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The Ultimate Checklist For A Smooth Office Move
The Ultimate Checklist For A Smooth Office Move
Relocating your workplace can feel daunting, yet with the right plan you can keep your team productive and your data safe while everything moves around you. This step by step checklist walks you through each stage, from first decisions to first day in the new office, with practical tips on IT equipment, crate hire, confidential waste, and ways to cut downtime. We also highlight specialist services that make commercial relocations simpler, so you can focus on your business.
12 to 8 weeks out: set your move strategy
Start with clear goals and timelines. Confirm the size of your new space, the target move date, and which departments will move first. Create a core project team with leads for operations, IT, facilities, HR, and finance, then appoint one internal move manager to keep decisions flowing.
Map critical dates: lease end, fit out milestones, telecoms and internet install, and go live.
Audit your assets: furniture, desktops and laptops, servers, phones, printers, files, marketing stock, and kitchen equipment. Decide what to move, recycle, donate, or replace.
Define your budget and contingency. Include transport, packing, crate rental, IT decommission and recommission, storage, access equipment, permits, and cleaning.
If you plan early, you can move outside core hours or over a weekend, which reduces disruption and can lower costs.
Choose the right office removals company
A specialist partner will make the biggest difference to your timetable and peace of mind. When comparing providers, look for:
Proven commercial experience, with case studies for similar sized moves.
A dedicated move coordinator and a detailed schedule of works.
Trained staff for furniture dismantling and reassembly, server room handling, and specialist packing.
Insurance that covers business equipment and public liability.
Secure storage options for phased moves.
Clear, itemised quotes and site surveys, not estimates based on guesswork.
Environmental practices such as reuse, recycling, and fuel efficient vehicles.
Local knowledge matters. If you are moving within Hampshire, a team that knows building access, parking, and peak traffic will save time and stress. Steele and Co provides tailored business moves across the region with planning support, packing, secure storage, and weekend relocation options designed to minimise downtime.
8 to 6 weeks out: plan layout, IT, and compliance
Work with your removals partner to finalise your floor plan. Number workstations and meeting rooms and create labels that match crate destinations. Share this plan with your team and your movers.
IT and telecoms: confirm your internet service date, IP allocation, and phone system provisioning. Schedule server shutdown, racking, and power testing at the new site. Photograph cabling before dismantling to speed up reassembly.
Health and safety: arrange building access, goods lifts, loading bays, and any permits. Book out of hours slots if needed to avoid disrupting neighbours.
Confidential waste: identify files for shredding and schedule secure disposal. This is a good time to reduce paper footprint and digitise archives.
Crate hire: order enough lidded IT crates for monitors and desktops, plus standard crates for files and desk contents. Add labels and security seals.
For phased projects, consider short term storage to keep corridors clear and the new office tidy during fit out. If you need flexible space locally, business self storage winchester can hold archives, stock, or seasonal items until you are settled.
4 weeks out: pack smart and protect equipment
Packing quality determines how quickly you can restart work. Use colour coded labels by department and include the new room number on every crate.
IT kit: use anti static bags for peripherals, foam protectors for monitors, and cable bags taped to each device. Back up servers and laptops, then verify the backups.
Furniture: plan furniture disassembly and reassembly for complex desks, boardroom tables, racking, and storage walls. Keep fixings bagged and labelled.
Signage: label doors and zones in the new premises so crews can unload directly to the right areas.
Staff comms: share packing deadlines, what goes in crates, and what to keep personally. Remind teams to take laptops and chargers home before move day if they will work remotely.
If you prefer a hands off approach, a professional packing service saves time and reduces breakages. Ask about packing service winchester to outsource materials, wrapping, and inventory creation.
1 week out: final checks and move day briefing
Walk both sites with your move coordinator and confirm the sequence for loading and unloading.
Reserve lifts and loading bays and place protective floor coverings where needed.
Prepare a red list of priority items: core network kit, reception, meeting room screens, and essential files.
Print copies of the floor plan and crate legend for supervisors.
Agree start times and team leads for each area. Share a contact tree for quick decisions.
On move day, keep pathways clear and hold a brief toolbox talk for safety. Your move manager should stay available to sign off each phase and handle any last minute changes.
Minimising downtime
You can keep your business running with a few smart steps:
Stagger the move, department by department, so customer facing teams remain online.
Switch phones to call forwarding and set temporary email banners with alternative contact details.
Use cloud tools and remote access so staff can work from home while equipment travels.
Prioritise IT recommissioning, then printers and meeting spaces.
For overflow items and archives, secure storage gives you room to breathe. If you are near the city, a winchester secure storage unit is an efficient way to stage stock, marketing materials, and spare furniture while you settle in.
After the move: settle, test, and optimise
Run through a post move checklist on the first morning:
Test internet failover, Wi Fi coverage, phones, and meeting room screens.
Check access control and fire safety systems, then record serials and locations for asset registers.
Collect empty crates and schedule returns to avoid penalties.
Walk the floor for minor fixes, cable tidies, and ergonomics. Small adjustments make a big difference to staff comfort.
Update address details with clients, suppliers, insurers, banks, and directories.
If you still have items to store during fit out or expansion, self storage in winchester offers flexible terms so you only pay for what you need.
Services that simplify commercial relocations
A professional office move is a blend of planning, packing, transport, and setup. Here is how specialist services help:
Project management: one point of contact to plan, schedule, and coordinate contractors.
Crate and materials supply: delivery and collection of IT crates, file crates, and labels.
Expert packing: trained teams for devices, monitors, artwork, and fragile items.
Furniture services: dismantling, reassembly, and space planning.
IT support: safe shutdown, move, and restart of servers and user devices.
Secure storage: containerised or self storage for archives, stock, and phased moves.
Environmental services: confidential waste disposal, reuse, and recycling with documentation.
Steele and Co delivers all of the above with experienced crews and modern vehicles. If you need extra flexibility for small lifts or split loads, man and van removals winchester can support site to site shuttles or last mile deliveries alongside your main move.
Quick answers to common questions
How do I plan a business move? Start early, appoint an internal lead, audit what you own, set a realistic timeline, and book a specialist office mover who will survey both sites and build a detailed plan. Use labelled crates, schedule IT first, and communicate clearly with staff.
What should I look for in an office removals company? Choose a provider with proven commercial experience, transparent quotes, proper insurance, trained crews for IT and furniture, and secure storage. Local knowledge and a dedicated move coordinator are essential.
What services help with commercial relocations? Project management, packing, crate hire, furniture services, IT decommission and recommission, storage, and confidential waste disposal all contribute to a smooth move.
Ready to plan your move?
With a clear checklist and the right support, you can relocate without losing momentum. We help businesses across Hampshire plan and deliver efficient, secure moves with minimal downtime. For tailored advice and a detailed quotation, contact Steele and Co today. If you are coordinating multiple sites around the county, our moving and storage services can tie everything together with one reliable team.
