Working from home has been a pipe dream for many for some time.
There were always suspicions that the world would gradually shift in that direction and if one were to analyze the data, there certainly has been a gentle movement over the last few years.
Of course, coronavirus has accelerated such plans. It means that many people are working from home long before they ever thought they would be – and this has meant the rise of the home office.
For the odd day at home, most of us could have survived on the end of an old desk, with an even older chair as support.
Suffice to say, as the working from home approach becomes longer-term and a little more permanent, this changes. It means that real office solutions have entered the picture. For some of us this might be standing desk, while for others it might be brand-new shiny ones that just slot into our home interiors a little more easily.
A lot of the advice over the last few months has focused on how to source items such as the above. Something that is perhaps forgotten is what to do with your older office equipment. It most probably still serves a purpose, just not as a permanent solution.
Bearing this in mind, we’ve put together the following guide which discusses some options.
Save it for the future
It might feel redundant now, but sometimes it is worth sitting back and considering if the item in question might be useful later down the line.
For example, while your home probably doesn’t have the capacity to fit two office desks, let’s not forget that on the whole this furniture is expensive. If you have children who are perhaps going to flee the nest to university, it might come in use. Or, if you have your own business, the same rules apply.
If there is any likelihood that you might keep an item, perhaps rent a storage unit. This is a best of both worlds approach and you can quickly retrieve the item if necessary.
The classic eBay approach
It feels as though there was once a time where everybody was trying their hand at eBay. With the emergence of other big online brands, it feels as though it’s lost its appeal but for the purposes of office furniture, it can still work to fantastic effect.
Are you going to make significant sums selling your furniture? Probably not. After all, particularly after the recent lockdown, office furniture is quite a hot item at the moment and competition is rife. However, it will mean that it is taken off your hands, even for a small price.
Local authority collections
This will depend on what area of the country you reside in, but most local authorities offer some form of bulky item collection service. Some are free, and some cost a nominal amount. You’re never quite sure where the furniture is going to end up, which is a downside, but it’s an easy way to offload it (particularly if you don’t have a large vehicle to transport it anywhere).
The last resort; sending it to the recycling center
Similarly to above, this is all about disposing your item. We’ve classed it as a last resort as it will mean that the item is broken up and probably never used as office furniture again. For some, this will be the only option, and can free up some much-needed space in your home.