As you probably know from personal experience, moving to a new home – or even to a new room in your home – can involve a surprising, even astonishing amount of packing.
What you may have assumed as a task that might take 15-30 minutes, can turn into an all-day affair that has you scrambling to find more boxes, and repeatedly asking yourself “hey, I didn’t know that I still had this!”
Well, if you shift the scene to relocating your business, then the scope of work and number of items to move increases exponentially. And that’s why it’s vital that you and your employees plan for and properly pack what you need to take – and appropriately donate, sell or recycle what you don’t.
To put you on track for a successful office move vs. a stressful one, here are 4 key packing tips when relocating your business:
1. Don’t over-pack boxes.
While each piece of paper or file may be as light as a feather, the fact is that paper has a funny way of becoming a lot heavier than it looks! And the same goes for items like office supplies – individually everything can be carried easily in a pocket or bag, but when it’s all loaded together it really starts to tilt the scales. Avoid potentially damaging your items by resisting the temptation to over-pack.
2. Don’t leave it until the last minute.
Last minute pack-a-thons are nerve-racking, and it’s easy to either leave key items behind, or pack them improperly and therefore risk damaging them. What’s more, racing against the clock will make it more difficult to avoid over-packing (per tip #1). Pack a little bit each week, so that the process is simple and stress-free.
3. Write clear descriptions on each box.
Most of us have boxes in our attic, basement or garage with something cryptic scrawled on the side that made sense when we wrote it, but is a complete mystery now. Avoid this fate by writing clear descriptions on each box. For example “office supplies” isn’t particularly helpful, but “2nd floor A/P department office supplies” is -- especially if you won’t be the one doing the unpacking!
4. Prioritize items.
While you obviously want everything you earmark for your new office to arrive there, it’s also true that you don’t likely need every item right away. For example, you employees will need their basic office supplies and other key items that get them back in action right away. They won’t necessarily need reference manual, catalogs, and so on. Pack items by priority (and label correctly as per tip #2), and your people will get the most important items right away.
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To learn more about what you need to know when relocating your business, download our free ebook “How to Move Your Office in 5 Easy Steps”. It’s a must-have resource to help you enjoy a stress-free, successful experience!
