Moving to a fresh new office is exciting, but there are many details that need to be planned in order to transition smoothly. You’ll need to create a floorplan for desks, IT equipment, and storage. You’ll need to organize potentially bulky furniture, and pay special attention to tricky electronics. And you’ll need to do all of that without interfering with your day-to-day business.
Lucky for you, we’ve put together five tips to help you stay on track for your next office move.
- Draft a map of the new office space
Whether you are downsizing, expanding or upgrading your office space, you’ll need to create a detailed map of the new space. Not only will this help control department expectations, it will also help your movers – match your box labels to your map and they’ll know exactly where everything goes! Contact the building manager to get a blue print of the office and begin outlining offices, lunch room, server room, etc.
- Draft a moving plan
Moving an office is no small feat. It takes a lot of thought, organizing and labour so start planning as soon as possible! The first step in drafting an effective moving plan is appointing an office move manager. This should be someone who excels at organizing and can keep staff and contractors informed and on track. They can, take care of determining when you will be moving out and getting possession of your new space and make sure everything is scheduled accordingly.
- Hire a transportation company
Moving can be a stressful time, so give yourself peace of mind by hiring a transportation company. Companies like Premier Office Movers specialize in moving businesses. They have teams with logistics knowledge, skills and expertise to help make your move seamless. Premiere Office Furniture can also help you find environmentally-friendly solutions for all of those unwanted bookcases, desks or tech that you don’t want to move to your new space.
- Keep I.T. in the loop
One of the most important, yet often forgotten, aspects of moving is bringing your I.T. team into the loop. Get them involved as soon as possible so that they can plan to transfer equipment, purchase new equipment and hook up all your computers, printers, servers, phone and internet.
- Stay Sustainable
When you move into a new space, you might find that you don’t need everything from the old one. But before you throw those items away, consider donating or recycling them to reduce your environmental impact.
Local charity organizations like the Habitat for Humanity ReStore will pick-up your unwanted items for free, and give you a tax receipt. You can feel good knowing that your donation to the ReStore is supporting families through Habitat for Humanity. You’re also having a positive impact on the environment by keeping your old office equipment out of the landfill!
The keys to a successful office move are planning ahead, working with the right moving company and finding an environmental solution.
