excess paper.

You want to make sure you replenish the plastic bags for your garbage bins as well.

Don’t forget about the equipment for cleaning your office! You might want to outsource your janitorial services to a third party. But it’s still best to keep some cleaning equipment on hand.

You can keep window cleaners, a dustpan and brush, a broom, and a mop in your office’s storage closet. If your office gathers a lot of dirt, make sure you have a reliable vacuum cleaner on hand.

• Kitchen Equipment

Your staff will spend a lot of their time in the kitchen, so you want to make sure you find the right equipment for them!

Every office must have a decent coffee machine. You might also consider a tea kettle as well! You can also buy a water cooler to keep in the kitchen or in a central location.

If your staff experiences long workdays, you want to consider buying a microwave or a portable stove for the kitchen. You want to also keep cutlery, plates, and a fridge available for staff to use.

Make sure you also keep cleaning supplies in the kitchen. You can also consider buying snacks that your staff can grab at any time. This might not be considered office equipment, but it does make a difference!

• Buy Your Office Equipment

Now you know what types of office equipment to buy and can find the best options for your business.

Make sure you shop around to compare products before settling on the right ones. You want to also make sure you don’t break the bank when choosing your equipment.

Be sure to garner feedback from your staff to see which types of office equipment work best for them. Once you’ve got your office equipment, you’re ready to open up.

You can find more great business advice on our website!