Commercial Moving Guide: Tips for Unpacking After Your Big Move (Part 4 of 4)

Just as you should prepare for your commercial move by following strategic steps, following a few simple rules after you’ve arrived at the new location will also ensure an easier, more organised transition. If you followed the suggestions in our last blog post, How to Pack for Your Big Move(part 3 in a series of 4 Commercial Move Guide posts), your boxes likely arrived at your new office location and were distributed to the correct areas. 

After the Move: Unpacking 

Now that you’ve arrived at your new office location, we advise keeping the following in mind as you unpack, to maximise efficiency: 

1. Take Inventory: Before you start unpacking, make sure all furniture and boxes have arrived and that nothing’s missing. Remember the suggestion to label your boxes by department, area and priority in our last blog post on commercial moves – and to make an inventory list? This is one of two unpacking steps where this labelling will pay off. Check the boxes and furniture against your master list and note any concerns. 

2. Unpack your labelled boxes in prioritised order: Start by unpacking “must haves” first (Boxes labelled with a priority level 1), followed by boxes marked “Priority 2” and “Priority 3”, in order. Doing so will ensure that your employees have everything they need to work efficiently from the moment they arrive in the new location.

3. Enlist the help of your moving committee: Now that you’re officially moved in, encourage your committee to field questions from employees about where to dispose of packing materials, what they need to know about security in the new building and accessibility after hours, etc. The committee will also be key to determining what unanticipated needs may have arisen, from signage and décor that will be needed to helpful communications about the area’s amenities and limitations. 

4. Coordinate with IT:Since every employee will need access to computers, phones and internal platforms, find out what the IT experts in your company will need in terms of timing, resources and labour, to ensure timely connectivity. 

5. Consider holding a “Welcome to the Building” event: You and your employees have worked hard to make this move – why not take some time to celebrate? Gather everyone in a meeting space that’s big enough to accommodate your staff, make any pertinent announcements, and thank them for their hard work over cake and coffee or a toast. 

Congratulations! You’re now an expert in everything associated with moving an office. 

By now, you’ve likely realised that moving is a complex process that requires a tremendous amount of planning, meticulous preparation, and mindful packing and unpacking. While many companies decide to manage this complex process alone, SIRVA’s Commercial Moving Services professionals are both experienced and skilled in managing this process for you, ultimately minimising stress and coordinating efforts in ways that get your office up and running in its new location, faster.  We encourage you to contact us for more information at commercialmoving@sirva.com or to visit https://www.sirva.com/en-us/commercial-moving to find out more about the many ways we can make a significant difference in your commercial move.