Success in the business world can be a blessing, but it also comes with the downside that your organization could eventually outgrow its current space.
When it’s time to branch out in search of new offices to handle your growing staff, the logistics of the move can loom overhead. While this process can be much more complicated than moving to a new home, by no means is it impossible.
Here are a few office packing tips to help you and your staff prepare for the big day.
1. Create a Schedule and Stick to It
It can be easy to put tedious tasks off to another day, but that can get you in significant trouble during office relocation. Eventually, you’re going to run into the end of your company’s lease period, which means any delays could incur unnecessary expenses.
One of the most important office moving tips we can suggest is to start the process by creating a schedule that breaks the entire move into small steps. If necessary, form a committee of your employees to help delegate each task to the ideal staff member. By getting your people involved early, you increase your chances of meeting the timetable.
Follow a detailed office relocation checklist that corresponds to your planned schedule to make sure everyone stays organized and everything gets done.
2. Back Up Everything
In today’s electronic world, data can be more valuable than your company’s actual goods or services, which is why you should make it a priority to create backups of all sensitive information. Computers are fickle machines, and hard drive failure can happen without any other obvious damage to the device.
By making backups of important files, you create a hefty insurance policy to protect your company against a significant loss. If at all possible, upload your data to a cloud-based server so you can still access it before the relocation is complete.
3. Start With Furniture
From bookshelves to file cabinets, offices are full of heavy furniture that needs to be broken down during the relocation process. For each piece, follow a few easy steps to make reassembly easier:
- Take a photograph before disassembly
- Empty drawers and pack the contents into a box
- Label each component to avoid mix-ups with other pieces of furniture
- Keep all hardware together in a plastic bag
If any of your furniture can’t be broken down into smaller pieces, empty the drawers and tape them shut. Use moving blankets to protect any decorative surfaces from scratches.
4. Packing Electronics
Once you’ve backed up important files, prepare electronic devices for the move. If at all possible, remove hard drives from computers and pack them into a separate box.
Hopefully, you’ve saved the original packaging, because there’s no better way to protect this expensive equipment during relocation. Your moving company should be able to assist you with packing these components if you no longer have the manufacturer’s boxes.
5. How To Handle Paper Materials
Offices generate a lot of paperwork, and a significant part of your move will likely involve the transportation of paper records.
Start by sifting through your documents and shredding anything that’s no longer relevant to cut down on the volume of material you have to move. Back up important papers by creating digital scans or photocopies and keep them in a safe place.
When packing paperwork, keep things organized by location so you don’t need to unpack multiple boxes to recreate each file cabinet. Pack your books by size, and don’t overload your boxes with these heavy items.
6. Design Your New Layout
One of the final things you should do before the big day arrives is to create an ideal layout for your new office space. Break the floorplan down into regions and assign each area its own number. Tag each box and piece of furniture with a label that displays the corresponding number so the movers know where to place everything on the big day.
7. Hire Professional Packers
Not every business has the budget to hire a professional packing service, but it’s well worth the investment if you can find the funds. You’ve built the company up by letting your people do their jobs, and that doesn’t include hours of packaging.
If you choose to let the professionals handle this time-consuming step, you’ll gain an extra level assurance that every item is properly packed with the appropriate amount of padding. You’ll also have the added advantage of keeping your employees doing their regular jobs up until the very last minute.
Take a Smart Approach to Your Office Move
These are just a few tips on how to prepare for an office move, but there are plenty of other things to keep in mind such as informing vendors and customers of your new location.
Before you even think about packing, your first call should be to an experienced mover.
At Priority Moving, we’ve been helping residential and commercial customers throughout Oregon since 2006, and we’re ready to make your relocation as easy as possible. To get an estimate or schedule service, call us today at 503-544-7972 or reach out online.