Moving to a new office is a big job. There are a lot of things to consider, people to coordinate, and details to keep track of in the process of moving from one office to another.
One of our most invaluable tips for an office move is to nominate a project manager. This person will manage schedules, budgets, and people to ensure everything happens on time and without incident.
While an office relocation may have a bit more to take into account than moving to a new home, one thing remains true: don’t move more than you need to. That means taking this opportunity to do a good clean-out and throw away things you don’t need.
But, where do you start? Here’s a list of some things you have lying around that should be thrown out before your move.
Paperwork
This is not a task that should be handled by one person. Each department should be in charge of going through old paperwork. Depending on what type of business you have (and how long it has been since your last move) you likely have piles of old papers that you don’t see or need.
Make sure you’re familiar with privacy laws and pass this information to department heads. Private paperwork that doesn’t need to be kept should be shredded or disposed of in a particular manner. In some cases, federal law requires businesses to keep records for a certain number of years. Be sure you understand just what you need to keep and for how long before giving the go-ahead to start the paper purge.
Broken Or Outdated Devices
If you have an old printer doubling as a shelf for a potted plant or a fax machine in a department of people who were born after they were phased out, it may be time to say your goodbyes.
Broken or outdated devices and e-waste tend to gather easily and rapidly in office spaces. Not limited solely to the devices themselves, cables and accessories can also gather dust and take up space. Some may have been there so long you don’t even notice them anymore.
Do you still have the printer that ink is for? What about these cables… Does anything still have that connector? When’s the last time you used a floppy disk drive?
Take some time sorting out broken or miscellaneous devices and accessories. If you or anyone in other departments are unsure, gather them to be reviewed by your IT department. Start fresh in your new space without all of this tech clutter.
A point of advice: dispose of these things properly. E-waste often has special disposal instructions. Depending on where you are, there may be a service near you that will collect your tech waste for you. Don’t just throw it in the dumpster as batteries, circuit boards, cables, and other pieces can be recycled or processed differently.
Old Business Cards
Okay, maybe you’re holding onto those cards with your old address for nostalgia’s sake. Or those t-shirts with your old logo on them. Trust us, you don’t need a whole box of them.
Out with the old, in with the new. It’s time for a fresh start and that means getting rid of the old address, old logo, and old “stuff” that holds on to your previous space.
Recycle old cards, donate old t-shirts, and use old stationery as scrap paper. Whatever you need to do, just make sure you’re purging the old stuff when you start ordering those new cards for your employees.
Unused Decor
Speaking of fresh starts now is the time to enter your new space and recreate your work environment. Take some time while you’re packing and planning to decide what you’ll bring with you.
Potted plants? We’re guessing you’ll bring those along. Sunbleached motivational posters? Perhaps it’s time for a refresh.
There’s a chance your new office will have different policies about decor, and some of your things simply can’t come with you. Check to find out if you’re allowed to hang things on the walls or if it makes sense to haul that functional-yet-aesthetically pleasing shelving unit along to the new space. Decide whether you’d like to keep the same visuals or if it’s a chance for a full revamp of your office outlook.
If you’re looking to move into a new office space, FlatRate can help. Our professional office movers will be with you from the very beginning, helping you plan and execute your move. We can help you get organized and relocate with minimal impact on business operations.