How to organize an office move: Office moving checklist

Three to six months before office move

• Determine the time frame and schedule of your office move project – Decide on the date when you want all your staff and equipment to be out of your current office space and create a detailed moving calendar with all the relocation tasks that need to be taken care of prior to that date (together with appropriate deadlines for their completion);
• Find a suitable new business location – consider the area where you want your new office to be located, the type of building that will be most appropriate for your needs, the necessary square footage, etc.;
• Distribute tasks and responsibilities – Discuss the upcoming relocation with your employees and assign individual tasks and responsibilities to every member of your team. Make sure everyone knows what is expected from them and how to perform their duties in a timely and efficient manner. It is a good idea to establish move coordinators within each department and organize weekly relocation coordination meetings to keep track of your progress and discuss potential problems;
• Make a detailed inventory of your existing office furniture and equipment and decide which items to take to your new place and which ones to sell or decommission;
• Establish a preliminary relocation budget – consider your office moving costs and make an initial financial plan for your forthcoming relocation;
• Make a list of all the people, businesses, institutions, organizations, etc. that need to be informed of your new address.

Two months before moving day

• Create a detailed floor plan of your new office space, order any needed new office furniture, equipment, and signage, and schedule wiring;
• Plan for networking and telecommunications – contact your network and telephone providers (select new ones, if necessary), coordinate moving of servers, ensure Internet access at your new office location, get new phone numbers or move existing ones, etc.;
• Change your business address with the USPS and inform the IRS, Franchise Tax Board, Employment Development Department, your bank, insurance providers, vendors, subscriptions, of your new place of business;
• Review your existing lease for requirements and conditions for returning the current space to the landlord and take according measures;
• Find out if any of your office equipment requires specialized movers or approved vendors to move it;
• Hire reliable and experienced office movers – Research office moving companies in your area (ask for recommendations from other business that have recently moved, read moving reviews, visit different movers’ websites, verify the companies’ licensing information, check their customer service history, etc.), get office moving cost estimates from three or four reputable companies that seem to best suit your needs, compare the offers, and choose the right office movers for you;
• Get appropriate moving insurance for your sensitive electronics, delicate artwork, and company valuables;
• Start having weekly move coordination meetings with your employees to confirm timelines are being met and roles and responsibilities are correctly understood.

One month before move date

• Transfer utilities – Arrange the utilities in your old office to be disconnected on the day after your move (unless you have otherwise agreed with your landlord) and the ones in your new place of business to be turned on by move-in day;
• Make a moving office announcement – Create a public relations campaign with press releases to inform the public of your new location (if applicable) and send letters to all your business partners and key customers to notify them of your new address. Change your company’s website to reflect the new office location and phone numbers;
• Create packing guidelines and decide on a labeling system – Hold a meeting to discuss your moving preparations with your employees and ensure that everyone is familiar with the correct packing methods and labeling codes;
• Inventory and tag all furniture, equipment, and office supplies that will be relocated to your new place of business. Decide what you’re going to do with the rest of the stuff – which of your old office items you’d like to sell or donate, which ones you need to recycle or throw away, etc.;
• Gather the necessary office moving supplies (unless you have hired professional packers to prepare your items for moving);
• Start archiving old files;
• Order new stationery and business cards;
• Determine security procedures for the move – be very careful with personal information, company data, important documentation, etc.;
• Obtain any necessary parking and/or moving permits;
• Hire professional cleaning services to clean your old office space on the day after your move.

Two weeks before moving day

• Make sure your new location will be fully ready by move-in day (wiring, cabling, HVAC systems, security systems, etc.). Order keys for all your team members;
• Start cleaning up and packing common areas. Ask employees to clean up their desks, cabinets, cubicles, etc., get rid of no longer needed items, and prepack everything they won’t use until moving day;
• Back up important documents and company information – Make paper copies of all essential company documents, scan important paperwork (insurance policies, tax returns, bank statements, legal contracts, etc.), store critical data on portable digital media or in the cloud, etc. Set up passwords on computers and other electronic devices that will be entrusted to the movers;
• Create a list of important contacts that includes your chosen office moving company, new building management, telecommunications, etc. and provide every team member with a copy;
• Call your hired office movers and confirm pickup date and time.

Office move week

• Make a thorough inspection of your new office premises, confirm that all your demands are met, and mount floor plans and color tags and labels on the walls;
• Distribute new keys and access cards to your employees;
• Ensure all confidential records are safely stored in plastic crates, sealed with tamper evident security seals (See also: How to protect yourself form identity theft when moving);
• Disconnect major appliances and electronic devices and prepare them for moving (See also: How to pack a computer for moving);
• Set aside anything that is not to be loaded on the moving truck.

Moving day

• Designate move coordinators to be on-site throughout the move and do not allow other employees in your old office on moving day to avoid injuries and delays;
• Meet the moving crew and provide them with all the information they need. Show the movers around, point out special items, give clear instructions, and stay around so that your relocation partners can get to you if they have any questions;
• Assign a person to make a final walkthrough of the vacated space to check for forgotten items, property damage, etc.;
• Prepare welcome packets for your employees at the new office.