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  • Home Office Ideas

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    Home Office Ideas

    What Type of Work are you doing?

    Furniture is for supporting your body, equipment, and storage. Let’s start with the easy stuff 1st and what things you need to have “at hand” for your work. In the olden days, I had 18′ for furniture binders and 2 bins for finish/fabric samples. Now some companies do this online. My Resource Library is a professional resource for designers, facility managers, and contract dealerships. It has loads of commercial furniture layouts and images. This is what replaced my wall-mounted A02- 18′ shelves and 2 bins of color samples. I still have 1 small bag of color samples. Also, for residential home ideas, Houzz is a very good website.

    Work From Home

    Many working at home are doing creative, data-driven work and your storage needs are very small. Maybe a mobile set of drawers or a decorative bookcase. Others need printer supplies, paper, or old-school binders. Unless you have a dedicated office with a door, I suggest mobile storage that can be moved out of the way and an adjustable table sized to fit your needs. There are nice moving pads that will slide over low pile carpet and many lightweight storage units with wheels. Zuma Office Supplies started in 2009 and has your everyday products to help your work. https://www.zumaoffice.com/charities They have done lots of work to help those in need.

    Pads, Phones, and P.C.’s

    Data input computers for real work may need a table and monitor support. Stand Steady in Fairfax Virginia, does a great job at helping people be comfortable at work. In 2012, Day Martin was having some back pain, and sitting all day at work was very uncomfortable. She built her 1st standing desk out of some cardboard boxes and later that year Stand Steady was born. They have a complete offering of products to support your body, equipment, and focus.

    Chairs? See post #11 What is THE BEST chair for work

    Home Office Ideas

    You want to be able to focus, with no sound or visual distractions. Window Coverings are very helpful and Budget Blinds in Santa Cruz has automated solutions, so you don’t have to break your attention. Headphones are great for sound. Foldable 5’H screens help too, they usually fold into 3 sections with a wood frame covered in imaged fabric and feel like painting canvas. Adjustable blinds to control sunlight are very important for screen glare. Power and Date feed your machines, plan for power charging, and maybe a WiFi booster. An adjustable monitor supports will make your work time more comfortable, surface mount or wall mount. There are some floor mount stands available that work great with small scooter tables.

    Video Meeting?

    Video team meetings have become a workplace tool that I do not use. Some important things in media production (that is what you are doing now) are lighting, sound, and background staging. Most upgraded phones on a stand can get you by and may be fine. I know YouTube has some very professional media producers that will share their tips, tricks, and product reviews. Happy Zooming.

    SHUT-R-DOWN

    It is still important to be able to close the office for the day, mobile, foldable items, and 5’H screens can get that job done. YES, shut it down and put the office away, your home is more important than work. If you are feeling that work is more important than the home that may be the right order of priorities for that stage in your life. “Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.” Some old Jewish guy wrote that and it is still true today. If you cannot support yourself, your family, and your home… get a better work plan.

    Working From Home

    This can be very different for everyone, the basics are…

    1. Support Your Body
    2. Move to keep engaged and your fluids flowing.
    3. WATER
    4. comfortably support your equipment.
    5. Choose to store your stuff strategically, it may be an opportunity to stand up and move.

          6. Control your environment to help you succeed.

    Step up your home’s storage and save with TheShelvingStore.com.

    Home Office Ideas, even if your home is On The Road.

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  • How to choose THE BEST work chair.

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    How to choose THE BEST work chair.

    Previously we discussed ergonomics. By definition, all chairs are designed for different activities and therefore they are all ergonomic. Talking about ergonomic chairs may be common, but most times the word is not used very well.

    Let’s talk about work

    When people are performing the work, they use various activities to accomplish their goals. Most of us do a variety of things during our work day and that is one reason adjustable chairs work so well. Also, in a group setting the same chair can be adjusted for each work activity and size of the person. With some study and practice, they can perform very well for almost everyone. Some important features are…

    Seat height

    A simple gas lift gives a quick adjustment and some softness to the chair. As we sit down the gas is compressed and we float on a gas-filled post.

    Arm pad positions

    Arm pads, height, angle, tilt, slide front to back, or fold back out of the way. Many of us use both hands for data input with our elbows out and hands close together.

