5 Tips for Office Relocation

September 11 2018

Whether you’re moving home or office, moving is a time-consuming process that can be overwhelming and expensive for a lot of people. Relocating can also serve as an opportunity to evaluate your possessions and to allow for future growth or downsizing. Whatever the reason may be, here at Boxtopia we have 5 tips to help make your move as seamless as possible.

Plan & Pack Early

It’s easy to underestimate the true time it takes to pack up an entire office, especially if you are moving your business yourself. Before you begin the process and estimate the time it will take you, make sure to take an inventory of your items starting with the most important items to your operation (computer, printer…coffee machine?). Always plan for the unexpected! Maybe the move in date will change? Or the moving company cancels – what will you do? It’s important to begin the planning phase as early as possible, and when in doubt always plan for a backup option. Before you start packing, consider ordering used and/or recycled boxes and supplies to save costs and as an eco-friendly measure. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so add on an extra day or two to your original time-frame estimate.

Label your boxes

Label your boxes on the tops and sides while you go; don’t wait until after you’ve packed! This way, you can easily locate important items quickly and be able to better organise where everything goes in the new space. The more boxes you have, the more organised you should be. This could include creating a numbering or colour coding system aligned with your inventory. As well as leaving you in a better (stress-free!) position, this method doubles as evidence if something is lost and a claim needs to be made. Remember, you can never be too organised during the moving process.

Use caution when packing your electronics

This tip should go without saying, but electronics include more than just computers and monitors. Printers, copiers, and other office equipment also needs to be packed carefully, after covers and lids are taped down and printer cartridges as well as other movable compartments removed and appropriately packed away. Make sure to also follow any specific instructions given in their respective manuals, such as how to start them back up once moved and unpacked.

For computers and monitors, thick moving blankets, bubble wrap, or a combination of the two should be used to ensure maximum protection, and they should never be stacked or have other items placed on top of them. Protecting your data with a removable hard drive as an added measure of assurance is also recommended. Remove all cables and pack them separately in large bags using twist ties to keep them untangled, being sure to label which device they belong to as you go for easy set-up post move.

Update your contact information

An oft-forgotten action, make sure to update your address on your website, Google My Business and any merchandise or business cards your firm possesses. Additionally, make sure you have updated your firm’s information on preformatted powerpoint presentations as well as employee email signatures. Along with this housekeeping task, you must notify your bank, creditors, and post office regarding personnel moves, as well as your clients for billing information. If you have listed your business on any online or offline directories, these will also need to be updated. This process can take a long time, so make sure to get a jump on updating contact information! The sooner the better.

Donate what you don’t need

When moving offices you should live by the motto, ‘out with the old, and in with the new’. As you move into a new space, getting rid of unnecessary clutter and devices like old phones, copiers, PC’s, and office furniture should be on your to-do list. What’s more, you can donate these items to registered charities, provide technology to those who need it, as well as receive tax benefits. Why pay to move items you don’t need when you can recycle and reap the benefits? Donate what you don’t need, and feel better for it.

Office relocation is some serious business. Add these tips to your ‘moving office’ checklist, take a deep breath, and set you and your business up for success.

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