[This post was previously published in December 2020. It has been updated and expanded.]

Relocating your business can be stressful and moving all your office equipment and furniture can be overwhelming. But the junk hauling doesn't have to be.

Yet, smaller businesses often choose to do the moving themselves and, while this is certainly a reasonable option, it can also be an overwhelming task. When it comes to massive numbers of boxes or the larger furniture and office equipment, a plan is needed.

Business Relocation: When It's Time to Move Out and Move On

There are many reasons for relocating your business.

Maybe the current lease is expiring and the new rent is too much. Or perhaps you find a much better location elsewhere. And, hopefully, you've outgrown your current facility and need a much bigger space for your company.

According to Urbanbound.com,

"One of the most common reasons why businesses relocate is to lower their operation costs... Quality of life factors include lower cost of living, better education systems, the cultural environment, entertainment options, crime rates, healthcare services and the state of the surrounding area."

So, who moves the most: large or small businesses?

One study suggested the following,

"Larger establishments are slightly more likely to move than smaller ones, and establishments in professional and scientific services or manufacturing industrial sectors were more likely to move than others. This suggests why state and local officials may feel more motivated to respond to strategic businesses departing, even if moves in and out offset each other."

One consultant wrote that moving your business is a risk.

"You could lose some of your customers, spend a lot of money you didn't budget to spend, lose something valuable and even lose some loyal employees who just can't move with you. In spite of all that, a time comes when you just have to admit that relocating your business is the best option you have."

The same consultant suggested five good reasons why a company might consider relocating:

1. Closer proximity to clients
2. Reaching a new market
3. Reduce business costs
4. Need for expansion
5. Labor and workforce needs

Americans move a lot.

And these moves involve much more than businesses relocating. In fact, in America, families and individuals seem to always be on the move. 

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that almost 40 million Americans relocate each year. And the U.S. Postal Service processes close to 38 million change-of-address forms annually. And that's just the numbers of private individuals relocating.

However, there are no official records of business moves. But what we do know is that thousands of businesses move each year. And after a year of the COVID-19 pandemic, hundreds of thousands of businesses have experienced differing degrees of downsizing. Some have closed, while others have moved to smaller offices and facilities. 

And we also know that, whatever the reason for the move, business relocation is a major task that should be approached with advanced planning and a strategy.

Planning Your Business Relocation - A Quick Guide

While it may seem like a fairly straightforward process, moving a physical business enterprise and relocating it all to a new location and facility is a complex and multi-faceted endeavor.

And your move will be unique and unlike that of other businesses simply because of the specific details involved and because of your company's particular needs.

For example, manufacturers may have to move stocks of  inventory, production equipment,  machinery, and raw materials. An independently-owned bookstore, not so much. And your relocation needs will be different, as well, if your business is an insurance firm or title company.

Your own business's move will be unique, too, as you factor in the size of your staff, the number of computer workstations, and the amount of office furniture, appliances, and office equipment. All of these will be specific to your moving plan  - and having one is absolutely essential to ensure as smooth a move as possible.

And this is true whether you're doing the packing and moving yourselves, or hiring a moving firm to do it for you. However, every business shares some common needs when it comes to moving and relocating.

So, to help you design your moving plan, we've created a suggested checklist for that purpose: 

There's More To Moving Your Business Than Moving Furniture

Because so much of your company's functions and information are online, it is highly important to make certain that all your essential online business and contact information is updated and correct.

One of the common mistakes small businesses often make - especially those without an IT staff - is to overlook updating their online presence. This is critical as it can result in a massive drop in your website visits. 

Not to mention adding unneeded confusion for your customers, clients, and vendors.

So, after promptly informing all your vendors and key clients of your relocation plans, be sure to change your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information on your Google My Business page. You can also use Google Map Maker to directly edit Google’s maps. Once your edit is approved, the new information will show up on all subsequent Google map searches.

But simply updating your Google listing isn't enough.

Your business information likely appears in several directories and other places. These can include sites like Yelp!, Yellow Pages, City Search, Local.com, etc.

One tech source recommends checking sites such as Infogroup, Localeze and Acxiom to check for out-of-date information as well as creating accounts on all major search engines to update your old listings.

Of course, while it should go without saying that you must plan for and follow up on the transfer of all your utilities, don't overlook any online subscriptions and services that require or stores your physical and mailing addresses, along with phone numbers, fax numbers (yes - fax is still a thing!), and any other information that will have changes with your move. 

And one last bonus tip: a major move or relocation is a great reason for launching a marketing campaign that is designed to announce and inform everyone of your new digs.

The added value from this type of informative campaign, however, is that it will also refresh your company's place in the minds and memories of all those customers, clients, prospects, and vendors. 

Junk King: Your Partners for Commercial Junk Hauling

One of the dreaded tasks that come with a major business relocation is the junk hauling.

Your company will have likely accumulated a large amount of old equipment, broken furniture, and junk over the years. Getting rid of it all efficiently and properly isn't something you or your staff needs to worry about in the midst of a major relocation.

Outsourcing the junk removal part of your office moving project this work is the smart approach and can actually be far more cost-effective.

But you need to determine which firm is the right one for the job.  Although you can certainly find plenty of guys with trucks who might do it for you, that alternative may end up costing you more than you hoped to save.

This is why Junk King really should be your firm of choice.

Junk King provides an efficient, safe and eco-friendly junk removal service so you don’t need to worry about the pick up or disposal of the debris after your move is complete. One of the best things about hiring Junk King is that we recycle a much of the material we pick-up.

This is proof of our commitment to being a genuinely green junk removal service.

Whether you need our services several times during the move, or just once after it is complete, our hauling professionals will ensure that the debris is out of your way so that you can get on with your work.

Our team specializes in commercial junk removal. We can be at your facility in mere minutes, so call us today! Our crew is fully insured and well-trained, so you can trust them to get rid of your unwanted items in a professional and courteous fashion.

So, are you ready for reliable clean up after your business move? It's as easy as 1, 2, 3.

If you have questions about what we do or how we can help you with your relocation, just click the link below, or give us a call at 1-888-888-JUNK (5865).