With so many people working from home, it is important to have a space where you can focus and be productive. You can use these easy home office update ideas on a budget to spruce up your work area and make it a place you love without spending a fortune.
I’m the type of person that can usually work from anywhere. As long as I have a comfy chair and my laptop, I am good to go.
With my daughter being home from school now, it is more important that I have my own workspace so I’m not interrupted. This also lets her know that if I am at my desk, I am working. When I’m not at my desk, we can play.
I wanted to share a few easy home office update ideas you can use even if you are on a budget. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a productive space set up in your home.
Always remember to keep good records and receipts of anything that you buy for your home office. You will be able to use them as tax deductions to help you save money on your taxes next year.
Don’t forget to check out all of the different ways you can make money from home.
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Easy Home Office Update Ideas on a Budget
Paint
Probably the easiest and cheapest thing you can do is to add a new paint color to your office to dramatically change up the look and feel. If you want a calming space for less stress choose blues or greens. For a more productive and energetic feel, go for reds, oranges, or yellow tones.
Paint isn’t just for walls. You can really update the look of an old desk or bookcase with a good coat of paint.
Find Cheap Office Furniture
One of my favorite places to look for furniture on a budget is Facebook Marketplace. You can find some really great deals on desks and bookcases for your home office.
They may be scratched but that is nothing a new coat of paint or stain can’t fix. You could also add some new pulls or knobs to give it a brand new look without spending a lot of money.
You can see how I find the best deals on Facebook Marketplace. Remember to look on sites like Craigslist and Freecycle, too.
If you don’t have a ton of space for a desk, you can simply find a wood slab, cut it to your specified size, and paint or stain it the color of your choice. Then just use some support brackets to hang it from the wall. You can see an example here. You can even paint the support brackets with a fun pop of color.
Affordable Home Office Makeover Ideas
Budget Organization
Getting rid of the clutter is so important to creating a good workflow. I can’t focus when my desk is a mess so I use some budget friendly organization ideas.
The best place to start looking is the Dollar Tree. They have so many bins, totes, pencil cups, file folders, etc. They may look a little cheap but you can easily make them look fancier with washi tape or by covering them with some pretty paper or fabric.
Look around for things you already have. Old shoeboxes can be used for an in and out box. Just cover them with some pretty wrapping paper. The same goes for old cereal boxes, you can cut them into free magazine or file folders.
If you need more storage space, you can always hang some floating shelves above your desk. They are so easy and affordable to make!
Invest in a Good Office Chair
Don’t skimp on a good comfortable office chair. I recommend spending the majority of your budget on this item. You can work on an old desk but you will want to have a good chair. You will be spending most of your time there, so take care of your back!
I like mixing comfort with style. Having a fun looking chair can add a pop of color to the room. You can change the look of the room from a formal office to a fun more modern one just by switching out the office chair.
Affordable Decor
Use family photos or the kids’ artwork to decorate the walls of your office. This will remind you of why you are working so hard in the first place. I like hanging my daughter’s artwork in these frames because you can easily change out the picture without taking down the frame.
If you like more inspirational quotes or canvas decor, Hobby Lobby is a good place to start looking. Wait until they have their 50% off home decor sale. It usually happens once a month.
To jazz up an old bookcase, you can add some fun wallpaper to the backs of the shelves for a pop of color or a fun design.
Save Money on Office Supplies
If you have to buy expensive items, like computers, printers, etc they easiest way to save is to know the best time to buy.
If you can, buy these items when it is back to school season. A lot of states offer tax free weekends where you don’t have to pay taxes on things that can be used for school. This includes computers, printers, and office supplies. This can easily save you a few hundred dollars. Plus, most of those items will be on sale.
Shop around at wholesale stores like Costco and Sam’s Club. You may be able to find a great deal on electronics.
Costco is a great place to get your printer ink cartridges refilled. You can save up to 60%!
Back to School season is also a great time to stock up on regular office supplies, not just electronics. Grab pens, paper, organizational items, and more for over 50% off or more at places like Target and Walmart.
By using one or all of these easy home office ideas on a budget, you should be able to create a workspace you actually enjoy working in. Let us know how you updated the look of your home office on a budget.
jen says
this is really amazing and informative article. thanks for sharing this article with us.