Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption
 


       Downsizer Forum Index -> Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Behemoth

Result - cheap office furniture!

My OH is about to become a teacher which means she needs a proper office space, desk, storage etc. Having quivered at the price of second hand desks and even IKEA stuff I was turning my mind to knonking something together when a chance conversation with a colleague sent me in the direction fo 'the depot'. In this enourmous shed was an area the size of a football pitch covered with old office furniture, desks, filing cabinets, cupboards, pedestals. The guardian of this treasure trove was one of the gnome like men who inhabit the 'facilities section'. To my joy he said I could help myself to any item I wanted as long as I made donation to Water Aid of £10 item. Bargain! One corner desk, two cupboards and a few other bits and pieces later she now has an office in the back of my volvo.
tahir

Is it open to non water workers too? Wink
Behemoth

Not on an 'all comers' basis but it would be possible to sort out bits and pieces for any downsizers in the Yorks area who arrived with a van.

PM me if you're interested and I'll see what I can do. Very Happy
Bugs

That's an excellent idea, I wonder if more companies do it?

We replaced all our office chairs (apparently for H&S reasons, although I think it was all to do with the lines) and were told to help ourselves to the old ones if we wanted them, and there are generally techie bits to be had for the asking (and I do ask!) but in larger companies where it would make more sense they don't seem to have such an enlightened idea. Afraid of being sued I suppose.

Top marks to Yorkshire Water (or whoever they are!)
Behemoth

There's a couple of organisations in based in London and the East Midlands who collect a redistribute office furniture to charities, community groups and small business start ups. I'm suprised more large companies don't do something similar as it's expensive to get rid of the 'waste'.

I hasten to add the furniture was surplus to requirements due to office closures rather than redcoration! Another couple are being closed so there is more on the way.

There's a welded steel framed 6ft or 7ft desk with a steel shelf underneath and a wooden top that's more like a work bench than a desk. It's a tasty bit of kit but too big for me.
jema

I am sitting on quite a nice chair, care of Texaco, who as far as I can gather fancied a change of furniture and hence scrapped some extermely good chairs.
cab

Bugs wrote:
That's an excellent idea, I wonder if more companies do it?


I have it on good authority that at least one major high street retailer intentionally scraps all of their old furniture, to make sure that disgruntled employees can't sue if they take something home and hurt themselves with it. You can be disciplined for taking replaced furniture rather than scrapping it.
twoscoops

Sounds like a good source of furniture. How does she feel about having to use the back of your volvo as an office?
Behemoth

She wont be happy which is why my weekend will be spent moving furniture around thus restoring my car to it's rightful role as a mobile shed.
trigfa

Re: Result - cheap office furniture!

Behemoth wrote:
... she now has an office in the back of my volvo.


That sounds a bit cramped Smile
ButteryHOLsomeness

Re: Result - cheap office furniture!

trigfa wrote:
Behemoth wrote:
... she now has an office in the back of my volvo.


That sounds a bit cramped Smile



Laughing Laughing i was thinking the same thing Laughing Laughing

well done though behemoth!

we once made a fantastic desk by using two of the 2 drawer filing cabinets and a huge flat panel door. the hole where the knob used to be was great for putting all your cords through, kept them tidy. i never had so much work space! we were able to put some book cases up on top along the back and it was amazing for space saving, though you did need a wee step stool to get to some of the items on the shelves but we kept infrequently used items there

worked so well that we made something similar as a work top in our huge unfited kitchen... part of it was workspace part of it was table space (we used cabinets under this door so it would be tall enough to work at whilst standing)
Andrea

Behemoth wrote:
There's a couple of organisations in based in London and the East Midlands who collect a redistribute office furniture to charities, community groups and small business start ups. I'm suprised more large companies don't do something similar as it's expensive to get rid of the 'waste'.



Another idea is to check out specialist office removals companies. One near me is often asked to clear out offices. They leave the throwaway items in their car park for anyone to rummage through as it's cheaper for them to have the public haul it away than pay for waste disposal.

Andrea
nettie

You just have to ask, in a lot of cases. I have a filing cabinet (the keys were lost). a lovely wooden bookcase that has a chipped corner , a great office chair, a computer with loads of gizmos that was deemed too old (pentium 3) to be of use to the company at the time. Sadly I wiped it with a virus but it did me well at the time.
Bugs

Behemoth wrote:
There's a couple of organisations in based in London and the East Midlands who collect a redistribute office furniture to charities, community groups and small business start ups. I'm suprised more large companies don't do something similar as it's expensive to get rid of the 'waste'.


I've just read very good things about these people:

http://www.green-works.co.uk/

based in London, but with outlets in Durham, Leicester, Wolverhampton and Paisley.

At a quick glance from someone who doesn't at the moment need anything from them, they look very handy and the website seems to have plenty of detail including stock lists.
gnome

If you are in the North West - Furniture Matters also has an Office Furniture recycling project, called the Business Re-use Project.

unwanted office equipment is collected from local businesses to be resold to small businesses and community projects at low prices (providing it comes up to standard). equipment includes items such as filing cabinets, desks, office chairs, computers, printers etc - plus anything else they can get their hands on that is useful to an office.

if you are interested, call:

01524 425153 and ask for Paul or Business Re-use Project
       Downsizer Forum Index -> Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Page 1 of 1
Home Home Home Home Home