Most office moves fall apart in the packing stage. That’s the truth nobody wants to say out loud. It’s not the movers. It’s not the rain. It’s the lack of planning, the poorly labeled boxes, the random junk people decide to throw on a truck “just in case.”
If you’re in charge of an office move, and you want to get through it without burning half your week on clean-up, here’s how you do it in a way that actually matters.
Pack What’s Still in Use
- Don’t pack your junk drawer. Don’t pack five-year-old training manuals. Don’t pack the broken office chair with a sticky note that says “maybe for reception.” If nobody’s used it in the last six months because it’s been replaced by something better, more efficient, or more functional, it’s probably safe to let it go.
- Let each employee pack their own desk. Give them a box, a label, and a deadline. If someone else packs it for them, you’re going to spend the first week in the new office sorting out drama over who’s missing their favorite pens.
- Segment your files by access level. Pack current project files and daily-use documents separately from long-term archives. Label accordingly. Archive boxes can be staged for storage or kept off the main office floor if space is tight. What you don’t want is someone digging through payroll files from 2017 trying to find a current contract.
- Cords should be packed with the device they belong to. I don’t care how obvious you think it is—label them. Bag them. Tape them to the monitor or dock they came from. You’ll thank yourself later.
Labeling Isn’t a Suggestion
- Sharpie on the top of the box isn’t enough. That gets buried the second boxes are stacked. Use two sides. Use full names. Use department names. Use room numbers if you have them. Nobody wants to play match-the-box for eight hours on move-in day.
- No one knows what “miscellaneous” means. You’ll end up opening it four times before figuring out where it goes.
- And please, mark the stuff that matters. If it’s essential for day one, make it blindingly Colored tape, sticker, duct tape, something.
What to Leave Behind
- If it’s on your “we should replace that soon” list, don’t move it.
- Dead tech? Recycle it. Half-working printers with handwritten instructions taped on top? Don’t bring them into a fresh start. Office furniture nobody wants to claim? Curb it.
- Don’t overthink it. Don’t hang on to things out of habit. Moves are a reset. Use it.
One Last Thing
Keep one box with you, not the movers. Tape, scissors, a couple of chargers, a power strip, keys, contact sheet, printed seating chart if you have it. It’s always the smallest stuff that brings everything to a halt when it’s missing.
That’s it. Just get the right things in the right boxes, moved in the right order, without wasting time moving stuff you’re going to throw out a week later.
You don’t need a perfect move. You just need a smart one. And if you need some help getting there, AB Moving & Storage is here to lead the way. Call us for a free quote today and let the professionals get your office up and running with minimal downtime.