    Back angle and height

    While doing data entry, many people lean forward and on their arms and wrists. Adjusting their upper body weight to those areas that can be compressed and cause real medical problems. Properly setting up the back of the chair and training yourself to lean back will transfer some of the upper body weight to the chair and off sensitive hands/wrists. Console gamers figured this out pretty early.

    Lumbar support

    Your lower back is referred to as your lumbar region and has a natural curve. An adjustable lumbar pillow or support can help you dial your chair and when it is good, it is very good.

    Free float tilt tension

    When you answer the phone for a voice call is a great time to lean back and relax. Many chairs can be released to free float tilt with quick activation. If the call will last sometimes a nice walk might be used, movement helps the whole body.

    There are many many options and you will spend some time over the years focusing on what you like. Also, your body will change, and job roles and types of activities will change too.

    Shop Chairs

    Shop furniture needs to hold up to the environment, your tools, and hazards. I specified 400+ chairs for a large Airforce Base that supported A-10 Warthogs and other equipment. Cramer makes 100% Rhino Tough chairs. There was a detailed RFP spec sheet and the Cramer Triton R+ chair met them all. The final on-site test was a “solder test”, they melted real solder and poured on onto different parts of the chair. At that point, it was Rhino+ tough and they got the job.

    How to choose THE BEST work chair.

    Some work is done in a Hospitality setting. We did a corporate project in Pebble Beach by 17 Mile Drive during the Covid. No Rhino Tuff chairs are needed at this worksite. America’s Leading Teak Furniture Manufacturer was the right vendor. They had the best chairs and tables for that type of “work” to help their people relax, recover, and connect with their team, and 100% ergonomic for that application.

    What type of work needs to be supported?

    Bodies, tasks, and equipment all work together to get the job done right. I can’t say with honest integrity “This is THE BEST CHAIR work chair”. Both of the above examples took time, questions, research, and effort to get great results. Helpful questions, distilling down to the nuts and bolts of what needs to be supported. Planning, forecasting the final solutions, and executing realistic logistics take work.

    Real Logistical Customer Service

    The corporate project in Pebble Beach during The Covid? The delivery was split into 4 separate installations and ran 6 months over schedule. It took real logistical customer service WORK to help them with all the summer events they had planned. We provided loaner furniture, multiple on-site staging, and weekly updates. This is the work that needs to be done and the furniture dealer always needs the furniture to make those installations successful.

    Just make it cheap, easy, and fast.

    Essendant may be the best logistic office support vendor around and work with coast-to-re-sellers like https://www.zumaoffice.com/ Large contract pricing, global delivery network, and “if we got it – you get it”. Even during The Covid work still needs to get done and they specialize in that. Just to be clear, fast is not cheap and you can get deep discounts on “made to order” projects. Easy does not = good results and cheap is just cheap. Business is dynamic, many times “the plan” changes and we need stuff RIGHT NOW. Sometimes the very best chairs are 12 blue task chairs with 4 folding tables for training in Elko Nevada delivered in 2-3 days. Not cheap, not easy, yes it was fast and in 2008 not much was out there.

    How to choose THE BEST work chair. For your body and your type of work.

    I am an  Etsy,  Fiverr Affiliate,  Shelving.com,  StandSteady.com,  SwimOutlet.com,  ZumaOffice.com,  GameFly.com,  cambriabike.com,  Quictent.com,  Crandall Office Furniture,  Jackery,  The New Alpha,  Coinbase,  RVT  , Industry West, Eternity Modern, Walrus Oil, Antique Farm House furniture, Casa Gear promotor and have Bookshop.org/shop/Local831Furniture, and get a small commission from each sale.

     

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  • Outdoor Furniture

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    Outdoor Furniture

    Local 831 Life Style and we LOVE to be outdoors. There are many fun things to do in the 831 Monterey Bay coastline and surrounding mountains. Granted, the mountains are low with now snow and the water is cold all year round. There is no bad weather, just bad clothes. After the adventure, it is time to talk story, drink, and relax.

    Not ready to go inside yet?

    Outdoor Furniture is anything you might sit on, a rock, sand, log, car trunk, or tailgate. At some point, people buy a folding camp chair, table, and plastic stack chairs. As we grow older so does our taste for most things. Furniture gets handed down, sold, and upgraded. Propane patio heaters/fire pits help extend your outdoor enjoyment and won’t have burning embers flying around. Jackery Company has very good battery chargers with optional solar panels. Good quality materials will last for decades, hard surfaces don’t wear out like cushions, vinyl straps, and mesh “slings”.

