Hacks That Will Make Moving to a New Office Easier
From your company expanding or downsizing to looking for new premises because your current lease is up, there are various reasons why you might have to move to a new office. As you might already know, the process of relocation can oftentimes be tedious and exhausting. You have to think about several factors as overlooking something essential can be detrimental to your business. With all that in mind, it’s a good idea to look for tips and hacks that will make the whole endeavor much easier. Here are a few to consider.
Start preparing on time
First of all, unless you’re notified of having to leave the premises as soon as possible, you want to start preparing for your move well in advance. By doing everything at the last minute, the chances of overlooking something important and impacting your business’s daily operations can be much higher. That means that you should come up with the basics you’ll need to cover at least a few weeks before the actual move.
Find a space that fits all your needs
Something that can make your move much easier is finding the right premises that you will move into. Dedicate some time to this, no matter if you plan to build from the ground up, purchase a property or rent one. If you don’t plan this through properly, it could mean that you’ll have to move again in no time. With that in mind, make sure you have enough room for all employees and all tasks that need to be done on a daily basis.
Then, check if there is plenty of parking for the entire workforce and all visitors. Lastly, you cannot neglect the importance of the office’s location. Is it too far for customers to visit? Is there some other business that they can turn to that is closer? Therefore, finding a good location will also ensure you retain your clients.
Get your new premises prepared
Once you find your new premises, it’s recommended to get them prepared before your move. That way, you should not lose too many days on the relocation. For starters, get the utilities connected and handled so that you have power, water, and internet in order to be able to get started with your tasks as soon as you move in. Furthermore, if you will be getting new pieces of furniture and equipment, you want to have them shipped to the new address right away.
There is no point in having them arrive at your current office and then moving them alongside everything else. If you still don’t have access to your new premises, you might want to wait or schedule the delivery for a date when you know you will be there. Finally, seeing as how someone might have been using your new office before you, you want to have it cleaned and get rid of everything they might have left behind.
While you can turn to professionals to get it spotless, you might be working on a budget. Taking that into account, you can also learn how to clean windows so that there are no streaks as well as vacuum the floor, dust all surfaces, and disinfect everything to make the space safe for your employees.
Create a packing plan to be efficient
How you pack is also crucial if you want to be efficient. For one, you need to decide if everything is going with you to the new offices or if you can sell, donate, or throw away certain items. Decluttering can make for a much easier moving process as you’ll have fewer belongings to transport. Moreover, you want to get all the boxes and packing materials you will need to safely transport everything from your current premises to the new ones.
You also want to label the boxes and make lists of what is packed where so that you have an easier time unpacking once you arrive at the new address. It’s recommended to group together things that go in the same place, area, or personal office.
Leave your old office spotless
If you’re leasing your current office, you want to check the contract and see if it says that you are responsible for cleaning the premises before you move out. In case you are, you can look for end-of-lease cleaning services that will ensure the place is spotless and you get your deposit back. On the other hand, you can also clean it on your own if you have the time. Make sure you cover everything from the windows and floors to the kitchen and bathrooms.
Hire experts for moving
Seeing as how the whole process of moving can be very tiring, you can also hire professionals to help you with it. That way, your business might not have to miss out on any work due to packing and unpacking for a few days. You can let the experts handle this. What is more, if you can split the move into two stages, one-half of your company can always be operating. Moving companies provide you with packing materials, pack and unpack your items, handle the transport, and ensure there is insurance that will protect all your belongings.
Announce the move to partners, customers, and authorities
Finally, you don’t want to forget about announcing the move. For one, send emails to all your partners and suppliers so that they know to update your information on their files. Explain that you can still be reached via the same email and specify if you’re changing your phone number. In terms of clients, as soon as you know when you will be opening the doors of your new office to visitors, you want to inform them by placing a note on the entrance to your current premises.
Moreover, you also want to notify them of the move on your social media pages. Something else that you have to handle is your company’s legal documents. From your bank and insurance provider to the revenue agency, there are many authorities that need to be notified so consult with an attorney to make sure you’re not overlooking anything crucial.
When moving offices, you want to make sure nothing essential is disregarded. Keep this checklist in mind for a smooth move.