5 Tips for A Smooth Business Relocation

Relocating a business can be an exciting time because it can mean moving to a bigger and better space and increasing your operations, but it can also be a stressful time with the logistics involved and trying to keep your business running at the same time.

Use our tips to help coordinate your move and keep your business running well, for a smooth and stress free business relocation.

1. Make a Plan and Timeline Well In Advance

Packing and moving is a huge and daunting task, so it’s important to implement proper planning and procedures well in advance. If you have staff delegate preparatory tasks to them and ensure everyone knows what they should be doing, when. Develop a timeline that begins about 3 months before the move and includes when you will book the removals company and cleaners, when you will start packing ancillary items, when you will start packing essential items, and when you will update your essential information.

A checklist that you can keep as you head along towards the moving day can be very useful to ensure nothing is forgotten. Include on your schedule time to check out your new space a few weeks in advance of moving there and check that all the internet, phone and electrical cables are working and that everything is good to go for you to move in. Starting early is crucial because a big process like a relocation usually takes more time than you think, so make sure you plan in advance.

2. Hire a Reliable Removals Company

A good company of office removalists will help you enormously when it comes to planning and executing your office move. You should book a removals service at least 1-3 months in advance, so they can visit your sites, give you an accurate quote, advise you on how to go about the move, inform you on whether you can move some cabinets while still full and discuss whether you want delicate items like art works moved separately.

It’s useful to also delegate specific roles on the moving day, and a good company will be able to do this. The most important role will be the overseer of the move, who will know all the details of how you want the move to go and be the point of reference for all personnel during the move. This helps to clear up any uncertainty and confusion on the day of the move and ensures a smooth relocation.

3. Hire a Cleaner

A move is an excellent opportunity for a big clean out and office purge and you want to taking this opportunity to do a thorough clean out means you can enter your new office space with a fresh slate. The other advantage of a big clean up is that getting rid of all the old equipment, papers and files you don’t need means there’s less to move and when there’s less to move, your relocation will be cheaper and quicker. If you have old office equipment that’s still functional, but you don’t need it any longer, consider donating it to a foundation or school, or sell it to a second hand shop. This could earn you a tax write off or a few extra dollars and might help somebody else out or at least will save on adding unnecessarily to landfill.

A professional cleaner is a great help to have, both to get your new office completely fresh and clean to move in, and also to do a professional clean on the old office premises after you leave.

4. Pack Well

Have a plan and know where all your items are going to be packed and when. Liaising with your office removalists can help at this point as they can advise you of whether you can leave some filing cabinets and storage furniture full, saving you packing and unpacking time.

Start packing non-essential items as far in advance of your move as possible. Once again, delegating roles when it comes to packing and getting your staff involved can get the job done much more smoothly and efficiently than otherwise.

5. Update Your Business Information

Of course, after your move, your business will be located at a new address, and possibly with a new phone number. Be prepared for this change by updating your letterheads, business cards, website and any directories that list your contact information 1-2 weeks in advance of your move. This is imperative as you want to make the move as smooth as possibly for your customers, clients and employees.

Once you’ve taken these steps, you’re ready to move into your wonderful new office space smoothly and with less stress!