Office relocations are notorious for causing costly downtime, lost productivity, and misplaced assets. Without proper planning and execution, business moves frequently exceed their budget and timeline, creating significant operational disruptions.
A comprehensive, expert-crafted office moving checklist is your roadmap to avoiding these pitfalls. At Move Solutions, we’ve refined our TechEnabled process through 35+ years and thousands of successful business relocations. Below, we share our proven checklist to transform your office move from a potential disaster into a strategic advantage for your business.
Don’t risk business downtime or valuable assets.
Contact us Today!
Contact Us
6-12 Months Before Your Move: Strategic Planning Phase
The success of your office relocation begins long before a single box is packed. Early planning allows you to make strategic decisions and secure the resources you need for a smooth transition. This foundational phase is critical—businesses that invest time in strategic planning report significantly fewer disruptions and stay closer to their budgets throughout the moving process.
During this phase, you’ll assemble your team, establish timelines, select your moving partner, and begin mapping out your new space. These early decisions will cascade throughout your entire moving process, so taking the time to get them right pays dividends in reduced stress and smoother execution later.
✓ Establish Your Moving Team
- Appoint a dedicated move coordinator or committee
- Define clear roles and responsibilities
- Schedule regular planning meetings to track progress
- Consider involving representatives from different departments
✓ Define Your Budget and Timeline
- Determine your total moving budget including all potential expenses
- Create a realistic timeline with key milestones
- Build in buffer time for unexpected delays
- Identify any business-critical dates when moving activities should be avoided
✓ Evaluate and Select Your Moving Partner
- Research office moving companies with experience in your industry
- Request detailed quotes and compare services offered
- Verify insurance coverage, licensing, and references
- Ask the smart questions that protect your business (see below)
EXPERT TIP: Don’t choose a moving company based solely on price. Ask these essential questions to protect yourself from project failure and financial loss:
- Is your team W2 employed or contracted labor?
- What specific property protection measures do you implement?
- How do you track and communicate progress in real-time?
- What is your process for handling technology disconnection and reconnection?
- Can you provide references from similar businesses in our industry?
✓ Begin Space Planning
- Work with designers to optimize your new office layout
- Consider future growth and flexibility needs
- Plan technology infrastructure requirements
- Identify any special requirements for equipment or departments
3-6 Months Before Your Move: Preparation Phase
With your strategic plan in place, it’s time to begin the detailed preparation that will ensure nothing is overlooked. This critical middle phase bridges your high-level planning with the tactical execution of your move.
During the preparation phase, you’ll build out detailed inventories, coordinate technology transitions, begin communicating with stakeholders, and address essential administrative requirements. This is when your office move starts to feel real for your team, and the thoroughness of your approach here directly impacts how smoothly your actual move will proceed.
Consider this your operational phase—where checklists become more granular and departmental needs are identified and addressed. The work done during this timeframe creates the roadmap that all stakeholders will follow as moving day approaches.
✓ Create Detailed Inventory
- Catalog all furniture, equipment, and assets
- Decide what will be moved, replaced, or disposed of
- Identify items requiring special handling or installation
- Consider upgrading furniture or technology during the move
✓ Coordinate with IT and Technology Teams
- Develop a comprehensive technology transition plan
- Schedule disconnection and reconnection of servers, networks, and equipment
- Plan for potential downtime and how to minimize impact
- Consider redundancy systems during the transition
Facing technology transition challenges?
Our teams de/re 3,500 PCs monthly!
Schedule a technology planning session now!
Schedule now
✓ Begin Communication Planning
- Develop a communication strategy for employees, clients, and vendors
- Create templates for announcements and updates
- Plan for updating business addresses on marketing materials
- Prepare for change management challenges
✓ Address Legal and Administrative Requirements
- Review your current and new lease agreements
- Update insurance policies for the move and new location
- Apply for necessary permits or certificates of occupancy
- Schedule utility transfers and new service installations
1-3 Months Before Your Move: Coordination Phase
As moving day approaches, detailed coordination becomes essential to keep everything on track. This phase transforms your planning into actionable steps that prepare your organization, your assets, and your team members for the physical relocation.
The coordination phase is when logistics take center stage. You’ll finalize moving schedules, implement organizational systems, begin purging unnecessary items, and ensure your team understands their roles in the process. This phase is characterized by increasing activity and communication as the moving parts come together.
✓ Finalize Moving Logistics
- Confirm moving dates and create a detailed moving schedule
- Book freight elevators and loading docks at both locations
- Arrange for property protection at origin and destination
- Coordinate with building management for access and regulations
✓ Implement Labeling and Organization System
- Create a color-coding system for different departments or areas
- Develop detailed floor plans with numbered locations
- Label all furniture, equipment, and crates
- Use our Stack-N-Pack No-Lift Crates for efficient packing and protection
✓ Begin Systematic Purging
- Organize shredding for unnecessary documents
- Arrange for secure e-waste disposal of outdated equipment
- Document destruction for compliance and security
- Consider recycling or donating appropriate items
Drowning in years of accumulated files and equipment?
