Are you in the process of moving office equipment? Well, Office moving can be a daunting task, but with the right preparation, it doesn’t have to be.
Whether you’re relocating down the street or across the country, there are some things you need to do – and some things you need to avoid to make sure your valuable equipment arrives safely and efficiently.
The diligent prep work leading up to your office move will ultimately make the day of moving less stressful. We’ll go over the dos and don’ts for moving office equipment, so you can be sure to avoid any mishaps and keep your business up and running as quickly as possible.
Do A Favour For Yourself And Hire Office Moving Company
Moving equipment can be a major hassle. Between packing up your belongings, loading them into a truck, and unloading everything again at your new office, there’s a lot to do. And if you’re doing it all yourself, it can be even more stressful. Why not take the easy way out and hire a professional moving company instead?
Hiring professional office movers is the best option and the easiest way to move your business. They take care of arranging everything in order to make the relocation process easier for you.
You will be assigned a customer service representative who will help guide you through the whole process and make sure everything goes smoothly. Moving equipment without the right training could cause damage to your office, while also increasing your chance of injuring yourself in the process.
No matter whether you plan to manage the relocation yourself or engage a professional office moving company, the tips provided below, in either case, will help you to organize your office move more efficiently.
Do Plan Ahead – Make the Right Decisions in Advance
Planning is an essential part of ensuring a smooth office move. To make sure you are ready for moving day, start planning early.
The earlier you’ve started, the better. Things to consider include:
- What office equipment needs to be moved?
- Who is going to be responsible for packing it?
- How long will the move take?
- Where will office furniture be placed?
- Who is going to be responsible for cleanup after the move?
The more you plan, the easier the whole process will be. You should compile everything Just like you should do with a local moving checklist.
It’s a good idea to have a meeting with everyone who will be involved in the moving process. Discuss a timeline of the moving process and choose a commercial moving day.
DO research office movers in your area and contact the moving company at least two weeks before the move. This will allow enough time for the company to conduct a site visit. This visit is necessary in order to give you an accurate estimate of how much your move will cost and how long it will take. Also, by contacting them in advance, you can schedule a date for the move that works best for your schedule.
Don’t Rush The Moving Process
Moving office equipment is a time-consuming process, especially if you’re moving to a larger space and need to configure your new equipment.
Don’t underestimate the time It takes to get everything up and running again. Just because you have a larger space doesn’t mean your company can go back to full speed instantly.
To prevent both interruptions to the business and costly mistakes, allow for enough time to set up the equipment.
Do Make a Checklist of Everything You’re Taking With You
Moving out of an old office doesn’t have to mean the end of every piece of equipment and furniture you used to have.
If your old office is still in use, you can negotiate with the new tenants to see if they will take over any of your equipment.
You can also sell old office equipment which you don’t plan to take with you or just give away. There are many charities that would love your old computers, printers and other office equipment.
Create separate lists for the things you’ll pack yourself and those that your mover will pack. Based on your move plan, start packing items that require the least amount of work first.
Don’t assume you can do all the work yourself. Many items need to be disassembled and packed carefully before they are moved, and this takes specialized training. Professionals will know how to properly pack these items to avoid damage or injury.
Do Label All of Your Office Equipment
This will make the equipment easier to identify, which will make it possible for your movers to pack everything properly. It will also prevent any accidents or confusion when setting up in your new office.
Even with all your careful packing, you can still lose track of what is packed into each box. Mark all items on the outside of the box to prevent this from happening.
Don’t forget to also mark the boxes according to room number so you can easily find them once they are unpacked.
DO pack all electrical cords and cables in your office equipment neatly together in a small box. Keeping all cords and cables neat, tidy, and organized will help the movers to find them easily when unpacking in the new office location.
Do Have A ‘Go’ Box For Last-Minute Items
As you get closer to moving day, it can be easy for little things to slip your mind. That’s why it’s a good idea to have a “go” box with spare cables, power cords, keyboards and mice so that last-minute items can be packed in one place. This will save you time and trouble, ensuring that nothing gets misplaced or forgotten.
The ‘go’ box can also be useful for packing important items you need a first thing at your new office. If you have any USB sticks or other forms of removable media, these can be added to the box for easy access once you have everything unpacked.
As most people know, time is money in this day and age. It’s important to ensure that removing items from boxes doesn’t become a huge chore. That’s why it makes sense to keep all of your most important items in one place, where they are easy to find.
You can also use it as a general catch-all for smaller items that don’t have anywhere else to go – for example, cable tidy bags or loose cables and power adapters. It’s a great way to stay organized during what can be a hectic time!
Don’t Drag Your Feet On Moving Day
Moving day is very challenging because it requires a lot of physical and mental effort from every person involved. If people are required to work on moving day, you have to make sure that they are prepared for this.
Everyone involved in the office move should be aware of what is expected of them, so they know exactly what they need to do.
DO ensure that the new space is ready for immediate use. You have a move-in day set, but what if the building owner hasn’t turned on the electricity or Internet yet? Or the locksmith hasn’t arrived to change all your locks? Or you can’t access the new space because someone’s parked in the only available parking space?
A lot of complications can arise on moving day, but these can be avoided by ensuring that the necessary utilities are turned on ahead of time.
Conclusion
Office relocation can be stressful and difficult. However, if you plan ahead and do your research, hire the right moving company, this process will go smoothly.
Using the tips provided here will help you minimize your stress and make your move as pleasant as possible.
