An office move can be somewhat of a hectic time for business owners. When you already have so much on your plate, finding the time to figure out all of the logistics for switching locations can be tricky. You have to keep that potential downtime to a minimum, and you don’t want to rack up extra costs either. But if you have a good office moving checklist, you’ll be able to stay on track and keep everything efficient!
Your Office Moving Checklist
Naturally, the sooner you can get started on your commercial moving prep work, the better. Breaking down the tasks for your company’s move into month-by-month chunks can help streamline the relocation process.
Around three months before moving day, you’ll likely be signing your commercial property lease, setting a move-out date, and notifying your current property manager of your intentions to move out. You might be able to hand off some of these responsibilities to your office manager or another employee. But if not, setting aside a day or two for this admin work might be a good idea.
You could also use this month to start setting a preliminary budget for your overall moving expenses. Reach out to your local moving companies to gather quotes and check their availability. Running the numbers about 12 weeks out can help lower your chances of overspending, and also help you avoid surprise bills down the line.
Two months before the moving day, consider putting together a detailed inventory of all the company furniture and office equipment in your current space. A floor plan of the new office can help to map out how the furniture pieces will fit into the available space once everything gets moved.
Creating a moving inventory will also allow you to revisit any moving quotes you’ve received from your local moving companies. And if you’ve already chosen a moving company, then you’ll be able to call them back if you need to make any updates to how many trucks or movers you’re expecting to need for the job. Maybe you’ve decided to leave some items behind or that you’ll need some extra time to drop off items at a donation center. You’ll want to give your movers a heads up. That way, you’ll be able to stick to your budget.
One month before the moving day, companies should gather the office team responsible for organizing the company relocation and check the current progress. You should also change the business address with the USPS and set up a list of all the partner businesses, government organizations, and individuals to notify of the changed company address.
The Final Steps for Your Moving Day
If you’ve been able to get most things organized in advance, then the last days leading up to your move should be relatively straightforward.
One week before the moving day, companies should confirm that their movers will be there at the pre-arranged date and time. They should also ensure that the new office location is ready for them, instruct the employees to pack up their things, and have everyone take their personal stuff home. A professional cleaning company may also be hired to clean up the office before vacating the premises.
On the moving day, all of your hard work will finally pay off! Hiring great commercial movers will help ensure that all of the toughest tasks will be taken care of because they’ll be doing all of the heavy lifting. Let your movers round up all of your furniture, IT equipment, and boxes into their trucks. Then you can meet them at your new location to help direct them on where to put each item.
You’ll probably want to distribute keys or access cards to your new office to employees on moving day too. Then maybe head out to lunch! Or start letting everyone make the space more comfortable with some personal touches, like new artwork or plants. Then you’ll be back to “business as usual” in no time.
Trust the Colt Movers—We Do Commercial Moving Too!
Planning an office move may seem a little challenging, but just remember—you can always bring on some extra help! If you’re located in the Central Indiana area, know that our Colt Movers are here for you and your team.
Hiring our experienced local movers can help get the job done quickly. You’ll also be lowering the stress for your own employees. Our goal is always to make your experience as smooth as possible. To learn more, just read some of our latest company reviews. Then check our moving calendar to find a date that works for you!