Let us take care of it.
Request our purging services now!
Contact Us
✓ Conduct Pre-Move Training
- Train employees on packing procedures and labeling
- Communicate individual responsibilities and expectations
- Prepare teams for potential workflow disruptions
- Share the vision for the new space to build excitement
1-4 Weeks Before Your Move: Final Preparations
The last few weeks before your move are critical for ensuring all details are addressed. This phase is characterized by increased intensity and focused execution as you make final confirmations and prepare for the physical transition.
During these final weeks, you’ll complete last-minute inventories, finalize IT transition plans, distribute detailed instructions to your team, and ensure both your current and new locations are properly prepared. This period serves as your final opportunity to identify and address any remaining gaps in your moving plan.
✓ Complete Final Inventories
- Update and finalize all inventory lists
- Confirm special handling requirements
- Verify all items have been properly labeled
- Document the condition of valuable or sensitive items
✓ Finalize IT Transition Details
- Back up all critical data multiple times
- Confirm the sequence for disconnecting and reconnecting systems
- Test backup systems and redundancies
- Prepare detailed instructions for employees regarding their technology
✓ Distribute Detailed Move Instructions
- Provide employees with comprehensive moving day instructions
- Distribute new office information, access details, and parking information
- Share emergency contacts and contingency plans
- Confirm everyone understands their responsibilities
✓ Prepare Both Locations
- Install property protection at both locations
- Ensure all necessary furniture installation preparations are complete
- Confirm security and access control systems are ready
- Verify all utilities and services are scheduled for activation
Property protection is our priority. Our insured, background-checked teams will pre-walk your origin and destination spaces to install proper protection measures. Zero damage is our normal! Ensure your property is protected – contact us today!
Moving Day: Execution Phase
With proper planning, moving day should proceed smoothly with minimal surprises. This is the culmination of all your preparation—when theory meets practice and your business physically transitions from one location to another.
Moving day is both an ending and a beginning. It represents months of planning coming to fruition and the start of your business’s next chapter. While it can feel like the most stressful part of the process, a well-executed moving day should actually be relatively predictable when supported by thorough planning.
Our clients often comment that moving day feels almost anticlimactic after all the preparation—and that’s exactly how it should be. With Move Solutions’ experienced teams handling the physical move, our TechEnabled tracking providing real-time updates, and clear communication channels established, your role becomes one of oversight rather than crisis management. The goal is a controlled, efficient transition that minimizes business disruption and protects your valuable assets.
✓ Implement Your Moving Day Plan
- Have move coordinators present at both locations
- Utilize BrassTacks™ software for real-time progress tracking
- Follow the predetermined sequence for furniture and equipment moving
- Maintain clear communication channels throughout the day
✓ Oversee Technology Transition
- Follow the established IT disconnection and reconnection sequence
- Test systems as they come online at the new location
- Address any issues immediately with technical staff
- Document any changes or issues for future reference
✓ Monitor Progress and Address Issues
- Use real-time tracking to identify any bottlenecks or delays
- Maintain regular communication with your Move Solutions project manager
- Document any damage or issues immediately
- Be prepared to make quick decisions if challenges arise
Post-Move: Settling In and Optimization
Your move isn’t complete when the last box arrives. The post-move phase is crucial for ensuring long-term success in your new space.
✓ Conduct Thorough Inspection
- Complete a detailed walkthrough of both locations
- Document and address any damages or issues
- Ensure all systems are functioning properly
- Verify all items arrived and are in their proper locations
✓ Address Your Former Space
Need help with your former space?
Our decommissioning and final cleaning services ensure you meet all lease requirements and recover your security deposit.
Schedule your decommissioning services now!
Contact Us
✓ Gather Feedback and Document Lessons Learned
- Collect feedback from employees about the move process
- Document what worked well and what could be improved
- Share recommendations for future relocations
- Express appreciation to everyone involved in the successful move
✓ Update Business Information
- Confirm all address changes have been completed
- Update online listings and business directories
- Verify all vendors and clients have been notified
- Ensure all mail forwarding is functioning properly
Why Choose Move Solutions for Your Office Relocation
With over 35 years of experience as the largest quality provider of commercial moving services in Texas and a leading national provider across the United States, Move Solutions brings unmatched expertise to your office relocation:
- TechEnabled Process: Our BrassTacks™ software provides real-time transparency and communication throughout your entire move.
- Experienced Teams: Our W2 employed, background-checked teams are trained in our rigorous processes.
- Comprehensive Services: From planning and packing to technology services and decommissioning, we handle every aspect of your move.
- National Reach: Whether you’re moving across town or across the country, our “Anywhere”© capabilities ensure consistent quality service.
- Property Protection: Our zero-damage approach protects your assets and your relationship with property managers.
Ready for a stress-free office move? Let our 35+ years of experience work for you. Our TechEnabled, process-driven approach ensures your business transition is stable and predictable—exactly what you need for minimal disruption. Request your free quote today!