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10 Steps to Buying School Furniture

Furniture Buying
with Smith System.

If your school just received funding to build a new school or purchase new furnishings, it’s an exciting time. But getting from green light to grand unveil will involve a heap of decisions, including how to buy new school furniture. Here’s a handy 10-step plan to help get your head around this 9-month process. You got this!

Step 1 Establish Your Team

Superintendent
District Business
Manager
District Facilities
Manager
Principal

Step 2 Team Visioning

Create a vision together based on a few simple questions around size, technology, budget and teaching strategies.

Step 3 Vendor Selection

If you don’t already have a vendor, this step could include input from local furniture dealers and/or your interior designer.

Step 4 Begin Implementation

Work with your vendor representative to discuss vision, budget and a few basic specs for your space.

Step 5 School Tours

Take advantage of learning from other schools that have already been through this process with your vendor.

Step 6 Sit, Touch & Try

As a team, this is your chance to experience furniture up close to see what styles and functions may be right for your needs.

Step 7 Plan & Prepare

Begin culling down selections to what you’d like to see in a trial classroom or two. Try different shapes of desks or seating styles and see what works.

Step 8 The Trial Classroom

Work with the vendor to test out different configurations and review how each piece functions.

Step 9 Design, Budget & Lead-Time Planning

Work with your team to compile all furniture specs, quantities and budgets for each room.

Step 10 Finalize P.O.

Work with your team and school board (if necessary) to finalize your budget before placing your purchase order.
Check out the full blog post for more on the furniture buying process or click HERE to request a catalog.
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