Three Months
before your Move:
1. Choose move leader . . . someone with excellent communication
and organizational skills who has demonstrated good rapport with
all employees.
2. Move leader chooses move team:
Floor space
and office layout manager
New office furniture and equipment manager
Electrical, telephone and computer manager
Employee relocation manager
Budget manager
3. Designate target move-in date.
4. Place hold on ordering stationery and inventory without move
leaders approval.
5. Track moving expenses - most are tax deductible.
6. Order telephone lines for new location.
7. Hire decorator.
8. Research moving companies. Professional moving companies
rely on recommendations and references. Check them out. Make
sure the company you choose is equipped and staffed to meet all
your needs.
9. Get one set of blueprints of new office space for office
layout and space planning.
10. Get additional set of blueprints for electrical, computer,
and telephone location planning.
Two
Months before your Move:
1. Give notice to current landlord, including exact moving day
and times.
2. Notify Telephone Company of exact moving day. Retain current
phone number or choose a new one. Request phone books at new
location.
3. Get acquainted with new location. Contact Chamber of
Commerce. Investigate public transportation, parking, banks, and
business services. Prepare fact sheet for employees.
4. Order office signs.
5. Conduct moving sale.
6. Re-check insurance coverage on relocation of furniture and
company cars.
7. Prepare press release and promotional materials.
One
Month before your Move:
1. Create printed moving announcements. Distribute to
customers, prospects, vendors, and associates three weeks before
move.
2. Contact utility companies at current and new locations.
3. Order new office stationery.
4. Preview new offices.
5. Contact vending machine services, water, and coffee services
at both locations.
6. Schedule phone coverage during move.
7. Inventory all stock.
One
Week before your Move:
1. Packing!
Each employee packs contents of his or her office,
labels boxes Fragile or Do Not Move,
as appropriate.
Common area manager supervises packing of common area
contents.
Computer manager supervises careful packing of
computers, electronic equipment.
Pictures, mirrors and other easily broken items should
be wrapped in bubble pack or be moved in cards.
2. Make copies of new office keys.
3. Make maps to new location.
4. Hold pre-move company meeting.
5. Notify post office to forward mail.
6. Move safe deposit boxes.
7. Clear out storage lockers.
8. Defrost refrigerators.
9. Make signs for movers identifying placement areas at new
location..
10. Last-minute confirmations: Phones, movers, landlord
inspection of old office.
11. Have all employees back-up their computer files.
Moving
Day:
1. Conduct moving day meeting with entire staff before movers
arrive.
2. Have critical items on hand during move:
Extra keys to new office
Pens and paper
Auxiliary/cellular phone(s)
Laptop computer for employee e-mail
Extension cord/power strip
Company
checkbook, petty cash
Refreshments
3. Clean old office for final inspection.
4. Tip movers.
After
the Move:
1. Place "We've Moved" sign at old office.
2. Conduct "After the Move" party.
3. Change answer machine/voice mail message.
4. Recycle empty boxes.
5. Report damage claims.
6. Hold post-move company meeting.
7. Plan Open House to show off new facilities.