Your Guide to a Hassle-Free Office Furniture Move

Moving office furniture sure seems like a daunting task, but with some careful planning on your behalf, it can be streamlined to minimise disruptions and maintain your business continuity.

Considerations abound on how to move office furniture. From coordinating logistics to ensuring the safety of valuable equipment, each aspect demands attention. A primary focus should be on devising a comprehensive plan that accounts for every detail, from disassembly to reassembly, so…

Create a plan for the entire move

The better your plan is, the less stressful the office move will be. So, here’s how to arrange an office move.

Begin by laying out a timeline that encompasses all necessary tasks leading up to moving day and beyond. Divide it into manageable segments, such as weeks or days, depending on the proximity of your move. Tasks to include range from decluttering and packing to notifying clients or suppliers and coordinating with movers.

Following that, create a checklist specifically tailored to moving day. This should detail every action required on the day itself, from final packing to loading the moving truck and setting up at the new location. Ensure each team member is assigned responsibilities to maintain clarity and efficiency.

Now, let’s delve into inventory management and labelling systems. Consider implementing a system where each item receives a unique identifier or barcode. Additionally, label all boxes and furniture with their contents and destination. This streamlines the unpacking process at the new location and minimises the risk of items being misplaced during transit.

Divide and disassemble

It’’s important to organise your furniture into groups depending on whether they can be taken apart or not. So, here’s how to sort and deal with the various types of furniture pieces at your office, or said in simpler manner, how to move heavy office furniture.

Take the time to divide all the furniture. First off, take a good look at your furniture pieces. Identify which ones can be disassembled, some examples include desks, bookshelves with detachable parts and office chairs with detachable seat cushions or armrests. Group these items together as they’ll need special attention during packing and transportation.

On the other hand, furniture that can’t be dismantled includes solid wood desks or conference tables without detachable parts. Filing cabinets with welded frames or integrated components also can’t be disassembled.

Before you start dismantling this or that, take some photos of each piece, it will come in handy later when you have to put things the way they were. When you’re done playing photographer, gather the necessary tools like screwdrivers or Allen wrenches. As far as the actual dismantling goes, this is how to do it with the most common pieces of furniture.

Modular desk

Bookshelf

Office Chair

Pack and secure all items

Now when they’re dismantled, wrap all the components in furniture blankets or bubble wrap so they won’t get scratched or dented during transit. Don’t forget to put any loose parts in plastic bags and tape them to their corresponding furniture piece to avoid losing them along the way.

Then come fragile items like monitors, printers, and glass tabletops, which need even more care when packing. Don’t spare any bubble wrap when wrapping them and once you’re done with that, gently put them in sturdy boxes. If there’s empty space, fill it with packing peanuts or crumpled paper. It will provide some extra cushioning so nothing inside the box moves whilst being transported. Old magazines could also work but don’t over-rely on them.

Generally, if you invest in sturdy cardboard boxes, packing materials and moving blankets you will not regret it. They will protect your items. But since these alone are not enough, you should also follow this advice: always place heavier items at the bottom and lighter items on top of them. That way you significantly minimise the chance of soft items getting crushed by the heavier ones.

Also use a colour-coding system for boxes, each one having a separate colour depending on its department room. Remember to label each box with its contents, room destination, and priority level, and stick some fragile stickers on boxes containing delicate items.

Load furniture safely

You should always be very careful when handling heavy furniture like sofas and desks that cannot be disassembled. “Okay”, you say to yourself “What can I use to move furniture easily?” Well, aside from the proper tools, you should also implement the following methods for safely loading furniture:

Set up your new office space

When setting up your new office space, plan ahead for a layout that enhances your employees’ productivity and comfort. You do that by arranging workspaces near windows, as natural light boosts mood, energy levels, and productivity. However, sometimes there can be too much of it, so consider installing adjustable blinds or curtains to control any glare.

Another thing to help them with their creativity is collaborative space. So, you can group desks or install communal work tables. Also, provide comfortable seating options like sofas or armchairs for informal meetings or brainstorming sessions.

Skip the hassle by choosing a reliable removal company

If all that seems like a daunting task, which it certainly is, it’s understandable to consider hiring a professional office moving company. After all, relocating an entire office is no small feat—it’s actually a wise decision. Professional movers possess the expertise, workforce, and equipment to execute the job efficiently and securely. And let’s not forget—they handle all the heavy lifting, literally!

But, how do you select a reliable moving company that won’t mishandle your belongings? Well, begin by gathering and comparing several quotes from different office relocation companies. Mind you, you must resist the temptation to go for the cheapest option. The last thing you want is to have to replace damaged furniture pieces, do you?

Read online reviews from previous clients and seek out testimonials specifically mentioning office relocations. Additionally, ensure the company offers insurance coverage. Accidents can always happen, and a removal company should always provide comprehensive insurance.

How much does it cost to move office furniture?

The cost of moving office furniture in our beloved UK can greatly vary. It all comes down to several factors those being the size of your office, the amount of furniture you want moved, the distance to your new office, and whether you need furniture storage or not.

With all that said, expect to pay anywhere between £3,000 and £10,000 for packing and moving your office locally. And when it comes to the cost of moving office furniture, expect to pay around £400 to £800. The price will change depending on the number of your items and how far you want them transported.