August 06,2020 |

5 Tips for Moving to a New Office

 

Moving to a new office space is just as complex a process as moving into a new home – and often with a much tighter packing and unpacking schedule.

You’ve got plenty of bulky furniture, electronics that must be handled with care, and an abundance of miscellaneous supplies to move. We haven’t even mentioned the precision required in ensuring that every piece of equipment makes it to the correct room, and gets set up correctly! No matter the size of your company, relocating your office is no easy task – and downtime must be kept to a minimum, because operations can’t stop.

Check out our tips below to make your office move quick, easy, and well organized!

PRIORITIZE I.T.

It’s likely that the biggest challenge of your office move will be in your I.T. department. Once you’ve decided on the date of your move, it’s best to meet with your I.T. department and have them draft a plan for how the disconnection, transfer, and reconnection of tech will go. This is a complicated job with delicate equipment involved, and your I.T. pros will know best how to safely move everything from point A to point B.

You can’t forget about the phone and internet lines, which must be included as a task for I.T. The easiest mistake to make is not setting up your internet connection properly in advance of the move – which includes testing WiFi and ethernet connections. The good news is that this is also an easy problem to avoid with planning and task assignment, which leads us to our next tip…

PLAN YOUR MOVE

They say the early bird catches the worm, and we agree – but we’d caution against “winging it” when it comes to your office move. You’ll want to begin planning phases of the move as soon as you know you’ll be relocating: you can start by creating a labeling style that works for you and your team, so everyone is on the same page about what’s going where at the new office. If you use a colour coding or numbering system, be sure to prominently display a helpful tag on the door of each room at your new location.

Next, you can try packing in waves – with the least used or backup items being packed away first, followed by infrequently used items, and finally, your office’s day to day items. This will help make the packing volume manageable, and it’s also the best way to load the truck: essential items will be the first things unpacked.

UPDATE YOUR ADDRESS

Your team is probably aware that you need to update your mailing address for vendors and customers, but don’t forget that you’ll also need to update and order new business cards, promotional materials, letterhead, and envelopes right away. It’s best to order these items to your current office as soon as possible after you’ve confirmed the new address, so you have them when you need them. Don’t forget about your online presence: Google, Yelp, Facebook, and other digital spaces will need to know your new address ASAP, especially as some of these services may have a re-verification process for your page.

RESEARCH LOCAL MOVING COMPANIES

We recommend doing plenty of research and getting quotes from a minimum of 3 moving companies before you decide on your mover. Your move coordinator will explain the estimate to you in detail, but you’ll want to be sure you’re getting the best value for your move – and that doesn’t always mean the lowest cost. Check out their online presence and reviews, and seek recommendations from trusted colleagues in your industry. If you can make it work for your budget, use a full-service moving company to save yourself and your employees a heap of time and stress on moving day. Full-service moving companies can handle not only loading and off-loading, but also packing, unpacking, some furniture assembly, and more.

The moving company you use should also be fully licensed and insured. Beware of exceptionally low rates for this reason – if it seems too good to be true, it probably is!

CELEBRATE THE SUCCESSFUL MOVE!

Moving to a new office requires patience and teamwork, and it’s stressful for every employee. Budget for a small party to thank your team for playing their part in the move, to celebrate a successful transition into your new space, and to make the new office feel a little bit more familiar! You don’t have to throw a major celebration – even a nice lunch courtesy of the company will do to show your appreciation for your staff.

If you’re planning an upcoming office move, check out Two Small Men with Big Hearts – we have a proven track record of successful, full-service office moving. We’re ready to provide you with a free quote!

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