Office Move Checklist Example for a Smooth Move

An office move can look straightforward until the working day stops. Phones need to ring, systems need to stay live, staff need to know where they are going, and the new space needs to be usable from day one. This office move checklist example gives small and mid-sized businesses a practical plan for moving premises with less disruption.

The right timetable depends on the size of your team, the distance between sites and how much equipment is being moved. A serviced office move may need only a few weeks of planning. A larger move with servers, meeting rooms, storage and furniture installation should start several months ahead.

Office move checklist example: 8 to 12 weeks before

Start by appointing one person to manage decisions, updates and suppliers. They do not need to lift boxes or oversee every desk, but they must be able to confirm what is moving, approve timings and answer questions quickly. Delays often happen when no one owns the final decision.

Confirm the moving date and check the lease obligations for both premises. Your current landlord may require notice, a dilapidations inspection or a professional clearance. At the new office, establish access times, loading bay rules, lift dimensions, parking restrictions, security procedures and whether a move outside normal hours is required.

At this stage, make a clear inventory. Walk through every room, cupboard and storage area. Separate items into four groups: move, store, recycle or dispose of. There is little value in paying to transport broken chairs, old paperwork or surplus furniture that will not fit the new layout.

Your early checklist should cover:

• lease end dates, handover conditions and building management contacts

• a room-by-room inventory of furniture, stock, files and equipment

• new floor plans, desk allocations and furniture measurements

• removal, packing, storage, clearance and IT support requirements

• insurance responsibilities and any specialist items needing particular handling

• staff communication, supplier notifications and customer-facing updates

Request a survey and written quotation rather than relying on an estimate made from a few photographs. A proper survey identifies difficult access, oversized items, dismantling work and the number of crates or vehicles required. It also helps decide whether a standard office removal is enough or whether you need packing, secure storage, property clearance or white-glove delivery and installation.

Plan the new office before anything is packed

A move is easier when every item has a destination. Finalise the floor plan before the removal team arrives, including reception, workstations, meeting rooms, kitchens, print areas and archive storage. Number rooms at the new premises and use matching labels on crates, desks and furniture.

Do not assume existing furniture will work in the new office. Check door widths, stairwells, lifts and ceiling height, especially for boardroom tables, shelving and display units. If new designer furniture is being delivered, agree who will receive it, position it and remove packaging. Premium pieces may need careful placement and assembly rather than being left in a reception area for staff to deal with later.

IT needs its own plan. Your IT provider should confirm internet installation, Wi-Fi coverage, comms cabinet access, phone diversion, server arrangements and testing times. Back up essential data before the move and identify equipment that must travel separately. For many businesses, laptops can be carried by employees, while monitors, docks, printers and network equipment are packed and labelled by department.

Four to six weeks before the move

Tell staff early enough to answer practical questions, but only once the main details are confirmed. Give them the new address, moving date, travel information, desk plan and a clear packing deadline. Let people know what they are responsible for packing and what the removal team will handle.

Notify customers, suppliers, banks, insurers, HMRC where relevant, couriers, utilities and service providers. Update your address on invoices, email signatures, stationery, online directories and any vehicle livery. If you receive regular deliveries, make sure suppliers know the final delivery date at the old site and the first acceptable date at the new one.

Arrange utilities and building services well in advance. This includes electricity, water, broadband, alarm monitoring, cleaning, waste collection, access cards and post redirection. It is sensible to overlap essential services for a short period if the budget allows. A day without internet may be tolerable for some teams, but not for a call centre, agency, clinic or business processing orders throughout the day.

For confidential files, use sealed crates and maintain a simple chain of custody. Shredding may be better than moving paperwork that has passed its retention period. If archive material must be retained but will not be needed regularly, containerised storage can free up expensive office space.

One to two weeks before moving day

Confirm the final plan with the removal company, building managers and IT provider. Recheck vehicle access, loading times, permits and lift reservations. In Kingston, South West London and other busy areas, a well-planned route and parking arrangement can make the difference between a controlled move and a costly delay.

Label every crate with the employee or department, the room number and a short contents description. Avoid labels such as “miscellaneous”. They save time at the old office but create confusion at the new one. Keep a separate essentials box for each department with chargers, keys, stationery, basic tools, tea and coffee supplies, cleaning materials and first-aid items.

Use this short final check before the move:

• back up systems and confirm the IT shutdown and restart sequence

• photograph valuable equipment and record serial numbers where needed

• empty and defrost fridges, remove perishables and clear personal lockers

• secure confidential documents, keys, access passes and company devices

• give staff a move-day contact number and arrival instructions

• confirm who will sign off collection and delivery at both sites

If trading must continue during the move, phase the work. One team may relocate first while another remains operational, or the physical move can take place over an evening or weekend. This can cost more than a single daytime move, but it may protect revenue and customer service. The best option depends on the cost of downtime versus the cost of additional labour and out-of-hours access.

Moving day: control the handover

Keep one authorised contact at the old office and another at the new site. They should have the floor plan, inventory, keys, building contacts and authority to deal with small issues without waiting for approval. Their job is to keep the move moving, not to carry boxes.

At collection, check that all rooms, cupboards, loft storage and external areas have been cleared. At delivery, direct crates and furniture to their labelled locations rather than stacking everything in one open area. Desks, chairs and meeting-room furniture should be assembled and placed before staff arrive wherever possible.

Once the lorries are unloaded, carry out a basic condition check. Confirm that high-value furniture, IT equipment and essential files have arrived. Record any damage immediately and take photographs. Do not discard packing materials until key items have been checked and installation is complete.

OWN Removals & Storage can support office removals with packing, secure storage, clearance and careful furniture delivery and installation, giving businesses one point of contact when a move involves more than desks and boxes.

The first working day in the new office

The first day is about making the space functional, not perfect. Test broadband, phones, printers, alarms, access control, heating, lighting and meeting-room equipment before the full team settles in. Put a named person in charge of reporting faults so staff do not raise the same issue with several different suppliers.

Walk the old office with the landlord or managing agent and obtain confirmation of the handover condition. Cancel services that are no longer needed only after you are certain the final bills and meter readings are correct. Keep your move inventory, removal paperwork and photographs until all issues are closed.

A well-run office move is not judged by how quickly boxes leave the old building. It is judged by whether your people can start work confidently at the new one. Build the plan around that first productive morning, and every packing, transport and installation decision becomes easier to make.