Office Furniture Movers Near Me

How do I find the best office furniture mover near me?

Moving an office is a much different project than moving your home. For one thing, it is most likely a bigger job, impacting more people. Also, you are probably managing the project as an employee on behalf of your employer, or as a business owner for your corporation. Either way, it is a significant responsibility, and there is probably some pressure associated with the prospect.

Finding the right commercial moving company to support the project will help ensure that the relocation is a success and make the process easier and less stressful for you. Get going with a moving plan with the best office movers near you as far in advance of the move as possible. Now, if you just found this project on your desk, and the move is right around the corner, take a deep breath and don't panic, but ideally, start planning six months before the relocation date.

Do I need to choose a corporate moving specialist?

Yes. A company that moves household goods isn’t the right vendor for moving office furniture.It would be best if you partner office furniture movers with the experience to support you in the complex logistics associated with moving a work environment. You may have a simple furniture move, but you could also have break rooms, lactation facilities, security equipment, fitness centers, teleconference facilities, a cafeteria, or even a daycare to relocate. The mover needs to be familiar with computer cabling, telecommunications, safety, environmental considerations, and more.

What should be on my move checklist?

Suppose that you have the complete responsibility for this move—the new lease has been signed, and the move is six months out, but that's it. You have to:

• complete the floorplan
• assign the new seats and offices,
• determine the placement of conference rooms and ancillary facilities, order any new items that are going to be needed,
• arrange for disposal and cleanup of anything that isn't going to the new location, and then
• work with the management and employees to facilitate the move logistics for the transferred population.

First, work with your space planner to complete the floorplan and any unfinished buildout. If the new space is already done, that's a plus, but there may be changes, upgrades, or remodels. If your layout needs more open space, it may be necessary to demolish existing interior walls to eliminate individual offices, or conversely, to build more. Adding density may require reconfiguring cubicles or turning conference rooms into bullpens. You may need to purchase components for seating or freestanding office furniture, both of which typically have extended lead times when ordered.

Collaborate with your information technology department to validate the specifications for the new building. Is the capacity adequate? Are any upgrades planned? What about adding wireless access or additional security features. If you are installing new phones or another type of communication system, you may need even more time.

What Should Be Involved When Moving Office Furniture

Let's assume that senior management decided to relocate (or you, if this is your business) and that your job doesn't include selling the move to unwilling participants. Still, you should have a relocation committee that brings together members of various departments impacted by the move for periodic discussions about important issues. Share your move calendar with these representatives and empower them to communicate critical dates with their teammates.

What is the move matrix?

The move matrix is a spreadsheet listing every employee's present and future location, and sometimes every piece of equipment. For example, Joe Smith is moving from space 1A in the old site to space 5X in the new area. The move matrix will likely use a drop number, or jack id, as well as a space number. Usually, you will have a large floorplan that displays the space numbers and the names so that people can find their seats. It's also helpful if new spaces can be identified with a name sign for move-in day. The move matrix also helps the office moving company deliver boxes and equipment to the right place on the move day. Instruct employees to use their space number (drop or jack id) to mark their boxes, computers, and anything else that is to be moved from the old location to the new one.

The move matrix can guide the movers to the future location of copiers, file cabinets, and other items that do not go to a particular employee’s desk, cubicle, or office. Each conference room or other non-seating location is assigned a space number if there is no drop number, and that identifies the destination for any furniture, appliances, or other equipment to be delivered to that area.

Coordination Between Employees and Office Furniture Moving Companies

Usually, it is best to instruct employees to pack up the items in their desks, offices, and cubicles into boxes before a relocation. Just like moving your home, moving your office is a perfect opportunity to sort through your files and discard anything you don't need. In many companies, it is a standard practice to bring in extra shred bins in the month or two ahead of a move, so that employees can begin the work of eliminating files that they no longer need. This is an excellent time to remind employees of policies relating to document retention if you have those. Encourage your staff to take the time to dispose of what they no longer need for current work before the move. Each department can assign someone (or more than one) to cull through the shared file cabinets to support the same effort and purge unneeded paper that can be destroyed or stored on electronic media.

Employees can then pack their personal and business items into boxes provided. Your moving vendor will generally drop off used boxes and labels as early as you request them, but typically two weeks before the move date. The boxes usually won't need to be sealed but will have folding tops to allow them to be easily opened. Talk to the vendor about any changes you would like to make to their suggested move protocol. The moving company can also supply you with an outline of moving instructions to share with the staff—how to pack, how to label, when to be ready, and other details to make the move easier. One helpful suggestion is to label boxes with a quantity: Joe Smith, drop 5X, Box 1 of 5. This action helps the movers know if they have something missing on move night, which they can try to track down before the employee reports to work the following day.