Whether you’re moving into a bigger office or just a different location, moving can be stressful and overwhelming for everyone. Luckily, with some planning and a handy checklist, you can have a well-organized moving day.

There’s a lot that goes into planning a move, from finding the perfect new office to arranging the logistics. Also, informing your employees of the move can lead to added stress and even tighter deadlines.

Here are 9 essential items to put on your office moving free price quotes checklist to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible.

1. Start Planning Early

Start planning the move at least three months ahead of time. This will give you enough time to find the perfect office space, get new furniture delivered, plan the relocation, and hire contractors for the new place if needed. Also, planning early can help you assign moving roles to the staff so everyone can prepare properly.

You should also inform your cleaning company, food suppliers, and coffee suppliers that you’re moving. This way, they’ll have time to organize their services and let you know if they can cover your new location.

2. Inform Your Employees

One of the first steps to take before an office move is to tell your employees and stakeholders. You can also consult them on new office spaces, get feedback on their needs, and find ways to involve everyone in the process.

You can also hand out an office relocation planning guide so that everyone knows what to expect during the move. If you have more than 50-100 employees, you need to organize each department to make sure the move doesn’t disrupt their workflow.

Also, don’t wait until the week of the move to tell people, especially if you want them to help out. Schedule a meeting and inform them at least one month ahead of time to give them time to organize and prepare.

3. Find a Reliable Moving Company

Moving offices can be overwhelming, especially for larger companies, and putting all the weight on your staff isn’t fair or ethical. This is why you need to hire reliable movers specializing in corporate moving.

For example, this moving company offers packing, unpacking, and disassembling services one office unit at a time. They will then assemble each unit separately and arrange it according to your needs.

Before you hire movers, make sure to do a thorough research of companies in your area and take your time choosing the right fit. You’re dealing with valuable equipment, so it’s crucial to pick legitimate movers with stellar reviews.

4. Define Your Budget

Moving is a huge undertaking, especially for larger companies, and it requires a hefty budget. You need to pay the movers and cleaners, buy new furniture, buy insurance for the inventory, and get moving supplies. Plan and estimate these expenses ahead of time to avoid last-minute budget cuts or unexpected costs.

Get as many quotes from moving companies as possible and compare prices. Try not to go for the cheapest ones as you may end up paying hidden costs in the end.

5. Start Packing In Advance

Don’t wait to start packing the week or day before moving your office. This will put unnecessary stress on your employees and the movers, so plan ahead. First, get packing supplies, boxes, tape, and labels. Then, ask each employee to pack their non-essential items and place them in a labeled box.

You should also plan the move on a day when there are no urgent deadlines or other important meetings for your company. It’s best to move on a weekend, but if this is not possible, talk to your employees to decide on a day.

6. Plan Your New Office Layout

As you plan the move, you should decide whether you’ll be changing up the office furniture and what the new layout will be. New offices always mean rearranging things and organizing units differently, which takes time and planning.

Visit the new offices at least once before moving so you can get a feel of the place and decide what goes where. You may need to add or remove some furniture and think about any new hires you plan to add in the future.

7. Do Inventory

Making inventory the week before the move is the best way to keep track of all the office equipment. This will help you check if everything is there after unpacking and that no items are missing. Inventory is also useful if you hire movers so you can double-check the equipment.

If you want to get rid of some items, do that first and then do the inventory to avoid confusion. Also, write down any new items you’ve bought before moving and write them down in a separate spreadsheet.

8. Schedule Cleaners

Before moving into a new office, hire a cleaning company to clean everything. Then, you can arrange the furniture and set everything up. Your employees should move into a spotless new office and start working right away.

Also, schedule a cleaning crew to clean the old office after you move. Make sure to remove every piece of furniture left beforehand and don’t leave heavy items for them to dispose of.

9. Transfer Utilities and Forward Mail

The final step to a successful office move is forwarding your mail to the new address and transfer the utilities. Try to do these things at least two weeks before the move so the utility companies can update their records and arrange delivery to the new address.

Also, if you have any newspaper or magazine subscriptions, make sure to either redirect or cancel them. Finally, don’t forget to transfer your internet connection or cancel it if you’ll be using a new provider.

This Is the Only Office Moving Checklist You Need

When it’s time to grow as a business and find a new office space, this office moving checklist will help you organize everything and give you peace of mind.

Start planning ahead of time, hire reliable movers, and talk to your employees about the moving process. Time and budget management are essential for a smooth, hassle-free move.

Want more moving tips and tricks? Check out some of the other articles we’ve posted on this topic and stay tuned for the latest news and lifestyle trends.