A Comprehensive Guide On How To Pack And Move Office Records And Documents
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Moving is a very stressful process regardless of the circumstances. It doesn’t matter whether you’re moving your home or your office. Therefore, you need to be efficient in order to move as easier as possible. One way to do it is to hire reputable movers such as a moving company Rockville MD. That’s because it’s merely impossible to have a stress-free move without the help of someone trustworthy and reliable. That especially applies to situations where you’re planning to move your business thus, if you want to find out how to pack and move office records and documents, stay here. We will tell you all you need to know about it so you could eventually sit back and relax.
How to properly prepare for your relocation and what to keep in mind?
To begin with, there is a huge list of things you need to do before you move. Regardless of whether you’re moving your house or your office, you need to be well-prepared. That requires you to be not only organized but also creative. Sometimes, people don’t realize how important these things are. Nevertheless, make sure to start on time. So, let’s analyze the things you need to do if you want to move without unnecessary stress:
- Start on time – We can’t stress enough how important this is. Moving requires you to start preparing months in advance.
- Be focused – You need to create a moving inventory. This should be a long list of things you will be doing in the next few months. Make sure to follow that list accordingly.
- Set the firm budget – Another thing you need to keep in mind. Be sure to not step over the budget. This can happen easily.
- Declutter your house or office – In this case, you’re moving your business. Therefore, be sure to get rid of unnecessary office supplies and shred documents that are not important.
- Hire professionals to help you move – This is another thing you should keep on your list. Office movers Rockville MD will help you move your business in a blink of an eye.
- Keep in mind the packing – You need to get a lot of moving boxes as well as all the packing supplies you will need throughout your relocation process.
Moving your office – how to do it efficiently?
Believe it or not, many people don’t pay much attention to packing. They don’t realize that packing is one of the most important parts of the moving process. We can say it’s the backbone of the relocation process. If you want to move without wasting your precious resources, we advise you to pack smart. In this particular case, we will get into how to pack and move office records and documents. But, we will also tell you how to pack all the office supplies as well as equipment without stress. And yes, it can be quite stressful especially if you’re moving a huge business. Whatever the case is, moving in Rockville MD is easy if you have the right help.
Anyway, since you’re moving your office, you need to create a timeline. Regardless of whether you have a big or a small business, you need to develop some sort of schedule. Therefore, we advise you to start at least six months prior. The first thing you need to do is check your lease in the current building. Be sure to check if you will get your deposit back because each dollar counts. Also, you should see if anything got damaged during your stay there, as a company. Calculate the risks and see what you can get from them.
Furthermore, you need to see what you will do with your team during the relocation process. If possible, allow your team to work from home. Remote work is a very grateful thing. Not only will your employees be alleviated from moving stress but also from the work stress per see. However, you should delegate your own work to your colleagues. It makes sense to do so as you will be busy handling the relocation process. Hence, focus on your move and let your close coworkers take care of the business.
Figuring out how to pack and move office records and documents
To be honest, moving an office is even more stressful than moving a home. However, it can be an easy task if you know what to do and who to contact. Moving services Rockville MD are diverse and our movers know exactly how to help you move your business stress-free. All you need to do in that particular case is pick up the phone and call us. Nevertheless, probably the first thing you need to do before you pack and move office records and documents is to digitize them. Although it may seem unsafe, don’t worry. Here is what we mean by this:
- Upload your files to the company’s cloud – You can never say for sure that your files won’t be violated by unauthorized third parties. But, having an internal system where all your files are being saved is a must for any company.
- Know who has the access to your files – Only your employees and network engineers should have the access to your files. Be careful to who you give authorization.
- Start way before the deadline – In those six months before the move, you can organize online courses for your employees. For instance, you can have experts tell them how to handle confidential files during extraordinary circumstances, such as this one.
Part one – labeling, tracking, and transporting your office records and documents for your move
As you may guess, we believe that good organization is everything. That’s why we keep on reiterating how important it is to start preparing on time. Sometimes six months is not enough to prepare. This especially applies to big corporations. In those situations, corporations usually start moving little by little. This is a good strategy because the transition is much smoother then. Moreover, employees don’t feel much difference and the workflow does not change. That’s the most important thing. If you manage to keep the same workflow and efficiency while moving, you will save a lot of resources. Let’s see what you can and should do when packing and moving office records and documents:
- Develop an effective system – Try to label your boxes the same way that you file and archive documents in your company. That will make it easy for you to store them once you settle in your new office.
