Moving an office from one location to another isn't exactly an envious position, but sometimes, the lease terms just aren't conducive or it's time to upsize or downsize. Regardless of the situation, office relocation means a total office cleanout, from top to bottom. Otherwise, you'll learn a hard lesson about fine print and fines for leaving behind office equipment and furniture. When an office move is imminent, you need to get organized right away because time will be of the essence.
How to Organize an Office Cleanout for Relocation
The first order of business is to know precisely what the lease dictates. There are specific terms about tenant responsibility when leaving an office and what condition it must be left. For instance, there might be a short window from the time between you move out and when you must clear out the last of the business' property. In addition, there are likely rules about moving, particularly about allowable days of the week and use of service elevators and other building amenities.
You'll need to make sure that everyone you do business with, both suppliers and clients, know that you're moving. It's a good idea to assign this task to one person to oversee. Notifying customers and clients requires specific communications around where you're moving to and how business will operate during the move. Such information is essential to ensure your customers don't go elsewhere for your services. --About.com
Next, you'll also have to abide by the terms of the lease as it pertains to termination. Depending on the arrangement, you might have to give notice within a certain number of days. Once you have all of this done, it's time to move forward with the organization of the office cleanout and relocation. You can do this by following these simple steps:
- Start a calendar of events. You'll need to prioritize what goes first and what goes last. While this might seem simple, it's going to be a bigger challenge than you imagine, especially as you begin to get into the details. Start with non-essential items (like old file cabinets and boxed packed with records) and go from there.
- Create a to-do list for each event. While it's simple just to calendar "move file cabinets," the same won't hold true for things like telephones and computers. The trick is to coordinate not only what you're moving, but how much you'll move at-a-time. The to-do list for computers might look something like: move X computers, setup at A-B-C desks or stations.
- Hire a reputable moving company. You'll probably do this anyway, but, if you're toying with going the DIY route, that's going to be a huge mistake. You need things moved efficiently and quickly to minimize downtime.
- Purge what's on-hand to lighten the load. A move is a great time to get rid of what your business no longer needs. Things just take up space and have no real purpose; so, junk what you can and donate things. You can even consider selling items, especially if it's usable for other businesses.
- Tell your customers and vendors about the move. Don't forget to tell your customers and vendors about your moving. You'll want to do this well in advance of the actual day so any delay in you returning calls, emails, or other communications isn't misunderstood.
When you are dealing with an office cleanout and need help with furniture, equipment, and junk, just phone 800-433-1094 or visit AAA Rousse Services. We will be happy to help you make a smoother transition from one office space to another. Don't delay because you can't afford an extended downtime.