Your guide to stress-free office removals
Office removals don't have to be stressful. Follow our guide to make yours as smooth as possible.
Times change. Empires rise and fall. The planets spin. But one thing stays the same: office removals are a pain in the neck.
It's a shame, really. After all, you're moving office! Unless it's because of an ineradicable crab infestation in the kitchen, chances are you're moving out of choice. It's a big deal. Congratulations.
But life has a way of turning excitement into a logistical headache and you're soon reaching for the painkillers. There's just so much
stuff in your office, from essential equipment to drawers full of invoices from the reign of Queen Victoria.
And once you've decluttered, organised and packed up your office supplies, you've still got to get it all from A to B.
So, what's to be done? Is
Homo sapiens doomed to a wretched existence of stressful office removals? Must we simply grin and bear it?
Well, yes and no. A stress-free removal is rare but not impossible. Take the right steps and you can significantly dial down the fuss and bother in the weeks leading up to the move – and on the day of the move itself.
"Sounds good!" you say. "But how?" Let's start at the beginning…
Plan early
Some things in life are best left to chance: a Secret Santa, say, or a tempestuous love affair. Office removals most certainly do
not fall into this category of spontaneous fun.
Do future you a favour by planning thoroughly – and doing it early. That means at least a few months. This planning stage covers everything from scoping out your new location to creating a timeline, from delegating tasks to packing and unpacking.
You should also set a budget. Costs have a way of piling up. By setting aside realistic amounts for removals, packing supplies, new furniture, trips to the tip and so on, you stand a better chance of staying within limits.
As with all budgets, be sure to include a contingency cost. Some swear by 10% as a figure, but the precise amount is up to you. That way, you've got some wiggle room in the event of an unexpected cost.
Delegate tasks
Businesses sometimes like to refer to themselves as "families". This is nowhere more apparent than when trying to get ready for a move.
It's then that members of the team vanish into thin air, clock off early, meddle, muddle and interfere. It's then that tempers fray and stress levels rocket. But usually, this is all because tasks haven't been delegated effectively.
You know your business. Delegate tasks to individuals and departments and make sure each person knows who they're reporting to. It's an extension of your day-to-day operations – and it can make the difference between a smooth transition and a whole lot of stress.
Keep your team in the loop
No one wants a surprise move. Tell everyone in your team and all your contractors ahead of time so they can mentally prepare and get to work on packing up their things.
Each company has its own communication systems in place. But as well as telling people directly, it can be a good idea to have the change of address in your email signature.
Know what to pack
There are two sides to this.
First, office removals are like house removals: they're a great opportunity to declutter.
Those box files in the stairwell: can they go? Now's the time to find out. How about that mysterious bag of cables? Those novelty mugs? That calendar from 1974?
As with a house removal, it's important to get this done sooner rather than later – and we're talking weeks ahead rather than days.
It's also important to differentiate between
office stuff
and
personal stuff. Stacy from finance needs to clear her desk – not you. Her staff computer, however, is your responsibility.
Good packing makes for a good move. Don't let your team cut corners.
Back up your data
Once you've packed up, it's time to back up. When you get to your new office, you don't want to be searching for essential files and folders. You want to hit the ground running.
The best way to achieve this is by decluttering your files, organising them and backing them up. This can take time. Give yourself the best chance of success by starting early.
At the same time, you should make sure your IT systems are set up and ready to run in the new location. As with your backups, this will increase your chances of starting as you mean to go on when you get to your new premises.
Notify people about your change of address
You know as well as we do that you need to tell people you've changed your address. But it's one of those things that can easily get pushed further and further down the to-do list.
Far better to do it ahead of time in one go to save valuable time later. Draw up a list of stakeholders (suppliers, customers, staff, financial bodies) and make sure they're all aware of your move.
Royal Mail offers two solutions: Business Redirection and Business Diversion.
According to Royal Mail, Business Redirection is your best bet when "you are moving from one business premises to the next or if your business is closing temporarily or permanently". Diversion, however, is for when "only part of your business is moving or if your business is located in a multi-occupancy building".
Hire a van
For large businesses, it's often best to hire a removal company with its own vehicles and drivers. But if you're a small business, you may find it more efficient to do it yourself.
If this sounds like you, you need a
van hire company that can give you a high-performing vehicle that's the right size for the job.
And if you're in the northeast of England, we're that company.
Get in touch today for a quote or
check out our fleet online. We look forward to hearing from you.
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