Moving your home may be demanding, but moving an office is spine-chilling. Now you have to worry about furniture, a larger number of electronics, office supplies and tons of files and important documents. You may not have the luxury of taking your time to unpack either; business needs to keep moving forward, right? So how do you accomplish everything, know where everything is and get it done in a timely manner? With the help of these tips. We’re giving you a blueprint of the move that will help keep you organized, while releasing some of the anxiety attached to the stigma of moving. For more, join us on our Facebook page and let’s stay connected. #1. First things first, you have to make sure that you’re absolutely in the knowhow with your current situation. We see and hear of this too often: Multiple business partners, some know the details of what’s going on, others don’t. Don’t be the one that’s clueless. Know the ins and outs of what’s going on. Are you breaking the lease or did it expire? Are you moving to grow the business, to save cost maybe? Know the details of the past lease and the existing, newly signed one. Know all your obligations and liabilities. #2. Plan the Move. Put together a plan outlining all the tasks that will need to be accomplished and all the things you’ll need during the move. Here’s an example: is there an elevator involved at any point in your move? If so, you’ll need to talk with your (current or new) building manager about the use of the service elevator. You’ll want to make sure that you have access to it come move day. Listing all the to-dos will help insure that nothing gets overlooked. #3. Collect all information on the new space. Know the floor plan, know where to find the electrical outlets, etc. If you know everything there is to know about the space in advance, you’ll be prepared rather than scattered around trying to make things fit and playing around with the furniture. #4. Add a timeline. Create a timeline that will outline all the stages of your move. Factor in packing – transportation – unpacking, etc. For a small office, you typically need about two-to-three months to prepare. The key is to start as early as possible. #5. Put a team in place. Moving an office is quite the undertaking and a collaborative effort is instrumental. What’s also very important is making sure that somebody will help you oversee everything; serve as your second pair of eyes basically, and report back to you with updates. This individual will need to be a good communicator, to avoid any confusion or setbacks. #6. Communication. Internal and External. Internally, you should set regular meetings for updates with your team. Moving will be more of a headache if information doesn’t get communicated effectively. Besides, as the moving process is going on, your business still has to continue running, so performance needs to be unaffected by the change. Externally you’ll need to keep the communication lines open with any parties engaged in the process. I.e. Movers, building managers, etc. #7. Determine your budget. Create a realistic moving budget to help you establish all costs ahead of time and properly manage them throughout the process. #8. Assign tasks. Going back to #2, assign the “do-ers”. Who is going to work with the internet installers? Who is going to research movers? Etc. If you’re planning on hiring movers, make sure that they’re licensed, bonded and insured. Look up the potential movers through the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the Better Business Bureau. Also Google the companies and search for Yelp and other reviews. #9. Start early. If you start early, you’ll have plenty of time to think though all the moving elements and not be pressed by time. Sure, some things will be almost impossible to plan too far ahead, but most items on your to-do list can be tackled ahead of time. #10. Have a digital copy of all important paper documents. If you don’t want to find yourself in a predicament, make sure all your important paper documents have digital counterparts. #11. Packing electronics. If you won’t do it yourself, supervise the packing process very carefully. One misplaced wire is all it takes to leave you a sitting duck with no working phone or computer. If you’re doing it yourself, remember this: When taking electronics apart like computers, or anything with a lot of wires, color coordinate the cable with the place where it goes. Colored stickers will work wonders, and when it comes down to putting everything back together, you won’t be stuck trying to figure out what goes where. You can also use a digital or cell phone camera to take pictures of how some of the more complicated wiring is assembled. For all the helpful tips when packing electronics, click here. #12. Keep a clipboard handy and write down each box’s room, the box number and the contents. When unloading our items, cross-reference each box against your records and check them off, as they get unloaded. You’ll be able to know immediately if everything arrived safely. Keep all important documents with you. Rather than throwing them in a box inside the moving truck, keep that box in your car for safe measure. #13. Remember to change your stationary, business cards and letterhead ahead of time. 14. Update all service providers with your new address and contact information. Think water delivery folks, corporate credit card providers and other service vendors still rendering services at your new location. For more tips, we’re waiting for you on our Facebook page. For business storage and all your other storage needs, check out a location near you. Talk to one of our professionals and allow us to provide you with the best in customer service. To moving, US Storage Centers
