Office Moving Tips

Looking to upgrade into a new office space? The thought of planning a move on top of keeping your business running, with little to no downtime, can be a daunting task. As professional office movers here at HuberWilmot Moving & Storage, we know a thing or two about having a successful office relocation.

Here we have compiled a list of tips for things to keep in mind when you plan your office move:

1. Plan in Advance

As soon as you decide that you will be moving, it is crucial to begin planning as soon as possible. The moving process begins months in advance, prior to your moving date, and as an accomplished business owner you want to be prepared for that day.

The first thing that should be done is to sit down and write down everything that needs to get between now and moving day. From there, begin to assign deadlines for each task and soon you will have a timeline for your move.

2. Hire a Professional Moving Company

Another key component to having a successful business relocation is to hire professional movers who have expertise in office moving, like HuberWilmot Moving & Storage. Be sure to get quotes from multiple moving companies to ensure you are getting the best services for your budget.

Some questions to consider are:

• Is the moving company reputable? Check Google Reviews and ask people you know for suggestions.
• Is the moving company accustomed to handling moves similar in size and scope?
• Does the estimate show exactly what is covered?
• Is there additional valuation coverage available?
• Is the company fully-licensed and insured?
• Are they a part of the Better Business Bureau (BBB)?

After selecting a commercial moving company, their professional moving consultant will be there to help you every step of the way during your moving process.

3. Get Your Team on Board

It is important to make your entire team aware of the move and have clear communication as to what will be expected of them. Assign roles to each employee so they know exactly what they should be doing during the moving process and on moving day.

Create teams to coordinate packing, organizing, rescheduling and any other tasks that will need to be completed.

It will also be important to inform your IT team so they can prepare your servers and networks to be moved to a new location and ensure there is a smooth transition between office spaces.

4. Give Clients an Advanced Notice

Let your clients know that you will be moving into a new space. This is especially important if you hold in-person meetings in your office space. This will also give you the opportunity to let them know of any times or days you may not be available during the move.

5. Schedule Meetings Accordingly

Along with giving notice to your clients, you will want to make sure that meetings are not being scheduled the week of your move to ensure that you can focus on getting your office furniture, equipment and employees over to your new office, quickly and efficiently.

6. Declutter as You Pack

As you and your team begin to pack, take this time to evaluate what should be brought over into the new office. Make piles for things you wish to sell, donate or recycle as you pack to keep yourself organized.

7. Make Arrangements for Donation and Recycling

Once you have decided on what you wish to get rid of, make arrangements before moving day to recycle, sell or donate these items. Many moving companies may also offer junk removal services along with their moving services where they will properly dispose of these items for you.

If you need to store items, for now, many moving companies also have storage units or storage facilities available. Here at HuberWilmot, we offer all of these services and more with our office and commercial moving services.

8. Be Detailed in Your Labeling

As you are packing, it may seem tedious to write down the contents of each box but being detailed in your labeling can save you time and stress once you begin to unpack your items into your new office.

Knowing the exact contents, or at least enough details to know what is in the box can spare you from endless searching through boxes for one particular item.

9. Check for Building Restrictions

Many office buildings may have restrictions on moving. Talk with the building management to see what restrictions there may be. Restrictions could include specific times or certain days that moving is not allowed or specific elevators or loading areas dedicated to moves that must be reserved.

You will also want to talk with the building management to obtain the contacts and evacuation plans for emergency services such as the fire department, security, and maintenance.

10. Have Someone Be In Charge of Inventory

On moving day, having a designated employee or employees in charge of ensuring everything has made it over into the new office space and placed where it should be is crucial in order to allow for no mistakes or missing items.

Make sure these are people you trust and know can be counted on to ensure everything has made it and made it intact.

11. Notify for Change of Utilities

If utilities are not something that is already included in your lease, you want to make sure that those are turned on the day before you move in to ensure everything will be ready once you move in.

Subsequently, if you pay separately for utilities in your current space, notify them to turn off utilities the day after moving day.

12. Remember Your Collateral

It may be easy to forget just how many pieces of collateral have your business address on it. Be sure to update your address and reprint things like business cards, forms, letterhead, and statements with the new address and phone number.

On the digital side, be sure to also update things like your website, Google My Business page, social media and email signatures.

Final Note

HuberWilmot Moving & Storage specializes in moving businesses throughout the Mid-Atlantic, specifically the Washington DC Metro region: Baltimore, Maryland Corridor, and Northern Virginia.

For more information, be sure to give us a call today at (703) 488-7117 or you can fill out our online form to request a free moving quote.