The process of moving your business from one location to another is not an easy one. Whether you are moving for more space, to be closer to customers or for better rent prices, there is a lot to think about. Your equipment, people, clients to inform, and more. Any delays in the process could cause problems with workflow and that could impact your bottom line. Any move you make needs to be smooth, well-planned and efficient. That is why this moving office checklist is the ultimate guide for businesses moving premises. Follow our steps and you are less likely to forget something. It is also a great way to ensure the process is not overwhelmingly stressful for everyone involved.

➜ You might also like our Moving House Checklist

1) Planning an Office Move Checklist

Planning the move will go better if you you use a moving office checklist like this one and start it a good 12 months ahead of time, but even 3 to 6 months is good. This might be longer than you thought you need but there are a lot of things to think about, the process of moving a business is often more complex than moving a house. Things to consider include;

• Do you pay rent and what notice do you have to give?
• Working out costs and come up with a budget.
• Choose employees to be a part of the planning team so you have people managing and delegating jobs before, during and after the move. Have at least one person in senior management who can make decisions.
• Contact a professional office removal service with experience in moving an office and get quotes to compare. Decide whether you need furniture storage options and choose a moving service that offers this if you do.
• Do you have essential machinery and equipment that requires particular insurance for the move?
• Have a list of everything that needs to be moved and have your planning team look at it to make sure nothing is forgotten.
• Consider how long the move will take, a smaller business or office can likely get done in a day with good movers, a larger business might need several.
• What needs to be disconnected at the old property and connected at the other? Phones, internet, power and so on.

2) Checklist for Organising the Office Move

When you know what date you are moving you can then notify all the people who need to know at the appropriate times. That includes;

• Giving notice to your property manager that you are moving out.
• Choose and book your moving company of choice.
• Telling your employees what the plan is.
• Send your change of address to your suppliers, your customers and clients, and any other business contacts you have.
• Make sure all employees know what their role is over the coming move.
• Make sure your IT department is prepared and has the supplies they need to move computers and equipment to the new location.
• Send a change of address to professional organisations you are a member of.
• Tell your bank and other financial institutions.
• Contact any services that come into your business, local food services, bottled water services, service businesses for your printers and copiers.
• Tell your phone company, internet provider, power company and other such services.
• Update your website, social media pages and printed materials.

3) Checklist for Preparing the Office Move

With all that planning and a good moving office checklist taken care of, the preparation for the office move is going to be a lot easier because much of the work is done. This stage focuses on the logistics of moving from one space to another. Here are some things to think about.

• In order to fit into the new space you will need its measurements, and detailed plan so you can work out what the new layout is going to be.
• Are you moving all your old furniture or buying new? You will then need to order whatever new items you are getting.
• Put stickers on things and assign them a colour and also assign employees to those corresponding colours. Empty files and cabinets and start boxing things up. Perhaps use this as a chance to clear out anything you do not need to hold onto anymore.
• Make sure all communal spaces are clear.
• Make sure on the moving day you can access the new premises, have parking and elevator access and have cleaners come in to the old premises as well as the new.
• Create a plan for staff to follow and make they bring home all personal belongings.
• Arrange packing responsibilities and have people chosen to stay behind in the old office to make sure everything is gone and people to be at the new office to organise everything coming in. Whether it’s packing office equipment or moving plants, it’s important to ensure utilise appropriate moving boxes and packing material.
• Make sure service providers have everything ready at the new site.
• Everything should be boxed up in the few weeks leading up to moving day.

4) Office Moving Day Checklist

With so much planning and preparation taken care of, there should be less to do on moving day and a lot less stress.

• Remember to include time for your movers and employees to have drinks and food.
• If the day is a hot one it might be a nice idea to have the air con on at the old place as well as the new one.
• Make sure the tech is moved first, phones, computers and such so the experts can get working on those things at the new office.
• Pack up any last-minute items making sure they are all labelled.
• Tape cabinets so drawers do not slide out and hurt people.
• Staff not involved in the move could work remotely.
• At the new site test all the technology and make sure everything works.
• Have a team unpack the communal areas.
• Report any damage if caused by the moving company.
• Send in all old passes, keys and such for the old offices and make sure everyone has what they need for the new one.
• Appoint employees to be fire wardens on the new site.

Conclusion

You have now successfully moved businesses and thanks to the above points you are less likely to have forgotten anything along the way!