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MOVING CHECKLIST

 

WHO’S AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD MOVE?  Relocation is a lot easier when you have a structured order for things.  That’s what this checklist is for.  It may not encompass all your tasks – and vendors may handle some of the steps – but it will come in handy as a guideline.

 

SIX MONTH OR MORE AND COUNTING

1. Assign a move coordinator for each department.  These coordinators should form your move committee.  If they form sub-committees of their own be sure they’ve unanimously agreed on anything they bring to you.

2. Meet with space planners and key internal personnel to discuss needs for your new location.

3. Begin planning the employee-related aspects of the move (this is a very important, very sensitive area).  What will be communicated and when?  Where will actual relocation assistance come from?  What are your new personnel needs (if any)?

 

FIVE MONTH AND COUNTING

1. Finalize space plans.

2. What are your future system needs for your new layout?  And what furniture do you plan to re-use?

3. What about your computer system needs?  Will they be the same, or will you need more?  (Chances are you won’t need less.)

4. Check out moving companies, their services and their reputations.

 

FOUR MONTH AND COUNTING

1. Order your biggies: office furniture, computer systems, faxes, copiers and other equipment.  Schedule furniture for shipment to new location.  Schedule future deliveries for business machinery.  (Your furniture should go in before anything electronic does.)

2. Determine telephone needs.

3. Determine your needs (and what is available) relative to cleaning services.

4. Determine refreshment/break-area/kitchen needs.  Will you be using vending machines?  A food service company?  Both?

5. Begin to purge old files and records, and don’t get sentimental.  Anything you don’t need for the IRS is probably too old to be of any value anyway.

6. Make sure you have sample inventories of general supplies to get through the move.  Reviewing your past purchases will help determine how long things typically last.

 

THREE MONTH AND COUNTING

1. Decide on which phone company you will use and reserve your number(s).

2. What are your security system needs?  Locks?  Alarms?  Silent alarms?  A combination?  Contact potential vendors.

3. Prepare your moving announcements for your customers and vendors.

4. Review your needs for imprinted materials (stationery, labels, forms, business cards, etc.).

5. Choose a moving company.

 

TWO MONTH AND COUNTING

1. Schedule the installation of your telephone equipment.  (Any reputable phone company will make sound recommendations as to your actual needs.)

2. Checking references carefully, choose your security system vendor, janitorial service and vending /food service Company.  From the latter, order any refreshment products and equipment.

3. Order new imprinted materials.

4. Meet with carpeting/flooring vendors to discuss your needs and options.

5. Depending on how far you are moving, choose a new bank.

6. Determine your needs for moving supplies (boxes, tape, labels, markers, etc.).

 

ONE MONTH AND COUNTING

1. Meet weekly with your move coordinators.

2. You should inspect your new site at least weekly, to check security and leanness and to ensure items and services ordered are going in as scheduled.

 

ONE MONTH AND COUNTING (continued)

1. Plan the actual moving process, especially which departments need to be moved first.  (You will have an indescribable mess if you try to move everything at once).

2. Arrange for elevator, loading dock and on-duty engineer in both your old and new locations.

3. The trucks moving you have to park someplace.  Arrange any necessary permits with the city for loading/unloading.

4. No one will deliver your furniture and equipment unless there’s someone there to accept it.  Arrange for your staff to be there, and to be on time.

5. Coordinate telephone systems installation.

6. Finalize the details of your security system installation.  Inform and train the appropriate employees on its operation.

7. Make your arrangements for utilities (electricity, gas, water, garbage pickup, etc.) – both when they are to end at your old location and begin at your new one.

8. Mail your moving announcements.

 

THREE WEEKS AND COUNTING

1. Verify your insurance requirements for the move.  Be thorough about this.  Words just cannot do justice to how critical it is.

2. Confirm the security requirements for your move-in.  (You do not want to trip your own new alarm.  But you do want to be able to get in.)

3. Prepare your new internal telephone directory, you should know the new extensions and where they go by now.

 

TWO WEEKS AND COUNTING

1. Prepare your specific furniture layout for movers.  Do not leave anything up to their imagination; that’s not what you hired them for.

2. Reconfirm whatever vendor arrangements need reconfirming.

3. Arrange for the suitable number of new keys.

4. During packing, you will almost certainly find some essential supplies to be low.  Order those now and arrange for delivery to your new site.

 

MOVE WEEK

1. Meet with your move coordinators to be sure they understand their responsibilities, both this week and on the actual move day.

2. Tag all furniture and equipment for the move.

3. Test all communications lines.

4. If your new telephone system differs from your old – especially if you’ve upgraded – now is the time to train the appropriate personnel on it.

5. Have your refreshment equipment and supplies delivered.

6. Have your new carpeting/flooring installed.

7. Reconfirm your arrangements regarding utilities.

 

THE DAY BEFORE

1. Pack your personnel effects.

2. Collect keys to your old space.  None should remain outstanding.

3. Distribute the keys to your new space to appropriate personnel.

 

THE BIG DAY

1. Supervise the move – and send a memo around stating, in no certain terms, that those not directly involved with the move should stay away.  They might mean well, but they will only get in the way.

 

POST MOVE

1. Make sure all equipment is up and running smoothly.

2. Re-check your supplies while unpacking and make necessary orders.

3. Review the performance of all vendors who participated in your relocation.

 

 

 

Congratulation!  You did it!  Welcome to your new facilities!