The holidays are a joyous time of year. However, when a corporate move falls during the holidays, the merriment can quickly turn sour, leading to stress and frustration. If you plan ahead, you can limit the pressure of moving on the dates surrounding this festive time of year.

Give yourself plenty of time to plan and organise the move. Planning should begin a year in advance, especially for large corporations. A complete move planning process includes factors like hiring a commercial mover, establishing a backup plan, and addressing delays.

Take a look at these tips for moving your office during the holidays.

1. Recruit in advance

Be diligent when looking for a reputable commercial moving company. An unreliable mover or one with a poor reputation can create problems and negatively impact the relocation process-not to mention the holiday spirit of the employees.

Compare quotes from multiple commercial moving companies. It is important to consider factors such as price, the size of the fleet of moving trucks, the level of equipment and whether the desired services are offered when making a business decision. There are moving companies that pack and unpack office property, and there are some that do not.

During office moves, major equipment, such as machinery, IT servers, electronics, and other valuable items may be moved. The transport of sensitive items may require climate-controlled trucks and vehicles with air-ride suspensions and lift gates. Make sure that special handling equipment is offered by the moving company.

2. Timing is important

Booking an office mover at the right time is crucial. During the holidays, moving companies are among the busiest, not because of increased demand, but because staff members are on vacation. If you put off hiring a corporate mover, you reduce your chances of finding a reputable company.

If a business owner is set on working with a particular mover, one may be forced to adjust their timing since high-quality moving companies fill their schedules quickly. In addition, consider the type of moving equipment that will be available to move office furniture. Hiring a mover early and figuring out the details later is ideal.

3. Be prepared for delays

Taking into account the possibility of delays is an important part of good planning. In the holiday season, many commercial movers reduce their operating hours or the number of workers on their teams. There is a chance that the office move will be delayed due to the limited availability surrounding the holidays.

It is also important to schedule the turn-on of electricity and other utilities well in advance during the holidays because utility companies may have a different schedule. Storage facilities may also take time off during the holidays, resulting in fewer storage options.

Traffic is likely to be heavy during the holidays, causing delays. The roads can become congested as people travel for vacations or holiday gatherings. In particular, if you are moving over a holiday weekend, expect to find the highways jam-packed with drivers, resulting in possible delays.

The scramble of consumers to take advantage of holiday sales could cause additional delays. Shoppers crowd the roads around public holidays like Christmas and New Year’s Day, causing heavy traffic. Rethink moving on the dates immediately surrounding Black Friday, too, to avoid delays.

4. Plan your move for midweek

Determining a moving date is a difficult decision. Choosing a morning during mid-week for your office move can save you a lot of money, since moving companies are less busy between Monday and Wednesday. Furthermore, starting the move in the morning gives the office staff plenty of time to unpack the rest of the day.

Alternatively, you might want to consider moving over the weekend. A few hours may be allocated on a Friday afternoon for employees to pack small desk items. It is less likely that a move over the weekend will disrupt the company’s workflow.

5. Get organised

When packing for a relocation, it is necessary to evaluate the utility of office supplies. It may be worth considering donating office equipment that is in good condition but has little use in the new facility. The holiday season is a good time to show some generosity.

Reducing the weight of your goods to move by donating unused office furniture and goods can reduce your relocation costs. Plus, the old office’s chairs and desks may no longer be an appealing part of a new, vibrant space.

Pack well in advance of the move. The first step to smart packing is packing away items that are of no immediate use. Number and label each box, even creating a spreadsheet detailing the numbered boxes, to simplify unpacking once you get to the new location.

6. Announce the news

The holiday season is the perfect time to announce the office move rather than send the old-fashioned company greeting cards. As early as possible, make sure all company marketing materials are updated with the new contact details so partners, customers, and suppliers are kept informed.

 

Working with a dependable team of movers and office personnel will make the process of moving your office during the holidays go more smoothly. So get started today!