    What materials?

    Old style cast/mesh iron with powder coat paint is as very durable, if care for the finish is protected. Iron will rust if the protective finish is scratched and moisture gets to the iron metal. While the powder coating process is very advanced in modern factories, iron is still iron and will rust. Higher quality aluminum with a high-tech powder coat finishing process can last for decades. We have seen lots of great frames come back from the 1970s for new powder coats and mesh slings. They look like new and Grandma is always happy. The mesh sling material is PVC coated polyester yarns and the Phifertex brand is what most high-quality companies use. If there are cushions involved Sunbrella brand fabric is made of spun acrylic that is solution-dyed, is THE BEST, and also is used by many umbrella companies. Another very good material used for the frames and table tops is Marine Grade Polymer MGP. Many times is made from recycled plastics like milk jugs. This is very dense, the color goes all the way through (non-scratch) and is heavy so, the normal wind won’t blow it away.

    Wicker Anyone?

    Looking for back home, front porch and comfy. The woven wicker style might be what you want. Old wicker used to be woven plant-based anything, from vines, bark, or strips of rattan. That of course got moldy, bug-infested, and brittle. Modern woven wicker is PVC, vinyl, plastic, and very durable. The higher quality brands use lots of Ultra Violet sun protectors and can last for years. Look for aluminum frames and Sunbrella fabric cushions for lasting durability.

    Teak Wood

    Teak Furniture has a very long history and can be sustainable with proper / documented forestry practices. All wood will change color after milling if not protected. This is natural and can be beautiful, think driftwood at the shore. Just like your hair, you can let nature take its course or do some work. There are products for protection, sealers, and when-needed cleaners. Has a very good line of products and the best “How To” video to help you care for your natural wood furniture.

    Best Practices

    When the wind gets up, put your umbrellas down and tie the straps. Use a good cover to protect from tree/bird droppings and blasting sand. If you can, it is best to bring the cushions inside to keep the critters from nesting in them, they like that, and need time to let them dry out. High-quality materials have anti-microbial properties to prevent mold/mildew, but they will grow on any dirt or organic material left on the furniture. Check the cleaning information for your furniture and a little prevention goes a long way.

    Long Time Santa Cruz Local BIZ

    In 1980 the Freidberg family started a PVC furniture company and Pipe Made Furniture West was born. Their 1st retail location was opened by The Santa Cruz Boardwalk in 1982 and then a second location in Cupertino Ca. For over 40 years the company has grown and evolved into a full-service outdoor living retailer. Building an and expanding customer base with value-added customer service and people-centered products.

    A long way from PVC furniture

    With a Local Home Town vibe, American Leisure Patio has partnered with professional designers, beach rental companies, and contractors to create outdoor living areas that rival many people’s indoor family rooms. Bring the family room and kitchen outside and enjoy Local 831 Life Style #10 Outdoor Furniture. As the Greater S.F. Bay Area has grown over the decades so have Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties. Refined tastes, larger incomes, and luxury homes demand higher quality furnishings. Now working with high-end designer brands, Brown Jordan, Kingsley Bate, O.W. Lee, Gensun, and Tropitone. The full offering can be seen online at https://www.americanleisurepatio.com/ and has happy customers from San Luis Obispo, Livermore and everywhere in between.

    Complete Package

    Furniture is for bodies and people are way more than that. Dining tables for meals, bar height tables for “afters”, umbrellas for shade, and fire for warmth and ambiance. Fun beachy décor, rugs, outdoor sculptures, wall art, and extra fun pillows. Everything to make your outdoor experience fun and comfy.

    Outdoor Furniture

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  • How to plan for long useful life for office furniture

    How to plan for long useful life for office furniture

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    How to plan for long useful life for office furniture.

    Surfaces – Supports – Storage – Screens – Sharing – Solitude

    The hard surface components can have a useful life for 20+ years. We often planned for growth and who would use the parts from that wall-tracked office in the next cubicle expansion. The work surface can be used supported on a panel, adjustable height base, “T” leg, column leg, pedestal drawer, lateral file, flat brackets, or cut up to make panel legs. Moving beyond the idea of each workstation and looking at an inventory of parts for your team to use for many years.

