Here are a few tips to help make your Home or Commercial move go smoother. For a thorough checklist to follow, please see our Moving Checklist.
Home Moves
Certain times of the year (and of course the end of the month) are busier moving times so it’s wise to plan well in advance.
To see how your furniture and belongings will fit into your new home, try drawing a diagram to scale. Measure the new rooms and major furniture items and then draw these onto something simple like graph paper. Using this graph paper, you can simply make one square equal to one foot.
When labeling your containers, be sure to use consistent instructions or naming on each label especially if more than one person will be doing the labeling. This will save you a lot of work at the other end and can help speed up your movers if you’ve hired help.
When undoing modular furniture (e.g. Ikea), place the small screws, hooks, etc. into a plastic bag and attach it to the relevant furniture with moving tape or other removable tape. Legs and other smaller pieces can also be attached this way to avoid lost parts when re-assembling your furniture.
When packing your containers, remember to balance heavy loads across multiple bins even if you’re using hired movers. Place heavier items on the bottom but then fill the top with lighter belongings such as blankets, towels, etc.
If moving a computer, remember to backup your data of important files or programs in case something happens during the move.
If you are unsure about how to hook your computer back up at your new home, try drawing a diagram of how the cables are hooked up prior to taking it apart. You can also use small labels right on the cables and computer itself. Remember too to keep all cables together (along with any other small parts) to ensure nothing gets lost during the move.
Since moving gives you a chance to sort through your belongings and reduce excess stuff, think about donating some items to a local charity. Most will come to your home to pick up your donation making it easier on you.
Remember that time is important on moving day whether using movers paid by the hour or utilizing the time of family or friends. That means it’s important to have everything packed and ready to go before it’s time to move. You’d be surprised how little items or the odd closet or storage area that hasn’t been packed will suddenly add hours (and frustration) to your day.
When lifting your containers, remember to bend your legs keeping your back straight. If you have any back problems at all, you may want to consider using a brace of some sort to help remind you to keep that back tall and straight while lifting heavy items.
Commercial Moves
Certain times of the year (and of course the end of the month) are busier moving times so it’s wise to plan well in advance. Some experts recommend businesses should start their move planning process up to 3 months in advance with the amount of time depending on the size of the office to be moved.
Besides being cost-efficient, a major goal in a corporate move is to be time-efficient. When the company is not up and running, it is not making money so be sure to plan every last detail in advance.
Ensure the new office is up and running before moving in including electricity, bathrooms, Internet connections, etc.
Be sure to use a floor plan for all employees (and movers) to follow. Make sure everybody receives a copy of this (as well as any other moving instructions) and then post them up on moving day.
Ensure Managers know every detail of the move and that they then communicate this to their departments prior to the move. It’s also wise to have an “all-hands” meeting if possible providing a question and answer period for employees to ask questions.
Use colour-coded labels for certain areas of the new office to make it easy for those moving the furniture and containers. Remember to label everything leaving nothing to chance and to place these labels in a consistent location on each piece or bin.
Don’t forget about “shared” furniture, files, or equipment. One employee may think the other employee has taken care of it when in fact, it gets forgotten altogether.
Remember to update your marketing collateral (e.g. business cards, folders, datasheets, Web site) with the new address. It’s best to have this started well before the move to ensure it’s ready once moved in.
