Secondhand materials like discarded cabinets and surplus flooring make DIY building projects way more affordable. It’s tough to spend less than $1,500 or so on long-lasting furniture like a large ...

Go to Office Depot. I just assembled a desk (SKU #154198) with way more space than I ever had in the dorms (L-shaped, 60" sides + hutch + kbd tray), was under 100 bucks including the hutch.