Anytime is a good time to relocate to a bigger and better office or shop, but summer is the best. However, a smooth relocation can be a challenge for businesses.
No matter how much you plan, organize, and prepare, office relocation is still stressful. Aside from the phone and Internet changeover, there’s all the furniture removal for the old and broken furniture that has to be hauled off and moved. And no one really wants to deal with the heavy pieces.
The fact is that office relocation – or even simply replacing existing furniture and equipment – is a challenge.
There will be days when your employees are largely unproductive because of disorganization, the clutter and misplaced documents, the missing pieces of office equipment and supplies, and other mishaps that come with office relocation.
Getting Ready For Your Office Relocation
In order to help make this process smoother for you, here are some fundamental tips for preparing for your office relocation:
Sort out your office equipment
The first step in reducing the stress created by office relocation is sorting. Sorting helps you determine which items need priority to be productive during office relocation. Sort the items into three categories such as “must have”, “need soon”, and junk. By getting rid of the junk first, you can optimize office relocation and get back to work faster.
Once you have sorted everything you should evaluate your office equipment and furniture. For example:
- Do you need to keep the old sofa?
- Will you need to replace the printers and computers?
- Should you need to replace the tables?
Oftentimes, it is best to get rid of much the office supplies and equipment that are old becoming obsolete. Office relocation is usually a great time to update and upgrade!
Re-Organize your office layout and workflow
Office relocation is also the ideal time to start implementing office reorganization. In addition to sorting and determining which furniture and equipment stays or goes, you should also determine where each item is placed and how you want to lay out the cubicles and furniture for a more efficient and comfortable office layout.
Label boxes that contain smaller office items
Anything that you plan on getting rid of or donating should be set to one side and labeled accordingly. Any items that you plan on storing for future use should also be labeled as such and put in another location. This staging of boxes will streamline the moving process later. Keep your necessary office supplies in one place, update the filing system of your documents, and create a separate bin for documents that need an immediate decision.
Hire a professional junk hauling firm
To facilitate and expedite your office relocation it can be a strategic move to hire a professional junk removal firm. Because you are probably losing productivity during an office move or relocation it pays to have a company to handle the office furniture removal and large office equipment removal.
Have a Relocation Plan
The details and needs of your office move can vary widely from those of other businesses. For example, if you are a manufacturer with stocks of inventory, machinery and raw materials, you will have a far different set of priorities and needs than, say, a real estate brokerage with little in the way of equipment to move.
But, regardless of the business type, every business has some common considerations. The following is a suggested checklist for relocating businesses or planning a move: