Four Home Office Moving Tips
It's an exciting time—your business is growing and you are moving out of the home office and into your first outside office space. Making sure everything is packed up properly and safely can help you finish the move with as little stress as possible. The following tips can help.
Tip #1: Secure Your Data
Your records and work data are often one of the most vital components of your business. Any time you move computer hardware there is the chance that data could be lost. Take the time to back up everything to either a cloud service or a separate thumb drive. This way you can quickly regain anything if there are any issues during the move.
This goes for paper data, as well. Client files and important paperwork should be housed in a secure spot for the move. Remove drawers from filing cabinets to simplify moving them, but place each drawer into a bag and seal it closed. This ensures that no files are lost or damaged during the move. If materials contain sensitive information, then you may need to leave the drawers in a locked cabinet and utilize a dolly to move the entire cabinet.
Tip #2: Take a Picture
The mishmash of cords and plugs emerging from the back of many computers and office peripherals can be confusing, even if you are relatively tech savvy. Take a picture of the back of your devices before disassembling the setup so that you know how to plug everything back in when you arrive at your new office.
You may also want to take a photo of any office furniture before you disassemble it for the move. Then, place all screws and hardware into a plastic bag that is labeled so you know what it belongs to. Keep all the bags in one area so you can find them quickly later.
Tip #3: Box Wisely
You are boxing things up with two end goals in mind—easy carrying and easy loading in the moving truck. On this note, heavy things like books should go in small boxes that one person can handle easily. Opt for boxes of a uniform size so it is easier to load them into a truck without fear of them shifting during the move. Most moving trucks also have tie downs inside, so you can stretch rope across the space to keep your stacks of boxes from sliding around.
Tip #4: Organize Your Moving Day
Finally, make sure you have your entire moving day organized in a way that makes the most sense. For example, most moving trucks are rented by the day or hour, so you will want to make sure your office is completely packed before picking up the truck. A sample moving day plan is as follows:
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Finalize any remaining packing at the home office and make sure there is a clear path from the office to the exit.
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Do a final inspection of the new office. Make sure everything is clean and dusted before moving in items. Also, check for hazards like loose carpet or rugs, and remove them or tape them down before you begin to move.
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Pick up the rental truck. Allow time to perform a quick inspection to ensure that the truck is running correctly and that all safety lights are working properly.
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Move items.
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Leave yourself enough time at the end of the day to sweep out the truck and top off the gas tank before returning it, which is usually a requirement to get back your deposit. To find a moving truck to suit your needs, contact a service like Elite Truck Rental.