- Increase security control – Know your movers and hire only trustworthy ones. There is always a chance that something will get lost or misplaced during transport. But that’s why you digitized your files in the first place.
- Don’t forget about the insurance – Make sure you purchase insurance before starting your relocation. It won’t make up for the lost files but it’s good to have it.
- Check the new office space prior to moving – That’s why decluttering is important. If you’re moving business to a smaller space, be sure to get rid of unwanted items.
- Keep the new address in mind – You will need to update all your documents as well as the website with your new address.
Follow-up – the unpacking phase and handling the confidential files after conducting your move
One of the most important part of your relocation is the moving company you choose. You need to pick someone reliable and trustworthy. Long distance movers Rockville MD have tremendous experience when it comes to moving. Not only that but they will help you move without any stress. We advise you to start looking for your moving company months in advance. Get in touch with other companies that relocated and ask them about their moving experience. Moreover, get some tips from them and try to learn from their mistakes. Regardless, when you’re moving, you shouldn’t focus on all the things that could go wrong. Quite the contrary – make sure to look at both sides of the coin.
After arriving at your new office space, you need to start unpacking. As this is still an early stage, be sure to allow your employees to keep working from home. Anyway, make sure to focus on your documents now. Here is what you should do:
- Review all your physical files again – Look at all the documents you transported. Be sure to throw away all the ones you won’t need anymore. By throwing away, we mean shredding them.
- Double-check your online files – Before shredding your files, check if everything is backed-up properly one more time.
- Rent a storage unit – Don’t keep all your files in your new office space especially if it’s smaller than your previous one. Storage Rockville MD has more than enough space for any office equipment you have.
Part three – how to dispose of confidential records?
After you pack and move office records and documents, you will need to review them again. As we already said, the next step would be to get rid of unnecessary ones. Those unnecessary documents could also be confidential ones. Confidential documents are the ones containing personal information about employees, clients, or customers. That personal information can jeopardize individuals which is why they are kept a secret. In case you want to get rid of them, you need to shred them. However, you can’t just put the paper in the shredding machine and get it over with.
You need to ensure that you can destroy unnecessary confidential files. Once you’ve done that, you can shred the physical files. As for the digital ones, they are a bit tricky. Digitalized data is quite susceptible to cyber attacks. That is why you need to have good network engineers by your side who will maintain the network. Those engineers will know how to encrypt your data the right way. Anyway, when it comes to shredding your physical documents, be sure to use a cross-cut shredder. It will shred your files in a way they will be unrecognizable.
Why is it important to pay special attention when packing and moving office records and documents?
Honestly, packing and moving office records and documents is an exhausting process. That’s why you need to prepare mentally for that process. Let’s go back to the beginning of the process. We skipped one thing you need to do before getting into the moving process. You need to come up with a decommissioning plan. Be sure to do your best to restore your old office space to what it was before you started your business there. That increases the chances of your getting your deposit back. Moreover, remove all the stickers, markers, and other miscellaneous things from the office. Also, remove every cable and piece of electronic equipment from the old office space.
Unfortunately, the landlords are quite picky when it comes to returning deposits. That’s why you should do everything in your power to complete your part of the job right. Another thing you should pay attention to is your employees. Your workers are the spine of your company. Without them, moving wouldn’t make sense. You need to talk to them before moving. Moreover, make sure to have a meeting with them and ask them for advice or feedback about the move. They might be able to assist you more than you think.
Getting back to the work routine
Finally, you managed to pack and move office records and documents with ease! The only thing you need to do now is be focused on getting back to your usual routine. Call your employees back to the office, organize a welcome party, and go with the flow. It’s hard to get a grip on everything, especially since moving is a stressful experience. But, with the help from Excalibur Moving & Storage, you won’t even feel the relocation. Also, be sure to know the importance of moving insurance. You need to protect all your documents before moving. All in all, good luck with moving your office, and contact us should you need any help!