How To Make Moving An Office Easier

If you need to move your office to a new location, you may be wondering how you’ll organize everything for a smooth move. While this can be challenging (especially if it’s a large office), there are ways to keep confusion down. The first step? Hiring a professional mover.

Finding the right moving company is key. You want a company that pays attention to your needs and has handled office moves. You also want to have a point person to work with and their overall plan for your move. This information can help you make your decision.

Once you are ready to get started, here are a few things you should do:

• Create a timeline
  A timeline of when you will be moving will keep you organized. The timeline should also have a checklist of tasks that need to be completed and an accountability chart. Create an in-house moving team that will help coordinate the move by department. Assign tasks to the people on the team to ensure all the work doesn’t fall on one person.
• Let the moving company pack your things
  Although personal items should be packed by their individual owners, the moving company should supply boxes where these items can be stored. All the other things in the office like pictures, desks, etc. should be packed and handled by the moving company.
• Have a layout ready
  Go to the new location and create a layout of where things should be placed. This will be very helpful to the moving company, especially when they have to reassemble and unpack items. New office locations may look significantly different from the old location so seeing it on paper can help determine if things will come together how you envisioned it.
• Get organized
  Everything should be organized down to the last post-it note. Everything should also be labeled and color-coded along with a master list that is accessible to the moving team. Employees should label their boxes with their full name and department to make things easier to place.
• Communicate the plan
  Once the layout and timelines have been established, it’s time to communicate the plan with all your employees. Sharing the new layout with them will help them get on board. Make sure you share the new address, hand out new cards and email signature tags, and let them know how their belongings should be boxed and labeled. This will help make the transition smooth for everyone. Give employees a day or two to visit the new office and see how their daily routes will change.
• Contact vendors
  Be sure to let all your vendors know about the new location. If possible, invite them to the new location and give them an in-person tour. This helps build relationships.
• Get ready for moving day!
  On moving day, employees should head to the new location and the movers should have already started moving your furniture and other items. Weekend moves are great because it helps the office manager keep things organized without disruption from the employees.