    Refurbished and used parts

    Old fabric panels can be refurbished with new fabric/paint or use paint/laminate to replace the fabric. This will make them very cleanable and extend their useful life even longer. Purchasing used furniture or parts can be a cheap way to go for Start-Ups or an environmental company effort. Many chair parts can be replaced with new OEM parts. Parts is Parts and your facility person can orchestrate a beautiful setting.

    Update what you have

    We continue to adapt to the ever-changing work environment, new health discoveries, or trendy ideas, and the furniture we use can be updated to support our work. Take stock of what you have, how your people are working, and how can you help. If starting from scratch, plan for the next 10-20 years. Refurbished chairs can be re-worked, fabric replaced, or fixed. 

    Design for Happy Work

    Look at your space, and think about the colors and feeling as you walk through. This can be done in your mind or on sketch paper. This is the start of good design, it matters and should be done with purpose. There is an art to creating the balance between a fun and organized workspace. Considering color, the largest office furniture companies have done deep research into what color combinations work best. Trends come and go, new studies show… don’t fear change. New colors can be brought in with less durable goods, think chairs and décor. Human interaction and focused no distraction work both need to be provided for. Most people need both during their work time, social, group discussion and just get the work done. Some professionals will provide you with ideas only limited by your budget.

    Right-Sizing

    Occasionally the office gets “empty”, or downsized or workers just need to isolate in place. The furniture can still be used, should be configured for a safe distance, and may be upgraded with screens. There is a company in Grand Rapids Mi. August Berres that has no wires for their battery-powered work furniture. Freestanding tables, optional screens, and mobile everything.

    How to plan for long useful life for office furniture

    I am an  Etsy,  Fiverr Affiliate,  Shelving.com,  StandSteady.com,  SwimOutlet.com,  ZumaOffice.com,  GameFly.com,  cambriabike.com,  Quictent.com,  Crandall Office Furniture,  Jackery,  The New Alpha,  Coinbase,  RVT  , Industry West, Eternity Modern, Walrus Oil, Antique Farm House furniture, Casa Gear promotor and have Bookshop.org/shop/Local831Furniture, and get a small commission from each sale.

     

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  • No Desk

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    No Desk

    I have spent most of my computer work time on a table, café table, or laptop stand. Desks are just tables that have drawers and Florence Knoll taught us that drawers get in the way of our knees. The table is the work surface, for paper blueprints, equipment, and face-to-face conversations. Now we use pixelated blueprints, laptops, surfaces, and iPads for face-to-face conversations. The table has “zoom meeting” to a very small size and floor space is so much more valuable. We need storage for stuff, not paper files. The desk has been dead for a very long time and most of us don’t have space at home for that big hulking drawer holder. Furniture has a long history and even longer future.

    Flexible Furniture

    Herman Miller company understood this and made this very adjustable keyboard stand, the scooter. I had one for many years and loved it. Old things are new again. With our input equipment getting smaller and mobile this concept is very helpful. The big monitors can be wall-mounted or hung on a floor stand. Your very comfy chair and adjustable small table can get you in the zone for hours of flow state.

    Small, mobile, and adjustable.

    Several companies offer modern tables like this, scaled for laptops or small monitor arms. Many have gas lift height and tilt adjustments, less expensive ones are manual with slides and hand-tightened screws. Adjustable Tables for small-scale equipment can be a great space-saving solution.

    Stand Steady is my favorite adjustable personal computer table source. They even have mobile tables that are designed so you can work in bed.

    The Work From Anywhere, RV, and Van Lifestyle has given new innovations for what Road Work is.

    No Desk

    I am an  Etsy,  Fiverr Affiliate,  Shelving.com,  StandSteady.com,  SwimOutlet.com,  ZumaOffice.com,  GameFly.com,  cambriabike.com,  Quictent.com,  Crandall Office Furniture,  Jackery,  The New Alpha,  Coinbase,  RVT  , Industry West, Eternity Modern, Walrus Oil, Antique Farm House furniture, Casa Gear promotor and have Bookshop.org/shop/Local831Furniture, and get a small commission from each sale.

     

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  • NeoCon 2021

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    NeoCon 2021

    “NeoCon has served as the world’s leading platform and most important event of the year for the commercial design industry since 1969. A launch pad for innovation—NeoCon offers ideas and introductions that shape the built environment today and into the future.” Quote from the NeoCon website.

