Secure items in the boxes before your move, you don’t want things broken or for them to rattle about. Use packing paper, newspaper (if you read them these days!), magazines with pages torn out and screwed up or even old rags and old clothes.

Label the boxes. Indicate the contents of the boxes where it is clearly visible. Also using coloured stickers or markers for different rooms will also help. The boxes can then be stacked by colour. Your children will love to help with marking up the boxes!

Boxes with breakables. Mark the top of boxes which have breakable items in the top of the box with DNS or Do Not Stack. Make sure this marking is clearly visible.

Next week: More Essential Packing Tips

In the meantime you can download our 'Office Relocation Advice and Checklist' or our House Move items from our resources page here.

Pack one room at a time. Too many people try to pack too many rooms at the same time which can lead to disorganisation.

Label the boxes with their contents and where they are to go. This will help the unloaders or home or office movers to know where to put the boxes in the new building.

Start with the rooms you least need and pack what you rarely use first. This can include seasonal items that you may not use for a while. They can include Christmas decorations, coats, garden tools etc.

Stack the boxes out of the way once full. Trying to manoeuvre round boxes can be hazardous!

Next week: More Essential Packing Tips

In the meantime you can download our 'Office Relocation Advice and Checklist' or our House Move items from our resources page here.

Think Ahead

Unless you are a backpacker you will not be able to unpack everything on the first day of your move so you need to think about what you may need straight away. This mostly applies to house moves but think about what you may need in an office move.

Essentials. Pack a box for the first couple of nights. Such items and supplies as a kettle, tea, coffee and snacks.

Overnight Bag. You’ll need one for everybody in the family. Don’t forget the children’s favourite toy!

Toiletries. Make sure there is enough toilet paper and toiletries for everybody.

Pets. Don’t forget to take bowls for food and water and also some pet food.

Useful items. You may find that having a torch, with spare batteries, first-aid kit with painkillers and plasters, pencil and paper, some bin bags and a small tool kit will come in useful.

Clothing. Finish any laundry and make sure it is dry so you don’t have to carry damp clothes. Also keep a separate bag for dirty washing.

Next week: More Essential Packing Tips

In the meantime you can download our 'Office Relocation Advice and Checklist' or our House Move items from our resources page here.

Before You Move

Make a list of everything and put them into three categories:

1. Those items that you won’t need immediately but need to take with you.
2. Those items you will need up until the move.
3. Those items you won’t be taking with you and can be thrown / given away.

Be systematic and go through each room (it doesn’t matter whether this is a home or office move) but be sure to start a few months before the move. Estimate the time you have to pack the items and the number of boxes you will need. This will enable you to cut down on packing time and maybe the cost of the move.

Make sure you have enough packing supplies such as bubble wrap, tape and newspaper.

In addition, check your contents insurance will cover damage and breakages during the move.

Next week: More Essential Packing Tips

In the meantime you can download our 'Office Relocation Advice and Checklist' or our House Move items from our resources page here.

Step Six – Settling In

Now you need to get back to business as soon as possible, so it is time to get a few things set up.

• Ensure that all areas are clearly defined and demarcated for staff to see.
• Check all computers and tech equipment is set up correctly.
• Check telephone lines and systems are working.
• Update the company website with new contact information.
• Create a new phone list of departments and teams.
• Distribute the new phone lists.
• Check the premises, and report any damage to the moving company if needed.
• Make sure your insurance has been transferred.
• Ensure that any old leases have been wrapped up.
• Confirm that any deposits have been received from the old premises.
• Collect all passes, keycards and keys for the old premises have been sent back.
• Hand out new passes, keycards etc for the new office.
• Check all invoices and payments.
• Issue a press release about your change of address.
• Set up a planning committee to put together an office-warming party.

Add a special touch by leaving a "welcome pack" on each employee's desk, with their name, job title, a welcome note and some treats to get them through a busy day.

Congratulations, you are in your new premises!

Next week: Step 7 – Recap of Do’s and Don’ts

In the meantime you can download our 'Office Relocation Advice and Checklist' from our resources page here.

Step Four – Other Preparation

It’s time to consider the planning of moving all your office equipment from one space to another.

• Create a detailed floor plan of your new space.
• Plan how you are going to lay things out by measuring the new office space, also take photographs of the new office to aid visualization.
• Create an inventory of existing office furniture.
• Check what new furniture you might need.
• Place orders for new furniture and amend stationery where needed.
• If needed, arrange external storage facilities.
• Colour code each department and allocate colour coded stickers to each department section on the detailed floor plan.
• Give each employee a number, and add that corresponding number to their desk and equipment.
• Name communal spaces on your new floor plan.
• Sign any official paperwork, permits and licenses.
• Where required, book parking space and elevators for the moving day.
• Appoint cleaning services at your old and new offices.
• Create access codes and update security for the new premises.
• Send a detailed floor plan to your movers, or arrange a meeting at the new premises, if needed.
• For your staff, create a detailed moving day plan for them to follow.
• Draft a list of emergency contact numbers for everyone involved in the move, as well as elevator maintenance and building management.

At this stage your planning team should:

• Assign a member of each team to oversee their department's packing responsibilities.
• Approve packing procedures and layout.
• Draft directions to the new location, including instructions on parking, public transport etc.
• Put together a "moving pack" for each staff member, including their allocated desk number, colour code, and information about the new location.
• Label laptops, screens, hard drives, keyboards etc. in a standard way and make sure all staff are informed.
• Ensure that everyone takes home personal belongings and devices.
• Decide which representatives will stay at the current location until the last moving truck has left, and who will be going to the new location to supervise.
• Arrange for each department to empty and pack or seal their filing cabinets etc.
• Ensure that keys, access codes or tags and security information are all available and those for the old office will be collected.

 Next week: Step 5 – Making the Move

In the meantime you can download our 'Office Relocation Advice and Checklist' from our resources page here.

Step 2 – Plan Your Office or Business Move

Ideally, 3 to 6 months before an anticipated moving date you should start your first steps.

• If you have a property lease, review it if you are planning to leave early. This may cost you your deposit. You may also be responsible for any breakages or damage to the space that might occur during the move.
• Put together a team, who can plan the move, delegate tasks and be responsible for the moving process.
• Create a schedule with  deadlines for aspects of the move, particularly when new technology and systems must be established.
• Analyse the new location, particularly its IT facilities.
• Think about any changes to workstations, IT requirements and fixtures that you may need to make.
• Anticipate how any existing projects may be affected by the move.

Let internal and external parties know about the upcoming moving date

• Give official notice to your current landlord and/or property manager.
• Notify all your team members of the moving date and new office address.
• Create a master list of people you need to send a change of address to.
• Make sure that your employee list is up to date.
• Ensure that your client and service provider list is up to date.
• Make sure all team members know what their responsibilities will be ahead of time.
• Appoint your chosen moving company.
• Brief your IT department on the move and discuss what IT is needed for the day.

Who to send a change of address notice to:

• Clients and partners;
• Any professional organisations you belong to;
• Stationery services;
• Banks and financial institutions;
• Any food service companies;
• Bottled water company;
• Telephone company;
• Service companies for photocopiers or printers;
• Insurance companies;
• Any accounts departments;
• Your internet service provider;
• Any additional services your company makes use of.

An office or business move can be costly not only in monetary terms but also in any downtime, so it is important to identify all possible costs ahead of setting a budget.

Next week: Step 3 - Identify Costs and Plan Your Budget.

In the meantime you can download our 'Office Relocation Advice and Checklist' from our resources page here.