Office Relocation: Managing the Move to Storage
An office relocation can be a challenge for everyone involved.
It’s not easy to move an entire office of people, equipment, documents, computers, furniture, plants, and everything else from one location to another – even if that move is very local.
In order to successfully complete an office relocation, much planning and organization are needed.
If you’ve been assigned the task of being in charge of facilitating the moving of an entire office, all of your co-workers are counting on you. You have one chance to do this right, and if you succeed, you’ll be the office hero for quite some time to come.
Fortunately, there are ways to approach and complete this gigantic project to ensure a positive experience for everyone.
Read on to learn some great tips and the steps you should take to make your office relocation a perfect one.
Steps to Follow for an Easy Office Move
An office relocation doesn’t happen in a snap. There are months of planning required to move an entire office of people and things to a new place. Starting early is the key.
1. Hire a Moving Company
Once you’ve secured new office space, the first thing you should do is hire a moving company. Most companies that help to facilitate large-scale moves are booked months in advance, and you don’t want to be stuck when moving day comes.
Set a budget for your move and get quotes from a number of different companies before you make a decision. Do your research to find a reliable one; you can ask other people for recommendations and be sure to read reviews and testimonials online.
2. Choose a Moving Date
The earlier you set an official moving date, the better. Once you know when your office relocation will take place, you can work backward from that date to create a timeline for the rest of the steps.
3. Create a Moving Plan & Inform Staff
Once a date is set, the real planning can begin. Start making lists of everything that will need to be done, and then transfer that list into calendar form. Inform all employees about the moving date as well so they can begin to prepare for it.
4. Tell Customers and Clients
You’ll also want to let your customers and clients know that you’re moving so they can prepare as well. Informing them about your office relocation as early as possible is a common courtesy and will aid in your smooth transition without any loss of customer service.
5. Prepare the New Space
Visit the new office as much as you can and begin to imagine and visualize the layout of the space once the move is complete. If you need to paint, remodel, or redecorate, make sure these tasks are complete long before moving day.
Remember to prepare the new office in other necessary ways, too. You’ll need to call ahead to organize the installation of the internet and telephones, and don’t forget to have keys made for those who need them also.
6. Pack and Label
Packing up an office is an all-hands-on-deck activity. If you can schedule an entire day for this, free of interruptions, then that’s great. However, many offices need to continue working while packing at the same time. If this is the case, schedule several days for the task; it’s always better to end up with too much time for this than too little.
Make sure everyone is aware of the labeling procedures. This way, you can ensure that everything will end up where it should once it’s all in the new office.
7. Set Up the New Office
Thanks to your detailed moving plan, when you arrive at your new location, the movers should have the furniture in the right places, but it will be up to you and your fellow employees to unpack the boxes and find homes for everything.
Be sure to plan plenty of time for this task, too. If you all dive back into work right away, you’ll end up living out of unpacked boxes for months, and that will be frustrating for everyone.
Office Relocation Tips
In addition to following the steps above, there are several other tips to keep in mind as well. Each of these will make the office relocation easier on you, and in turn, on everyone else as well.
1. Clear Your Schedule
If you’re in charge of the office move, you should try to clear your own schedule as much as possible to prepare for it. The organization of this giant task will likely take more time and energy than you might imagine, so the more time you have for it, the better.
2. Recruit and Accept Help
In some offices, many people will offer to help. In other offices, no one will. You will need help. If it’s offered, accept it; if it isn’t recruit some people to assist you with the planning of this project.
3. Label Everything
Labels are so important. Otherwise, you are going to end up with a lot of boxes with no destination, and it will be a huge hassle to figure out where they should go. Make sure you label everything and make sure everyone else does, too. Check and double-check the labels frequently, right up until the moving company arrives.
4. Confirm, Confirm, Confirm
It’s crucial that you confirm every aspect of your move – and do so more than once. Confirm that the new office space is ready. Confirm when the movers will arrive. Confirm when the move will be complete. Confirm that the electricity, internet, and phones will be working when you all arrive at the new office. Confirm that your suppliers know your new address.
Happy Moving
Office relocation can seem stressful and overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be that way. With the right plan of attack and with teamwork and focus, your office can move can be smooth and easy. Follow the above steps and tips and your office will be in its new home in no time, and you’ll be a hero for making it all happen. Good luck!
If you’re looking for a reliable, responsible moving service in Dublin, please give us a call. We can’t wait to meet you and to help you with your office relocation!