    History

    NeoCon is a very large international commercial construction and furniture show. It has been around for about 50 years, about 1 million sq. feet, 500 exhibitors, and 9 floors, for 3 days at The Chicago Merchandise Mart. Connecting vendors, architects, builders, designers, facility managers, and every other expert involved in a built project. In addition to product demos, there are educational presentations and panel discussions.

    Innovation

    One of the new areas of interest for 2021 is biophilic and outdoor. Biophilic Design is including nature in the built environment, small to large plant-based installations, and water features. Think about using 1970s shopping mall “nature installations” in the workplace. These strategies are used for building energy efficiency, clean air production, lower stress environment, and supporting the health of people there. When you blend the outdoors with indoor, materials need to be upgraded to deal with additional moister and specific wear. Furniture, flooring, and finishes have been developed for this less protected setting. Solar lighting and weather-resistant power distribution were a focus.

    Presentation

    The top issue was “the virus”, how to prevent it and how to survive. There were, of course, many Plexiglas screen products, others were including copper/silver in their fabrics and finishes. Most of all was sharing your stories, listening, and empathizing. Lots of “what is going to happen next” and less “this is what we are doing now”. Planning, strategizing, and building flexibility were the final result of many conversations.

    Should you go?

    Don’t spend your vacation money to go to a business trade show that is a tax deduction for a company. If a company will not pay your way, it may not be right for you at this time in your career. Many students or interns get sponsored every year. Travel, lodging, and food are covered by companies that help you learn more about their interests. The key phrase is “their company interests”, the evaluation of investing in your career has nothing to do with you. Work, study, practice, and make yourself more valuable and worth investing in.

    You should go if, you are new to the industry and the team you are working with is going. If you have a good size construction project that includes furniture. Many times vendors will invite you to presentations, product demos, and panel discussions relevant to your project.

    NeoCon 2021

    I am an  Etsy,  Fiverr Affiliate,  Shelving.com,  StandSteady.com,  SwimOutlet.com,  ZumaOffice.com,  GameFly.com,  cambriabike.com,  Quictent.com,  Crandall Office Furniture,  Jackery,  The New Alpha,  Coinbase,  RVT  , Industry West, Eternity Modern, Walrus Oil, Antique Farm House furniture, Casa Gear promotor and have Bookshop.org/shop/Local831Furniture, and get a small commission from each sale.

     

    Get Cash Back with Rakuten

    Mammoth Nation Patriot Store is America’s Conservative Market Place.

    Axiom Commercial Furniture , Local 831 Lifestyle , Local 831Workstyle ,

    Relax with Nature Videos with Sand 831 on Rumble.

    Local 831 Lifestyle Relaxing Nature Videos on YouTube.

    Thank you for your support,

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  • Ergonomic Adjustable Chairs

    Ergonomic Adjustable Chairs

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    Ergonomic Adjustable Chairs

    The furniture that will most affect your work is what you sit on, subtle or irritating, your chair matters. Today we will talk about what chairs do and some different ergonomic theories. Ergonomic means “designed to the task”, so a folding chair is ergonomic for that task of folding chair. What are you going to use the chair for, how long, what are your body size, work style, and any medical needs? Please seek professional help for health issues, lower back pain, or continued discomfort that may cause serious damage to your body. Listen to your body, and do not be afraid of playing with adjustments through the day and for different tacks. I found that being able to lean back while talking on the phone was helpful. Many modern chairs come with a seat slider for front-to-back depth adjustment. Also, some chairs come in small, medium, or large.

    History

    The history goes back to 1505 with wheels and height adjustment. Over time urban work changed with more people working in factories, and office equipment began to improve. Engineers began to study how health and body stress could be improved with better office chairs. Several advances were made in the 1800s, including padded upholstery, swivel castor wheels, and back adjustment.

    Herman Miller Company

    Herman Miller company designed the first modern human-centered chair for office work, the Ergon Chair in 1976 by Bill Stumpf.

