Office relocations involve many moving parts. Making a schedule for your moving plans can help you stay organized and ensure you don’t forget any important details. A wise strategy is to start planning your office move at least six months to a year before your move.
Six to 12 Months Before Your Relocation
These are likely to be the earliest tasks to take care of and will include the following:
- Choosing an appropriate space to ensure you have enough room and the location is strategic
- Assembling an office design team to help plan space planning
- Checking electricity and cable needs to ensure they meet telecommunication needs – if not, start to plan for a contractor to add necessities
- Determining office equipment and furniture not being moved and start to make arrangements to donate, sell, or recycle these items
- Setting a moving date, or at least an estimate
- Informing employees about the upcoming move
- Establishing a moving budget
Once you have a baseline plan, start to make arrangements for moving day.
Three to Six Months Before Your Move
As soon as reasonably possible, get moving quotes. Even if you don’t have an exact date but a timeframe, speak to movers to get an estimate of costs, so you know what you’re working with. The sooner you book a date with your mover, the better your chances of getting the dates you want at the best prices. Other details to manage include:
- Contacting customers, clients, office suppliers, vendors, and other companies you directly work with to let them know when and where you’ll be moving
- Initiating new services with any new suppliers or vendors
- Bringing IT on board (or contractors to help) to plan technology needs
- Ordering new furniture or equipment
Lastly, keeping transparency with employees during this significant change is vital. You don’t want to isolate them, allow misinformation to spread, or hurt their morale by leaving them in the dark. Instead, give them a heads-up three to six months out so they can prepare too.
One to Three Months Before Moving
Start to develop your moving day schedule and assign tasks to key personnel. Other tasks to take care of are:
- Initiating utilities and other services to close and open accounts on both sides of the move
- Updating social media, website, business cards, etc.
- Speaking to building managers at each location about access and security on moving day
- Announcing relocation plans publicly
This timeframe is a good one to prepare your business for its new location, help with a seamless transition, and distribute vital information relating to your move.
Two Weeks Before the Big Day
Review all plans for the remaining weeks before your office move to ensure you have included everything. Other necessary steps to take include the following:
- Packing any files or equipment not being used daily
- Gathering packing materials
- Labeling all furniture and equipment that you’re moving to the new office
- Asking team members to pack their belongings into boxes with labels
The last two weeks are good to use as a “buffer” in case you accidentally forget something. This way, you can use this time to quickly correct or take care of anything before you vacate your current location.
Professional Movers Help With a Stress-Free Relocation
Every office move is different, but establishing general guidelines can make things easier and ensure you and your team remember all essentials. In addition, working with a professional mover can free up your time and empower you to focus on other important details.
If you’d like a free quote or to obtain information about our other moving services, contact us today!