Moving an entire office or work space can be a daunting task, especially if you are going to try it on your own. While hiring moving professionals might sound like it will be very costly, one must consider that time is money. Having your office and daily operations down because you choose to save money on movers can end up costing you much more than the movers themselves. Owners and management should consider what it will take to move your office, with or without the professionals. We have gathered 6 tips that we believe will help when relocating an office.
1. Proper Packing Supplies
Cutting corners on packing supplies can be very costly, while the cost of decent packing supplies can actually be quite affordable. Be sure that you have enough durable stackable boxes, bubble wrap, tape, and markers for everyone. You don’t want your movers standing around waiting for someone to finish using a roll of tape. Have plenty of extra so that everyone can keep moving and you can utilize all hands on deck. Stackable boxes make moving easier as they can save on trips with the moving truck. And of course, we all know what can happen to expensive office supplies without having an abundance of bubble wrap.
2. Have a Plan
When moving a work space, having a plan will save you loads of time. Be sure that you plan how you will pack the truck, should you choose to not use professional movers. This will be important as you need to move around each box as little as possible to save time. Be sure that each box is labeled and you have a plan of both how to load and unload the truck. Smaller items should be loaded before larger items such as furniture, because you will want to unload the larger items first to ensure the smaller items can be put away efficiently as they come off the truck. The last thing you’ll want to see is computers and monitors and fax machines being laid out on a floor and not situated on the proper furniture. You will also want to see to it that any boxes that contain confidential or sensitive information are packed in a way that will ensure the fewest hands on it, the most secure travel, and the quickest option to be put away safely.
3. Label Everything
We cannot express this enough. Label everything; label things by room, desk, task, importance- whatever system you find works best. This will help with unloading the truck and then unpacking what is inside all the boxes. If you are planning on reusing boxes, get some stickers to cover the old labels so there isn’t any confusion later.
4. Pack all Computer Components Together
By this we mean pack all computer items together for each system. The last thing you’ll want to be doing when finishing a task like moving would be having to look everywhere for the right power cords, extensions, adapters or accessories. Leave the cords on the computers to ensure they are not lost and can be reconnected easily. Put the mouse and monitors together with the system. Do not separate items that will need to be part of the same setup.
5. Start Packing Early
Packing will take quite a bit of time. However, you can start the process by packing things that are not used on a regular basis early. While some things you will use daily, there are other things in the office that you don’t use often and won’t be missed if they are already in a box for a few weeks before relocation. For example, maybe it is summer and you have heaters that you use in the winter- those can be packed and moved early.
6. Take Pictures of Setups
If you are packing up complex setups, be sure that you take a quick photo. This will allow you to replicate that setup at the new office with ease. Cables and cords are other instances where you could benefit from taking a photo so that they can be properly set up again later.