    “Philosopher and writer William Gass defined comfort as the “lack of awareness,” and Stumpf latched onto this definition as a goal for what could be achieved through ergonomic design. But he extended comfort beyond the physical to the psychological and emotional. As a prelude to his first chair design for Herman Miller, Stumpf laid out the criteria for comfort, several of which have been reimagined by artist Mike Perry in the animation that accompanies this story. These ideas come from his Ergon concept book, and were key to his proposal outlining the world’s first chair designed with ergonomic performance as a criterion.” History of the Ergon chair, Herman Miller company. This became what is called today, passive ergonomics, the idea that the chair should follow the body and supportively move with it. Worker productivity has always been important, even when the whip was a main item of influence. Most of the Western Civilization has come a long way and investment in humans is getting more value.

    Ergonomic Adjustable Chair Mechanisms

    Leggett and Platt’s Northfield Metal Products popularized adjustable seats and back angles for another type of office chair. This helped fit the chair to each person and the type of work they were doing. At the time it was very complicated…seat, back, and arm height – forward / backward seat and back tilt, seat depth slider, free rocking, and tilt lock. Lots of paddles, ” do you want a 3-paddle chair or 7-paddle chair?”. Adjustable lumbar support, headrest support, and the whole spinal column from neck to tailbone. The idea is that the chair should support and hold your body in good posture. #3 ergonomic adjustable chairs. Adjustable arms have made innovative improvements as well. Height, width, forward, back, angles, tilt, and full-on fold-away arms for gun holsters. Avery good company with over a million user reviews with their employer’s names listed is Autonomous and they do a great job supporting your work.

    Made to Move

    Further research revealed that our bodies were designed to move and that movement keeps our fluids moving as well. I think the HÅG brand put it best “the most comfortable position is the next one”. They developed inBalance technology for continuous movement while sitting. Some studies suggest simple contoured wood seats and backs work best to promote a movement that allows for better blood flow. Old things are new again.

    Closed Cell Foam

    Over the years I have enjoyed firm, closed-cell molded foam chairs with contoured seat/backshells, waterfall front seat edge, and a forward tilt setting. The forward tilt allows me to shift my weight from my lower back to my legs and a knee tilt mechanism works best for me. A knee tilt mechanism has the pivot point at the front of the seat rather than the center of the seat and keeps the front edge in the same place with the back lowering. When the pivot point is in the center, the front edge raises and adds pressure behind the knees. Even with a waterfall curved front edge on the seat, there is still added pressure constricting blood flow.

    “I tried one”

    Then 1994 happened, Herman Miller released the Aeron Chair or Borg chair, because resistance is futile. It took the tech world by striking looks, environmental materials, this new keeping your body cool thing, and just a better work chair. The Herman Miller crew with Don Chadwick and Bill Stumpf has set a new and lasting standard again. This was the start of recruiters talking about office furniture to potential employees. The Aeron chair became the #1 amenity that was so trendy that people did not even know why they wanted to sit on it, but they had to have it.

    Trending…

    The Mesh chair trend is well established now, with lots of cheap copycats and some good innovations. Work seating is continually developing and buyers still want something new. Treadmill walking desks, inflatable workout ball chairs, seat pad on a pole seating, urethane shop style stools and anything goes seating. #3 Ergonomic Adjustable Chairs are going to be around as long as people sit while they work or play. The “gamer chair” market keeps growing and the main value seems to be themed chairs, licensed media characters, sports teams, and video games. 

    Chairs are like shoes and need to be “tried on”, you will not get great results from YouTube reviews.

    Final Thoughts, movement is good for the body, comfort, and support.

    1. What will the seating be used for?
    2. What size person of persons will use it?
    3. Training of adjustments and best practices.
    4. Cleaning and maintenance.
    5. How long is the expected useful life of the product?
    6. Multi-worker use, shift work, and multi-purpose use.
    7. Environmental expectations and end-of-life plan.

    Ergonomic Adjustable Chairs

    I am an  Etsy,  Fiverr Affiliate,  Shelving.com,  StandSteady.com,  SwimOutlet.com,  ZumaOffice.com,  GameFly.com,  cambriabike.com,  Quictent.com,  Crandall Office Furniture,  Jackery,  The New Alpha,  Coinbase,  RVT  , Industry West, Eternity Modern, Walrus Oil, Antique Farm House furniture, Casa Gear promotor and have Bookshop.org/shop/Local831Furniture, and get a small commission from each sale.

     

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  • Office Furniture History

    Office Furniture History

    This post has affiliate links and we make a small commission on any order.

    Office Furniture History

    Furniture was grudgingly bought to support the equipment needed for workers to produce whatever their job was. Also, it show the status of managers, executives, and company presidents. Let’s walk through some office furniture design history. Some things have not changed, ego is still very big and the evolution of office furniture continues.

