It’s no secret that moving can be stressful, and commercial moves can include even more moving pieces. Whether you’re upsizing or downsizing, chances are your most important concern is keeping business running smoothly before, during, and after a move. Here are a few tips to make the moving process less stressful.
Don’t forget to check out our office move guide. How to Prepare Employees For An Office Move
1. Take Inventory Before the Move
The easiest way to prevent becoming overwhelmed with a move is to narrow down the number of objects you have to move in the first place. From storage units to desk drawers, cleaning and decluttering as much as possible before the move can save untold amounts of time and energy. Here are a few ways to cut down on clutter before a move.
Evaluate Possessions and Needs
Does your team need new furniture? Donate your current furniture to a non-profit association or your local Goodwill donation center and purchase and assemble new furniture at the new location. Plus, the less heavy objects your movers have to transfer, the lower your costs will be.
Donate Extras and Unnecessary Items
Does anyone really need five laminating machines? What about other unused office supplies that are just taking up space? Sift through your current inventory and donate or trash anything that doesn’t need to be taken along in the move.
Shred Old or Unused Files
Most businesses utilize digital technology over paper records these days, and if you’re holding on to paper copies that can easily be uploaded to an online storage system, you’re simply wasting space. Invest in a digital scanner to upload files that need to be kept, and shred the originals, as well as documents that are no longer needed.
Pro Tip: When it comes to decluttering, sorting through paper files is one of the easiest ways to cut down on clutter that doesn’t need to be moved to a new location. Just remember, it’s always a good idea to hang onto financial records, receipts, and items related to tax deductions. If you’re company is audited, you may have to provide evidence for up to seven years worth of expenses or deductions.
2. Sort Items by Room and Category
Once you’ve decluttered and removed unnecessary items, sorting objects by room and category for packing allows you to organize your items for a move. Don’t forget to label each box with a description of the contents inside as well as the room or area of the new location they’ll need to be taken to. If you’re hiring a professional moving company, this can be especially beneficial for movers who won’t need to be told over and over again where specific items go.
Use Color Coded Stickers or Labels
If you’re really into organizing, consider creating a color-coded systems for movers or anyone else who may need to know where various items should be delivered and unpacked. Whether you sort by room or category will depend on the size of your company and your new location, If you have a small office, sorting by category type can be beneficial, but for larger offices, sorting by room can certainly help keep items in order. An example of a color-coding system for a commercial move can look like so:
- Files / Record Room: Blue
- Office Supplies: Green
- Decor: Yellow
- Kitchen Items: Red
Create an Inventory Sheet
Creating a list of items that are moving from one location to another is the best way to keep track of what needs to be moved, and whether or not anything has been misplaced. Before the move, make a list of every item that will need to be moved. Before leaving your current location, run through your checklist to ensure each item is in route or has been packed. Once at your new location, run through the checklist again to ensure nothing has been left behind.
3. Leave it to a Professional Commercial Moving Company
Not looking forward to moving truckloads of office furniture and boxes of office supplies to your new location? Since corporate moving expenses are tax-deductible, including the cost of packing supplies, hiring a moving company, and having your new location surveyed to ensure there is adequate space for your items, there’s no reason not to pay someone else to take care of all the hard work. By far the easiest way to move your business from one location to another is by hiring a professional moving company to do the heavy lifting for you, literally.
Benefits of Hiring a Professional Moving Company
Whether you’re making a commercial or residential move, there are many benefits of hiring a professional moving company. Here are just a few of the reasons to consider bringing in the pros.
Potential Injuries are Insured
Hiring a professional moving company means you’re not liable for the cost of injuries sustained by employees or volunteers or damages incurred to furniture and other items during a move. If your employees are not salaried, moving day can also mean doling out hefty overtime sums. Put that money towards hiring professionals who complete corporate and residential moves every day.
Professional Movers are Prepared
Professional movers are far more prepared for a large commercial move than most businesses and employees. In addition to completing hundreds of moves each year and knowing how to efficiently complete a corporate moving project, professional movers have the right equipment and tools necessary for completing large moves. If you don’t want to invest in multiple dollies, straps, and other equipment, or if you don’t want you or your employees to be responsible for moving heavy pieces of furniture, call a professional moving company.