Has your business grown out of your existing office? Is your building lease up, and you’re scoping out new digs? Whatever your reason for office relocation, you already know the process won’t come without a few bumps in the road. That said, if you plan well in advance and hire the right moving company for the job, your relocation can be more of a breeze than you might imagine.
At Ace Moving & Warehousing in Rochester, we know that planning any move can be stressful and overwhelming. If you’re feeling bogged down by what appears to be a never-ending to-do list, take a breather. We put together these useful office-moving tips to help you out!
Tip #1: Do Your Research
Long before you even consider packing a box, make sure you research commercial moving services in your area. It’s easy to assume you and your team are capable of completing a DIY move, but when you get down to the nitty-gritty details, you’ll likely find you need professional help. Consider everything that goes into an office relocation:
● Donating or disposing of unwanted office items and furniture
● Packing everything, large and small
● Safely loading boxes, furniture, and tech equipment onto the moving trucks
● Transporting, unloading, and moving office equipment into your new space
● Unpacking and repositioning all furniture and equipment
● Disposing of moving materials after the completed relocation
Keep in mind that not every moving company in your area specializes in commercial relocations or in transporting expensive office equipment. Ideally, you should look for a company that offers full packing services, crating, loading, and unloading, which will expedite the process and relieve substantial stress on you and your team. Make sure you get quotes from at least three moving companies to find the best rate.
Tip #2: Appoint a Move Manager or Team
If you’ve got a tight-knit team, certainly, everyone will be willing to pull their weight; even so, it’s helpful to have a coordinator of sorts. Consider assigning the job to your office manager or appointing a team who can oversee the move process and make sure everything happens according to schedule. The move manager can help you assign tasks, follow up on to-do lists, and communicate with your moving company throughout the process.
Tip #3: Assign Employees Packing Duties
Even if you’re hiring a moving company that offers full packing services, there’s bound to be a few items in your office that your movers would rather not touch. Generally, movers prefer that you and your team members self-transport personal or sentimental items, such as:
● Financial documents
● Insurance policies
● Documents or booklets containing contact information
● Tax or medical records
● Professional files
● Keys to safes and file cabinets
● Laptops
In addition to the above items, commercial moving companies will not transport any hazardous materials from your office, so you and your team will need to pack and transport those as well. Have each team member collect and pack these types of items from their workspaces before the movers arrive.
Tip #4: Purge What You Don’t Need
It makes no sense to move items you won’t use, so before moving day arrives, take the time to get rid of any furniture, implements, or documents you no longer need. Make a list of the items that won’t be coming with you, and assign team members to collect them from around the office.
You can take old furniture and outdated technical equipment to your local thrift store, but keep in mind that anything you choose to donate can be used as a tax write-off. Before you offload anything to your local donation center, check with your accountant to determine what type of documentation you’ll need to create. As well, be sure to shred all office documents before tossing them out or hire a dedicated document disposal company.
Tip #5: Know the Rules of Your Building
Do you know if your building has specific rules for relocations? Unless you own your current building or the building you’re moving into, there are likely guidelines surrounding when and how you can move. Some locations denote specific days of the week or hours — typically weekends and non-business hours — for commercial moves, so contact building management for a full breakdown of the rules.
As well, if your building has a service elevator, you’ll probably need to reserve exclusive use on your moving day, so be sure to inquire about that as well. Finally, don’t forget to check in with management at your new location to determine if the building has relocation guidelines you’ll need to adhere to.
Tip #6: Document, Label, and Color-Code
To make unpacking a breeze, the most helpful thing you can do is label every box and document what’s inside. We recommend jotting down the contents of each box on a notepad or creating a spreadsheet that contains all of the information in one easy-to-access location.
You may also want to consider having team members snap photos of the contents of each box, so they know where to find their most important items. If you have a large team, color-coding items by department can drastically cut down the time it takes to unpack and reorganize in your new space.
Need Commercial Moving Help? Contact Ace Moving & Warehousing in Rochester
If you’re planning an office relocation in or near the Rochester, MN area, let our team at Ace Moving & Warehousing make your transition as smooth as possible. We offer no-obligation quotes, flexible scheduling, onsite planning assistance, full packing services, and move coordinator assistance, along with a variety of other services to make your move as stress free as possible. To learn more about our office moving services, give our team a call at 507-288-3341 or reach out to us on our contact page. If you’re ready to get started, feel free to request your no-obligation quote online!