Moving office is a special challenge because it often has to happen while business is still being conducted. Use these hints to make it as low stress as possible.

1. Make a Destination Floor Plan

With this plan it will be very easy for staff and movers to place the furniture and equipment in the correct location. All of the moving company staff and the office staff should have access to the floor plan. Make extra copies to distribute at the origin office as well as at the destination office.

The floor plan should have labels and color codes to ensure the correct positioning of the furniture and boxes, especially if there is more than one floor at the new office.

2. Evaluate the new facilities

Know what is available at the new offices.

•Have a map of parking structures or lots. Make temporary parking assignments to avoid confusion during the first week of the transition. If parking permits are necessary, arrange for them ahead of time and be ready to distribute them at the new location.

•Know the dimensions of any loading docks, warehouse doors or garage doors. Be aware of height restrictions.

•Have a map of stairs and basement entrances.

•Know the number and location of elevators.

3. Alert the moving company and destination moving company of any unusually heavy, bulky or awkward pieces of machinery.

4. Security personnel and building supervisors should be alerted at the moving office origin and destination about the days of packing, unpacking and moving.

5. All the packing and moving activities should be pre-planned with clear and specific dates for packing, moving and unpacking. All the boxes should be labeled with inventory numbers and color codes to ensure they are in the correct rooms or locations. The labels should, of course, coordinate with the destination floor plan.

Most office furniture should be emptied and the contents packed in boxes. Desks, bookcases, office supply cabinets should be emptied. Filing cabinets can be emptied only half way to reduce weight. The emptied papers must be clearly labeled so they can be easily returned to the proper cabinets. The filing cabinets should be locked and the openings covered with tape or tied with rope to prevent the drawers from opening. The professional packers will pack the office computers, monitors, printers etc. But all liquids should be emptied and thrown away. The office staff should disconnect all machines and tape the various power cords to their respective machines.

6. All personal items belonging to the staff should be removed from the office before the move takes place. No one should rely on the professional packers and movers to transport their personal property.

7. Hazardous materials such as paints, cleaners, toxins, pesticides, or floor polishers should be disposed of.

8. The company must arrange for insurance of its property. Also, all items should be carefully inspected at the destination before bills of lading are signed showing satisfaction with the delivery. Generally, all the packing boxes used to transport any delicate office equipments such as CPUs, monitors, printers, etc. should be kept until all the equipment is determined to be damage-free.

With these eight helpful hints moving office should be smooth and efficient.