Planning an office move is a huge task that requires many steps to be successful. With all this planning it can be hard to know where and when to start. We’re here to help you create an office moving timeline to ensure your office relocation goes smoothly.
Table of Contents
Six Months Before Your Office Move
Planning well in advance is essential for a successful office relocation. Here’s how to begin your office moving timeline, starting six months before the move.
Create a Moving Plan and Budget
The first step is to develop a moving plan and budget. Your plan should include a detailed task list with deadlines.
When setting a budget, consult the individuals responsible for your company’s finances—whether it’s your boss, finance department, or your accounting records. Establishing a budget will help determine how much you can allocate for each part of the move.
Do Your Research
With your plan in place, it’s time to start researching. Focus on the key details needed for a smooth office move.
Review Current Lease
Reviewing your lease is crucial when planning an office move. If your lease is nearing expiration, your main concern will be ensuring the space is clean and well-maintained to secure your deposit. However, if your lease hasn’t ended, carefully read the terms. Understand whether you might forfeit your security deposit or if specific steps are required to terminate the lease early.
Compare Moving Companies
Hiring a moving company will make your office relocation much smoother. Many companies specialize in office moves and offer tailored services. Here are some top office moving companies to consider:
- Office Movers Moving Company
- Meyer Moving Company
- Suddath Moving Company
- JK Moving Services
- UniMovers
Consider the New Office Layout
Your new office layout is something you need to consider in advance. Will the new space be larger or smaller than your current one? Will it have more private offices or an open layout? Consider these factors when choosing a new office, as everyone’s needs will vary. Think about what works best for you and your team to ensure the space meets everyone’s requirements.
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Keep Everyone Involved
Your company’s office move will involve more than just you. You must keep everyone in the loop and make sure everyone lends a helping hand.
Create a To-Do List
Moving an office doesn’t have to fall on one person. Many tasks can be handled by small groups or individuals. Assign specific dates for employees to pack their personal workspaces and create teams to handle common areas. To ensure a smooth process, make sure tasks are evenly distributed, and everyone knows their responsibilities and deadlines.
Inform Employees
With the major details in place, it’s time to inform your employees, either virtually or in person. Your meeting should cover key dates, details about the new office, assigned tasks, and allow time for questions.
Keep in mind moving can be stressful for everyone. Ensure employees have the support they need to make the transition as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Three to Four Months Before Your Office Move
With the initial planning phase complete, it’s time to tackle the next steps in your moving plan. According to your office moving timeline, here’s what you should focus on three to four months before your office relocation.
Finalize the Plan
Although your office move may still seem distant, it’s time to finalize your moving plan. Review the plan you created and ensure everything is organized and ready to be checked off. At this stage, all tasks should have clear deadlines. Sticking to these dates is essential for a smooth and successful move.
Notify Everyone Involved
You’re only a few months out from your office move making it time to start notifying people who work with your office. While your employees are already informed, you’ll need to contact your landlord, partners, vendors, and clients. Share key details like your moving date and new office address, and be ready to answer any questions about how the move might impact them.
Prepare for the Move
At this point in your office moving timeline, you’ve done a lot of the planning. Now let’s talk about some more hands-on ways to prepare for your office relocation.
Hire Movers
Now that we’ve discussed potential movers, it’s time to make a decision. By this stage, you should have reviewed the services offered by various companies and compared their costs. To choose between two companies providing similar services, directly compare their pricing and customer ratings. Aim to hire a company that meets your service needs at the lowest cost while maintaining high customer satisfaction.
Special Office Moving Services
Offices tend to require moving services that cater specifically to office relocations. If you plan to use specialized services—such as relocating office technology, disconnecting and reconnecting equipment, or disassembling and assembling large furniture—be sure to inform the moving company in advance. This will enable them to provide an accurate pricing quote and ensure they are properly prepared on your moving day.
Buy Moving Supplies
As packing time approaches on your office moving timeline, it’s important to prepare by purchasing essential moving supplies. Here are some key items you’ll need:
- Moving Boxes
- Packing Tape
- Bubble Wrap and Packing Paper
- Permanent Markers
Additionally, consider ways to save money by obtaining moving supplies for free. If your office receives shipments in boxes, start saving them for your move. You can also ask local stores for any spare cardboard boxes. Free boxes are often easy to find and can significantly reduce your moving costs.
One to Two Months Before Your Move
With your office move getting closer, it’s time to prepare your current office and envision your new space. Here’s what your office moving timeline will involve one to two months before your relocation.
Consider Your New Office
You’re only a few months away from moving into your new office space. Let’s start thinking about the floorplan of your new office and what having a new space will entail.
