1846 Views Office Relocation: 5 tips for organising important documents during a move
Relocating your office can be a big task. Aiming for a quick move, here are 5 tips to ensure your important documents are handled perfectly throughout the move.
Relocating your office can be a big task. You’ll be aiming for a quick move to ensure your operations aren’t hindered, but there is just so much to think about. Ensuring vital services are running are such broadband, phones and AC systems, making sure everyone has their desks and computers ready for work, and then there’s the multitude of vital paperwork. This can often be overlooked, but do so at your peril, as failure to correctly sort and transport your important documentation can leave you in a real pickle at your destination.
Here are five tips to ensure your important documents are handled perfectly throughout the moving process.
- Get organised well in advance
Once you know you’re going to be moving offices, it’s time to get started. It can be tempting to think you’ve got plenty of time and postpone any action but packing and moving always takes longer than we think. So, avoid the stress of a last-minute panic move by getting started right away.
- It’s the perfect time for a clear out
Everything you throw away, is one less item that will need to be transported to your new premises on moving day, so this is a great opportunity to get rid of the clutter. It’s amazing how long we hang onto paperwork when we don’t need to, so get methodical about it. Perhaps you have a legal obligation to retain paperwork for a certain period of time. With that information in mind, get rid of any out-of-date paperwork and anything else that simply isn’t relevant to the business anymore such as out of date promotional literature.
- Be clear with your labelling
Once you arrive at your new offices, you may need fast access to your files, so be sure to label everything well so you know exactly where everything is, and what is in every box. A colour coding system can work well, just make sure everyone involved understands the meaning of each colour!
- Use good quality packing supplies
Both for transportation and storage purposes, you want boxes that are sturdy enough for the job. It doesn’t pay to scrimp on packaging, so do order purpose-made boxes rather than trying to utilise any old packaging you’ve got lying around the office.
- Backup the most important documents
Pinpoint the most important documentation and make a copy of it just to be sure you’ve got the information you need should you mislay it during the move. Physical documents can be photocopied, or better still, scanned and uploaded to the cloud. Of course, you must not forget to backup all your digital files too. Don’t simply leave them on a hard drive in a computer that is going to be moved, you need to have another copy of everything too.
How Columbia Worldwide Movers can help with your office relocation
We have many years of experience with helping businesses move offices and we’re here for you too. We have a wide range of specialist packing cartons and other materials that will make the job much easier for you, and ensure important items such as your documents, are safe and secure during the relocation process.
Our experts are available to help with every step of the move if required. We’re fully qualified to dis-assemble and move your IT equipment, relocate your filing systems, and we also offer storage facilities should you prefer to keep your unused furniture, equipment and files off site, either permanently, or for a period of time while you’re getting your new offices organised.
For more information on our office moving services, visit our website, call us or drop us a line via email. We’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.