Planning an office move involves careful coordination and communication to ensure everything goes according to plan. To facilitate a seamless transition for your employees, here’s a comprehensive office move checklist to guide them through the process:
Before moving day
Give your employees:
- The address plus travel directions and information on public transit.
- Encourage them to visit the new space in person if possible.
- A map showing nearby points of interest, such as restaurants and shops.
- A simple floor plan; encourage them to draw a picture of how they would like their new office set up.
- A copy of these commercial moving tips, plus guidance on packing crates and how JK’s Spider Crane® and Comp-U-Wrap® systems work.
Use labels to help us help you
To ensure every item is properly placed at your new location, JK will give you color-coded, numbered labels that correspond with the new office’s floor plan.
Encourage employees to:
- Use a ballpoint pen to indicate the proper room number of everything to be moved, including chairs, floor mats, removable shelves, glass desktops, keyboards, and lamps.
- Place labels where they can easily be seen (e.g., on the top or front of furniture items).
- When labeling lamps, pinch one label around the cord and pinch another label around one of the metal spokes of the shade.
Pack like a pro
When employees are ready to pack up their offices, advise them to:
- Carry anything personal or valuable (like small plants and diplomas) with them.
- Follow the same advice for vulnerable items, such as desktop calculators or desk organizers.
- Pack small, loose items (like pens and paper clips) into zip-top bags.
- Empty all wastebaskets and do not pack anything inside of them.
- Avoid locking their furniture, and cover the push-lock with tape to prevent it from locking (this is the only place they should use tape in their packing).
- Packing the dolly starts with placing the first empty reusable crate on the floor of the dolly, packing it, then adding another empty crate on top, packing until there’s a maximum of four stacked crates.
Have oversized items? Just leave the top crate open; JK’s team will take care of it.
Keep computer and office equipment under control
Well in advance of your move, service all office machinery and equipment in accordance with any maintenance and leasing agreements, and notify your supplier(s) of your upcoming relocation for a Smart Moving strategy. Then:
- Label each monitor, printer, CPU, fax machine, copier, and postage machine.
- Remove toner from printers, fax machines, and copiers
- Detach sorters from copiers
- Disconnect all computers and cables
- Place the computer’s keyboard, mouse, mouse pad, cables, and speakers in a JK-provided peripheral pouch, label it with the destination room number, and seal it up.
- Similarly, detach office equipment peripherals, roll them up, place them in a plastic bag, and label the bag with the destination room number
Wrangle cabinets, files, books, and shelves
Here’s where JK’s Spider Crane® comes in. Standard vertical filing cabinets can typically remain loaded during the move.
Certain cabinets (including those made of wood) cannot be moved using the Spider Crane®; Discuss these specifically with your Move Coordinator.
- Remove and pack any supplies you’ll immediately need into containers and label accordingly.
- Wrap tape around the cabinet’s locking button to prevent accidental locking.
- Say goodbye to time-consuming bookshelf assembly.
The JK Crew will disassemble and reassemble bookshelves, unless prior arrangements have been made. Simply instruct employees to:
- Remove and pack the contents of bookcases into packing containers
- For bookcases with adjustable shelves, seal pegs in a labeled bag or envelope and pack them in a box
- Label each shelf and place it on the floor for the Crew to pick up.
Handle (art) with care
After labeling large pictures, artwork, and maps, leave them hanging on walls. Your JK Commercial Move Crew will pack and transport them either in padded bins or on specially designed picture carts.
Pack any small desk pictures or flat glass items at the end of cartons marked “fragile.”
By following these guidelines and utilizing JK’s expertise, your office move can be organized and stress-free, ensuring minimal disruption to your business operations.