New Floor Plan
A new office provides an opportunity to design a layout that suits you and your team. To ensure a smooth transition, plan your new floor plan in advance. Is the new space larger or smaller than your current office? Will you need to downsize some larger items or acquire new furniture? Take the time to thoughtfully plan your new office to ensure it’s a space your employees will love and that everything fits seamlessly upon moving in.
What to Get Rid of vs What to Buy
Before you start packing, consider what items you want to get rid of and what new items you’ll need to buy. Have old furniture in your office that no one ever uses? Donate it to a donation center such as Habitat for Humanity. Wanting to replace some of your employee’s old desks? Start shopping ahead of time to ensure everything ships on time.
When purchasing new items for your office, coordinate the shipping dates with the start of your new lease. This way, your items can be delivered directly to the new location, freeing up space in your moving vehicle.
Start Packing
It’s time to start packing! While this may seem overwhelming, remember it doesn’t all have to be done at once. Begin with items you don’t use frequently and be sure to label everything. This approach allows you to pack without disrupting daily operations while keeping track of your belongings.
Additionally, consider proper packing techniques. Packing moving boxes can be tricky, so ensure your boxes are fully packed without overloading larger boxes with heavy items. Also, remember not every packing container needs to be a cardboard box. Maximize space by utilizing drawers and cabinets to store lightweight items during the move.
Essential Office Tasks
Since your move is right around the corner, you need to start doing some basic office tasks to prepare for your new space. Here are the essentials that should be on your office tasks list.
- Create business cards with the new address
- Create new keycards for employee access
- Start updating company website information
Prepare the IT Department
Moving technology requires careful preparation and planning. While your company’s IT department will likely manage most aspects, it’s crucial to keep everyone informed. This includes notifying employees about when specific technology will be disconnected, who is responsible for packing certain equipment, and when the technology will be operational in the new office.
Since technology can be delicate, ensure those handling it are aware of its fragility. They should be aware of how to pack electronics and transport them safely.
One Week Before Your Move
With your office move just around the corner, you’re likely wrapping up the final stages of your moving plan. As the big day approaches, here are a few essential tasks to check off during the final week before your move:
Review Moving Schedule
Before moving day, it’s essential to review your moving schedule. Take the time to double-check your to-do list, packing list, and moving day timeline. Doing this a week before the move will help you identify any tasks you may be falling behind on, giving you time to catch up.
Finish Packing
You’ll likely be taking a few days from normal operation to finalize last-minute moving details and get all set up in the new office. Because of this, you can take a day or two before the move to have everyone finish packing up their desks and any other areas in the office.
Confirm Movers
If your movers don’t plan to call before your move to confirm the details, you should take the initiative to do so. Sometimes things can get lost in the booking process so make sure movers know your address(es), inventory, amount of movers requested, and booking time.
Moving Day
It’s finally your office moving day! All your planning for your office move has led up to this moment. Let’s look into the final tasks you will need to complete on your moving day.
Old Office Walk-through
On your moving day, conduct a final walk-through of your old office space. Check all the hard-to-reach areas to ensure nothing is left behind. It can be helpful to have multiple people assist with this review, as fresh eyes may catch things you might have missed.
Meet the Movers
It’s essential to have someone from your office present on moving day. This person will need to let the movers in and provide them with important information, such as which boxes are fragile and which furniture may require disassembly. They can also address any other crucial details about the move. Additionally, this person can handle tipping the movers for their hard work.
After Moving Day
You’ve finally reached the final section of your office moving timeline. Here are the last steps you’ll need to complete after your office relocation.
Meet With Your Employees
It’s time to celebrate your new move with an office meeting! Use this opportunity to delegate unpacking tasks. While everyone will likely unpack their own workspaces, create teams for common areas. Also, ensure everyone has new keycards for the office and is aware of the official opening date.
Most importantly, express your appreciation for your employees’ hard work throughout the moving process!
Set Up the New Office Space
Now it’s time to implement the office floor plan you created. Refer to this plan as you begin unpacking to ensure all items fit in their designated spaces.
This is also the time for the IT department to set up all technology. Once everything is in its proper place, the final steps will be plugging everything in and ensuring everything is functioning correctly.
Conclusion
Planning an office move may seem daunting, but following an office moving timeline can make the process smooth and manageable.
Your moving plans should begin with research and preparation, including reviewing leases, researching moving companies, and informing everyone about the move. The next phases will involve more hands-on tasks like hiring movers, packing, and designing your new space. In the final stages, focus on double-checking and ensuring everything is ready for the big day.
Moving day and the days immediately after will be busy, but transforming your new space into a functional office can be enjoyable! By adhering to this office moving timeline, your entire move should be a breeze.
Jessica is a students at the University of Northern Iowa. She is majoring in English Education with a creative writing minor. In her free time she loves to read books of every genre, write short stories, and spend time with friends. In the future she hopes to share her love for reading and writing with her future students.
