Moving into a new office space is exciting. You and your employees will get to experience a new (and hopefully improved) environment, which can bolster productivity and help your business grow. Unfortunately, before you get to enjoy that new office, you have to move in first. To make your move go as smoothly as possible, you’ll want to know how to prepare for an office relocation.
Even if you have moved offices before, it’s still worth getting a refresher on all the tasks that need to be done to complete the move. And if you’ve never moved before, you’ll definitely want to know how to prepare for an office relocation. Here are some tips to help you prepare your team for moving into a new office.
Plan Early
- Sort junk before relocating. When moving, we are often tempted to take everything we have with us. But now is a good time to go through your inventory and decide what should be moved and what can be tossed, donated, or sold. Don’t be afraid to pare down on your inventory, especially if you haven’t used certain items or appliances in a while. Sort and organize your items into separate categories, and be sure to mark the items you are taking with you to the new location.
- Create an inventory list. Whether or not you hire professional movers, it’s important to keep track of your inventory. In case something goes missing, you’ll know exactly what that item is and who was responsible for moving it. You don’t have to list every single item like markers and pens, but be sure to record larger appliances like copy machines, printers, filing cabinets, kitchen appliances, and other office furniture.
- Hire a mover for furniture delivery and installation. If you’re a business owner, you’re probably used to getting things done yourself. But when it comes to moving in to a new office, you’ll want to knowledge and expertise of a professional furniture delivery company. At Andrews Installation Group, we specialize in furniture delivery and installation. We deliver your furniture safely and on time and work with you to install it in a way that promotes a productive and welcoming office environment. If you’re planning a move, let us help!
Related Article: DIY Vs Professional Furniture Moving
Set a Timeline
- Notify your landlord. Every lease is different. Check with your landlord ahead of time to make sure you can move before being forced to renew your lease. And of course, make sure your landlord knows you will not be renewing your lease.
- Set a moving date and stick to it. Notify all employees, staff, landlords, and key stakeholders about your moving date. Develop a timeline to complete tasks before the move so you aren’t scrambling to get everything done on the day of the move. Follow through with your schedule and move on the exact day you planned for. That way, you won’t have to reschedule moving services.
- Make note of important company dates. You don’t want to move around the same time as a major event or conference. Be sure your moving date doesn’t interfere with the important day-to-day functions of your business.
Visit the New Office Space Ahead of Time
If you were the one who is purchasing or renting the new space, you’ve likely already been to the new location. However, your employees might not have seen the new space yet. Make sure to get them adjusted to the location, and give them an idea of where the new furniture will go. Here are some additional tips to consider when you visit the new office.
- Take measurements. Be sure to take measurements of doorways, halls, and rooms to make sure your furniture fits in the new office. This is the first step you’ll want to complete before buying any new furniture. You might also discover that some of your old furniture doesn’t fit. If that’s the case, we can store it for you in our warehouse until you decide to sell it or repurpose it!
- Hire a professional to paint. This is another job best left to the professionals, even if you’ve done it yourself. Hiring a painter will save you time and energy that you could put toward other preparations. Plus, they do a better job than even the most talented DIY-er!
- Make note of any necessary repairs. If you notice cracks, broken fixtures, or other damage around the new office, be sure to note it down so you can inform the tenant later on. This step also helps you avoid getting charged for damage that wasn’t your fault, so be thorough when making your notes!
Update Your Address
This is one of the most important aspects of how to prepare for an office relocation. To avoid confusion among your employees, customers, and business partners, you’ll need to update your address to reflect the new location. You should update your address close to moving day—but don’t do it too soon. You don’t want customers visiting the new location when you’re not even there! We know there are hundreds of places where your business address is listed, so this step will take some time. Be patient and enlist a second pair of eyes to help double-check that your new address is correctly listed.
Here are some of the most important locations to update your business address:
- Google My Business. This is one of the most important locations to update your address. Customers rely on Google searches to find businesses, and if your address is out of date, you risk losing potential customers. If you don’t have a Google My Business account, we highly recommend setting one up. This helps customers see your most important business information (such as your address, phone number, website, and more) at a glance.
- Your Company Website. Like most businesses, you probably get most of your traffic through your company website. Be sure to update your address here so your customers are getting the correct information when they want to visit your location. Doing so will also minimize confusion (after all, you don’t want customers seeing different addresses listed on your website and your Google My Business account).
- Review Sites. This source is often overlooked. If you have an account on Yelp, Yellowpages, Angi (formerly known as Angie’s List), or any other review sites, you’ll want to make sure your address is updated there as well. Make sure customers can find you at the correct location
- United States Postal Service. To make sure your mail is being delivered to the correct address, be sure to update your location with the USPS.
- Return Address Labels. If you send out physical mail, you’ll want to make sure your return address labels have the correct address down. This will save you time and hassle down the road.
- Marketing Materials. It’s very likely that your old address will be featured on a variety of marketing collateral, such as brochures, flyers, booklets, pamphlets, pens, and more. Make sure to update your address on all of these materials before ordering more. That way, you can save yourself from a costly mistake.
How to Prepare for an Office Relocation – Trust Professional Movers!
We know how much work goes into moving to a new office space. And now that you know how to prepare for an office relocation, you can decide whether you’d like to hire a professional moving company. You already have so much to worry about—so why worry about your office furniture? Andrews Installation Group is a full-service moving company that specializes in furniture delivery and furniture installation. Let us take care of moving all of your office furniture so you can focus on more important to-dos. We have over 15 years of experience delivering and installing office furniture of all shapes and sizes. You can see some of our projects here.
We pride ourselves on delivering your furniture safely and on time. Plus, we’ll install it in your new office exactly how you want it. When you trust Andrews Installation Group with your office furniture, you’ll be saving yourself the stress of moving it yourself.
Planning a move? We can help! Call us today at 602-334-7912 or contact us online to schedule your move. We look forward to helping you get settled in!