    Main Drivers for Purchasing

    What drove the invention of office furniture was the equipment and business machines that it supported. The study of ergonomics, body mechanics, OSHA laws, all-day computer use, and insurance claims gave the monetary justification to improve furniture for the office worker. Things have kept going up in price, the computer worker has become more valuable and so the importance of great ergonomic chairs to support them. Humanscale has a deep history in the development of ergonomic office chairs, thanks to the work of Niels Diffrient. The equipment has become more valuable, and complex and requires more power/data support. The Dot Com $$$ and the coolness of geek-dome gave rise to some high-end Silicon Valley Style furniture. Cubicle life- fat bundles of data cables, heavy power requirements sent cubicle panels from 1″ to sometimes 4″+ and taking up more real estate than ever. More coffee shop style, with collaborative areas to work on a lounge chair or sectional sofa.

    High Tech leads to Small Tech

    The tech changed work-life again with smaller lighter and lighter equipment than IBM could ever imagine. Laptops, I-phones. I-Pads and mobile mobile mobile. Many people lost their dedicated cubicles or office. Touchdown stations became available when they got to an office. Maybe not ever their office, maybe a coffee shop or co-working space. The Dot-Com bust, the bean counters were having fits, work still needed to get done and Dilbert was even out of a job.

    The DOT BOMB

    In 2000 we moved east to The Central Valley and were selling old metal desks again. In 2005, for health reasons, we moved to Salt Lake Utah, and back to selling modern office furniture again. New product prices came down and the electrical height adjustable table/desk became the “must-have” to attract new talent. The financial controllers in Silicon Valley adjusted to the new equipment needs and implemented the “open plan” workspace. The history of the desk came to an end. This drove down the size of each employee’s work space and drove even more people to work remotely. Think about the gym, how not everyone can be there at once and people figure out when it is not crowded. You may have realized that the open-plan office was like working in a cafeteria. High headcount, high distraction, low personal space, and poor air quality. The tech workers were younger, more expensive, and needed more “toys” at work and on playgrounds. Work Furniture adapted again.

    Office Furniture History marches on.

    I am an  Etsy,  Fiverr Affiliate,  Shelving.com,  StandSteady.com,  SwimOutlet.com,  ZumaOffice.com,  GameFly.com,  cambriabike.com,  Quictent.com,  Crandall Office Furniture,  Jackery,  The New Alpha,  Coinbase,  RVT  , Industry West, Eternity Modern, Walrus Oil, Antique Farm House furniture, Casa Gear promotor and have Bookshop.org/shop/Local831Furniture, and get a small commission from each sale.

     

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  • How to Buy Office Furniture: The Local 831 Guide.

    This post has affiliate links and we make a small commission on any order.

    How to Buy Office Furniture: The Local 831 Guide.

    Update from 5-2022. Shop online through social media, affiliate content producers, or other people that create helpful information to support your work. There are lots of resources and empty office buildings full of furniture. These same principles are a good way of planning for adding furniture to help support your body and equipment.

    Can we work together?

    Space- what is the space that we will be working in? Also, you should put a list of requirements if you do not already have the building that will be used. Office space selection is very important for many reasons and needs a separate post. This is a short list of thoughts.

    Size, will the space fit, and support the number of people? In other words, will the people and equipment have enough room to get their work done efficiently? Data entry and a production line have very different square foot requirements for employees.

    Time, how long do you plan to use that building, and what changes in growth should be expected? For example, is there planned hiring for data entry, or is that new production line scheduled for next year?

    Logistics, parking, data /power, and tuck docks with warehouse storage. Commuting for employees and traffic patterns for a new location has become very important over the years.

    On-site measure, DWG, PDF, or pencil sketch on paper. Let’s get on the same page and define the walls, columns data/power entry. At Fiverr, some people will do project work and computer drawings are easy to do as a remote task.

    Design Resources

    There are also, office furniture design specialists that can put a plan together for you to send out to bid. You should pay them a per square foot amount or a flat fee. If they ask for an hourly amount, it could be very difficult to monitor. There are many places to see furniture online. My Resource Library has become the industry standard, they also can help you organize the vendor catalogs for specific areas or the whole project. When you use fewer vendors, you can get deeper discounts. There are also Government resources that can help with seeing the bigger picture and then focus on each department. I have compiled an extensive glossary of furniture terms in Post #26.

