Moving Business Soon? 11 Things You Need to Note

Are you moving business soon? If so, this blog post's an absolute must-read. Don't forget to note these 11 handy tips.

Is your current business location not up to par? Whether you've outgrown your building or you simply want a change of scenery, it's time to move your office.

Moving business locations can be tricky though, especially if you use a lot of electronic data. You can wrap furniture and choose careful movers for the physical stuff, but what about your data?

Whatever industry you work in, you want all your business-related items and data moved safely to your new location. Here are 11 things you should take note of if you want that to happen.

1. You Should Take Inventory First

Before you even contact a mover, take inventory of everything that will be moved. This doesn't just include physical items, either. Create some sort of log of every digital file you have that needs to be moved with the rest of your office's stuff.

Why is inventory so important? Because it lets you know exactly what should be there when you arrive at your new location. If you don't take inventory ahead of time, you'll only have your own memory and the memory of your employees to go off of.

For the safe movement of data, keep a record of all file folders and file names. Recovering lost data will likely be easier if you know the names of the files that were lost.

2. Cords Need Special Care

Your computers, printers, and other electronic devices are some of the most important items that will be moved. With those items come a whole lot of cords.

Avoid a massive jumble when you unpack at your new location by bundling cords safely. This keeps each cord to itself so you won't have them all getting tangled together.

Make sure you label each cord when you pack it away. Don't just assume you'll remember which cord goes with which device. Don't risk ruining devices by hooking up cords with the wrong connections of wattage.

3. You Should Have a Budget in Mind

Now all moving companies are created equal. Some will offer services that another doesn't. And some will expect you to pay out the nose for the same services someone else offers.

For this reason, you need to have a budget in mind before you choose a mover. Know what you're willing to spend before you get going. If you need to, do some research to see what average prices are moving offices in your area.

4. Unneeded Items Can Be Donated

If there are items you don't need any more there's no reason to take them with you. From furniture to computers to cardboard cutouts you only used for an end-of-year party, don't pay to haul items you won't use.

Don't throw these items away though (well, the cardboard cutouts could probably go). Instead, donate them to places and people in need. Locate charities that take office and electronic items.

If you're looking to make some money off your move, you could always hold a sale, too. Donating, however, is a more philanthropic option and will be very appreciated.

5. A Timeline Helps Things Go More Smoothly

Timelines aren't just for history textbooks and business project planning meetings. You can have one for your move, too. In fact, you should have one if you want the move to be easy.

Start by planning well in advance of the move. Plan when you'll look for movers, when you'll decide on one, and when you'll take inventory. Once you've found a mover, add the scheduled dates for prep and moving to your timeline.

Try to stick to your timeline as closely as possible. You can even plan as far as unpacking and setting up your new office if you'd like.

6. Designating a Project Manager Is a Great Idea

Moving an office is undoubtedly a project, so it makes sense to choose a project manager. Having one person in charge of tracking everything will make the process less cumbersome.

The project manager will be responsible for the items previously mentioned on this list. He or she will find movers, schedule, take inventory, and make sure things happen according to plans.

If the job seems too big for one person, create a management team, or allow the project manager to select some dedicated assistants.

7. Talk to a Data Center Relocator to Keep Things Online

You don't have to take everything offline when you move your office. You'll need to plan ahead to make this work, though. A data center relocation company can help ensure your servers stay up and running, so talk to them ahead of time and make sure they know what you want to do.

8. Keep Essential Available Until the Last Minute

There are some things you'll be able to pack up before moving day arrives. Some you won't be able to, such as computer your employees are using.

Everything you'll need so your teams can function properly should be left until moving day actually arrives. Anything else, such as lobby chairs, incentive prices, the office candy stash, can be packed ahead of time.

9. You Should Pack Ahead of Time

Anything that can be packed ahead of time should be. Hands down this will make your move much easier. When moving day arrives you don't want to be paying movers to pack up the little things you haven't even used in weeks or days.

Get everyone involved by planning an office move party before moving day actually arrives. Everyone can pack up their own desks, besides the bare essentials they need to keep working. Then the team can work together to pack other items as well.

10. Security Measures Aren't Unreasonable

Data is precious, so designating a security team to protect it during the move is not unreasonable. Make sure someone has their eye on all data storage devices through every step of the move. If you need multiple people, have multiple people.

Keep track of exactly where every data-carrying item is through the use of GPS systems or other tracking devices. It's much easier to replace a broken or lost chair than a storage device full of data.

11. You Should Always Back up Your Data

This may be the most important note on the list, so we'll say it again--always back up your data! No matter what precautions you take, there's always the chance that something will go wrong. So plan as if something will go wrong.

Assuming that everything will go smoothly is simply a mistake, and you'll regret it if you take that attitude. You're likely moving large, even huge, amounts of date. This may include private information for clients and customers, or data that's required to run your company.

Whatever data you're moving, it's important, so protect it like it is. If you have the time before moving day arrives, you can limit what you backup by eliminating files your business no longer needs. This will take up less storage space in your backup location.

If you don't have time, though, simply back it all up. There's nothing wrong with backing up data you don't need if it saves all the data that you do need.

Throughout the moving process, make sure all private and personal information is protected as well as it can be.

Moving Business Locations Can Be Done Without a Hassle

The very idea of moving business locations strikes fear into the hearts of some, but if you're prepared you don't have to be one of them. As long as proper preparation is taken, moving locations can be a cinch.

You may have noticed that this list requires a lot of action on your part. It's true, it does. The safe moving of your business items and data should not be left up to movers.

Moving locations is a serious business, there's no doubt about that. But it can be easily done. Just keep these notes in mind and you'll be off to a great start.

As your move gets underway, your server hard drives should be your biggest concern. Click here to learn more about protecting them.