Must-Do Tasks To Carry Out Before Moving Into Your New Office

Editor’s Note: Here at Dispatches, we are always looking for ways to help our readers do things. For some of our readers, that means helping navigate the working world, for others, it means assisting in the ever challenging question, “what’s for dinner?” For still others, it means figuring out how to balance family life with everything else. In an effort to aid in all of these endeavors, we have collaborated on this article written specifically for our readers.

One of our recent most popular posts contained advice on moving office spaces. Here are nine additional tips to help make the move easier.

1. Create a plan of where everyone will sit: You might feel like focusing on getting your business moved in as quickly as possible. Make sure there is a clear seating plan and locations are marked to help make moving the desk contents go as quickly and easily as possible.

2. Check you have enough power sockets: It’s important that you have the right amount of power outlets available. Otherwise, you could find you need a sea of extension leads under your desks, which is an avoidable safety hazard.

3. How will you network your computers?: Another consideration to make is with your networking infrastructure. These days, ethernet cables are the standard way to network computers together in offices. Structured cabling ensures they are hidden and offered outlets at strategic points.

4. Install new carpets: Unless you’re going for the concrete floor look, you need to have some new carpets fitted to your floors or consider updating the current carpet before you move in if time and budget allow.

5. Improve the security of your new office: Before you move in, it’s crucial you boost the security of your organization’s new home. That means fitting new and stronger locks to the exterior doors for a start. You should also consider getting window locks installed (or new replacements for existing ones). This might be something your landlord provides, but you also might have to ask for it.

6. Get the office professionally cleaned: You want to make sure that your new office is clean BEFORE you move into it! The good news is providers like Cleanworks can make that happen for you so it’s one less thing to worry about.

7. Set up Internet access and telephone systems before you move in: One thing you should never do is have your Internet and phone systems moved on the day you move! It’s a wiser idea to make that happen days in advance. Most providers will let you have two sets of systems running concurrently. That way, you don’t have to wait for anything to get “activated” for the big day.

8. Have the fire and alarm systems tested: Most offices have some type of fire alarm and extinguisher systems as standard. How do you know if the ones in your new office work? The only way to find out is by getting them tested. Make sure you do this before you move.

9. Check to make sure the furniture meets your needs: Yes, you may be moving your existing office furniture to your new premises. But, do you have enough of it or too much? If you plan on recruiting new staff, sort the new furniture out before you move into your office. Places like IKEA are ideal for affordable new office desks and chairs.