You started a business. You bought a suit. You received your business and license and all you need now is an office where you can spend the next year of your life getting your business off the ground. The last thing you want is to look to customers like your company doesn't make enough to stay in business. Let's face it. Appearance is everything.



So how do you put an office together without much money? We found a few companies that you can bet on for all the high-quality stuff you need, at affordable prices, and no hidden charges. Ready? Pay attention!

The most important online company we found was Versa Tables. Never heard of them? You have now! Versa Tables designs and manufactures high-quality, affordable, computer furniture for offices and schools, and best of all, ships directly to the consumer without a middle man. And anyone can order from their online site.

For our demonstration, we ordered five attractive black vinyl side chairs (two for your office and three for the reception area), two 48-inch Enclosed Classroom Desks, two task chairs, and two ergonomically enhanced Deluxe Keyboard Arms and Trays for comfort. The whole thing cost us less than $1800, leaving an extra $200 for a few framed pictures, plants, or even a fish tank.

The best thing about Versa Tables?besides their high-end, attractive furniture'is that they don't charge for shipping at all. So what the site says you'll pay, is exactly what you'll pay. No hidden handling fees or weight fees for shipping heavy desks and chairs. They also accept PayPal.

In addition to the basic office furniture, you'll need some supplies: staplers, pens, paper, desk organizers, calendars, etc. We found an impressive variety of products from file containers to pencil sharpeners at Target online. Another great online source is Green Light Office. The site actually tells you if they have the lowest price or not on each item.

When decorating an office, keep in mind that aesthetics are everything. You want your office to look inviting, clean, neat, and convey an image of success. Avoid furniture that's too big for the space, plastic plants, and colors that don't match. Purchase all your office furniture from one source, ensuring the colors work together and the style of the pieces you've chosen are compatible. You don't need to be an interior designer to do this.

Purchasing everything from one source will guarantee that they'll work.

As a small business, you probably won't have retailers bending over backward to get your business, but that's okay. Going direct to the manufacturer's websites can often give you the same prices the 'big guys' get without having to prove yourself first. It's always a good idea as well to start building good credit as soon as you can so that your application will pass when you'd like to begin using purchase orders. The privilege of being able to send a purchase order (which is basically a written guarantee that you'll pay for whatever you're buying so the company will process your order prior to you actually paying for it) only comes with good credit, which is priceless.