    Go TEAM

    The main idea at this point is to put a team together, to develop a plan and budget for your project. This will give you “the big picture” early and you will use the floor plans every meeting. Many furniture dealerships offer these “add-on” services, track the value and if you don’t buy from them… you get billed. Read the fine print before you sign, it is sage advice for a reason.

    Scope of Work

    What type of work needs to be supported, company culture, café style, manufacturing shop, or cocoon coding? Most likely there will be a variety of work areas, meeting spaces, and alcoves. Also, plan for the next stages of growth, downsize, or flex work from home. Office furniture space planning and design have a long and valuable history. Good design is good value for workflow, social distance, sound management, and focused attention.

    Style

    Branding corporate culture has become ever more important through social media. Your building, furniture, and office amenities can be a very powerful set of communication tools. The back office is “seen” more than ever and can help potential partners, customers and employees build trust.

    Specifying Furniture

    The hard and soft of it – Furniture Specification? Basic follow up from the above, let’s help the people produce. At this point, we should have a pretty good idea of what and how to accomplish the project. #1 How to buy: office furniture purchasing process

    Final Selections

    The main drivers- style, time, budget? What will filter out the endless options? The lead time might cut right to the shortlist. The budget and style need to be balanced. There are endless images to look at. Take a look at office furniture shopping online and see what you like.

    Wrap up the details

    Nuts & Bolts- parts list anyone? I am still a fan of Excel and use it for job costing, purchase orders, and receiving counts. Let’s figure out power, cabling, lighting, monitor arms, adjustable work surfaces, keyboard trays, chair mats, and steel storage.

    Shelving Inc.

    Comparing Quotes

    How did your office furniture shopping go, is there anything you would like me to change? Make revisions early, Change Orders cost time and money. Savvy entrepreneurs have learned the value of clean, quality used office furniture.

    As-Is Furniture

    We have LOTS of empty office space and vacant furniture due to “Work at Home” during the start of the 2020s. Used furniture is a viable option and should not be overlooked. These items may supplement your project with meeting tables, lobby furniture, or possibly the whole project. Large inventories can be shared with multiple companies through long-term business contacts or social media groups. Skip the warehouse, buy direct, DIY project manage, and get FREE furniture.

    How to Buy Office Furniture: The Local 831 Guide.

    This can go very well or just as bad. Do you have a facilities ROCK STAR on your payroll? They are worth all the $$$ on a project. When a facility is decommissioned, everything goes- I.T. (the whole package), the phone system, copier/fax, surplus toner, and office supplies. Battery / Server backups, furniture, Post-Its, and everything. This has been a GOLDMINE for Start-Ups that have people with “the knowledge about the doing”. Note: when subcontracting knock down (K/D), and removal (palletizing and speed packing) for truck loading, it helps to have the same company deliver, unload and install the furniture. Keeping the command chain of liability is very important and you want that chain short and tight.

    Project Management

    Logistics- schedule subs? Who is going to do what and when? Plan moving, sell surplus items, or send them home for flex WFH.

    Are we still getting along? Let’s load the deposit and pull the trigger. If you are a larger organization a Purchase Order or Purchase Card will get things started.

    Please sign here, so I can start the real work of making your project a great success.

    X _______________________________

    How to Buy Office Furniture: The Local 831 Guide.

     

    I am an  Etsy,  Fiverr Affiliate,  Shelving.com,  StandSteady.com,  SwimOutlet.com,  ZumaOffice.com,  GameFly.com,  cambriabike.com,  Quictent.com,  Crandall Office Furniture,  Jackery,  The New Alpha,  Coinbase,  RVT  , Industry West, Eternity Modern, Walrus Oil, Antique Farm House furniture, Casa Gear promotor and have Bookshop.org/shop/Local831Furniture, and get a small commission from each sale.

     

    Get Cash Back with Rakuten

    Mammoth Nation Patriot Store is America’s Conservative Market Place.

    Axiom Commercial Furniture , Local 831 Lifestyle , Local 831Workstyle ,

    Relax with Nature Videos with Sand 831 on Rumble.

    Local 831 Lifestyle Relaxing Nature Videos on YouTube.

    Thank you for your support,

    Charles Bradley