Office Moving Checklist for Your Next Business Move

Your Office Moving Checklist

Preparing to move an office or business can be a lot more complicated than moving a household. Preparing is key and ensuring that everything on your list is complete, is essential. Use this quick office moving checklist as a guide to keeping your move on track.

Here are some things to consider during your next business move

• Determine a time-frame and moving schedule.
• Set-up a communications plan to let customers, suppliers and other pertinent parties know about the move.
• Make a list of tasks and assign tasks to individuals.
• If moving a larger company, set-up a moving committee to help organize the move and to keep the move on track.
• Inform employees and get them involved; make sure they know their roles and what is expected of them; for example, do they pack their own office or cubicle?
• Determine the new office set-up and look; make sure you know ahead of time where offices will be located and where equipment needs to be installed.

• Get moving quotes from companies, check references and book your office movers.
• Contact current service providers to inform them of the move; make sure that new providers are aware of installation dates, including telephone lines, fax, hydro, Internet access, postal service, couriers, etc…
•  If you require special technical assistance to move and install electronic equipment such as a photocopier, computer network or specialty telephone service, make sure you book this well in advance so that the service is up and running on your move-in date.
• Make sure you’ve established a packing schedule; determine what can be packed in advance and what areas are packed last.
• Purchase packing supplies, including the appropriate moving boxes.
• Provide special packing instructions for those sensitive and/or custom equipment to employees or professional packers; make sure boxes are properly packed and labeled with office location, importance, and content.
• Prepare furniture for moving and label each piece so it will be moved to the correct area of the new space; this can be accomplished by numbering or labeling areas of the new office space on a blueprint map; label the furniture accordingly and give the map to the movers so they know where to place items, including packed boxes.
• Make sure equipment has been properly prepared for moving; this includes removing any liquids and ensuring removable parts are packed and labeled; if you don’t know how to pack equipment, hire a technical specialist or call the equipment manufacturer for information and advice.
• To avoid additional charges, find out in advance where the moving truck can park to load at the old office location and where it can unload at the new location; inform surrounding businesses of your move and if you’ll be blocking entrances or taking additional parking spaces.