How to Plan and Organize an Office Move
Moving your home is a massive feat of coordination, hard work, and patience. Moving a whole office is an even bigger endeavor, that requires moving larger items, and coordinating with a much larger group of people.
It may be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. Early in your planning, start following these simple steps to get your office move under control, and make the process as simple as possible for everyone you work with.
Give Yourself Enough Time
Moving an office doesn’t just involve communication and coordination — it involves minimizing the downtime you’ll experience during the actual move, so you can get back to business ASAP.
Experts estimate that for a smaller office, you should schedule your move to an absolute minimum of three months in advance. Mid-size to large offices will need anywhere between six to eight months from start to finish. Keep this in mind when planning move-in dates and signing leases — both for your new office space and your current.
What’s Your Budget?
You’ll need to buy boxes, padding, tape, and other supplies. You may need to rent dollies and a moving truck, and you will need to hire movers.
Before you begin making serious plans, check to see what the budget is for moving your office. You need to be able to afford all the necessary tools to get the job done swiftly, safely, and securely.
Know What You’re Getting Into
It’s not enough just to tour the new office. Planning an office layout is precision work, and you need as much information as possible.
As soon as you can, get blueprints of the new space. This will include information about doors, windows, bathrooms, and electrical outlets — all of which is key to figuring out how to lay-out your new space.
Measure your existing furniture, and determine what could go where. Keep in mind existing problems in your current space, and how you could resolve them in the new office.
If you plan to call in carpenters or other professionals to make adjustments to the new office, make these arrangements early on, and keep in mind that these projects often take longer than even seasoned professionals estimate. You’ll want everything in its proper order when your team moves in.
Delegate!
You can’t do it alone. Especially if you’re moving a large office, make sure you’re working with your employees or fellow coworkers to coordinate the move.
For instance, if your office has several divisions, make sure each division is responsible for packing its own items. If you have a smaller office, you may need to delegate directly or take volunteers for people who will coordinate the smaller and more local aspects of moving the office.
Check In Regularly
Schedule regular meetings with your staff to check in on the state of the move. Set clear goals and deadlines for packing and other essential steps, and make sure these are met. If a department is lagging behind on the move, figure out what they need to succeed — just like you would do when handling any other big office project.
Hire Movers
Moving an office may be essential to your continued operations, but your office employees can’t actually do the move for you.
Hiring professional movers like Ayer Moving pays for itself. We’ll get the job done quickly and safely. We know how to pack you up, how to keep delicate equipment safe, move heavy furniture safely, and make sure nothing gets lost. The money you spend on hiring movers will reap ample dividends, when you factor in the time and stress you’ll save.
The prospect of packing up and moving your entire office may seem like a nightmare. But by planning far in advance, understanding your timeline, creating a budget, delegating tasks and checking in on their completion, and hiring professional movers to help, you’ll be a step ahead of the game.
