The Complete Office Move Checklist

Use our complete office move checklist to streamline your transition to a new space.

Your Trusty Office Move Checklist

A simple walk around any neighborhood in New York will remind you how many moving trucks are filled with a company’s office items. Relocating to a new office space has a lot of moving parts, which is why you should always have an office move checklist to rely on. 

Whether you are remodeling from a blank canvas or putting the finishing touches on a turnkey office space, our project managers have the experience necessary to take stress out of the equation. Our full-service design team can advise you and provide referrals to the best vendors in New York City, and we can organize your entire move for you. But, in case you want to try to DIY your office move, here is our handy office move checklist. 

Step 1: Organize a Relocation Team

First on the office move checklist: appoint a relocation team and project manager. You can borrow leaders from other departments or outsource to a dedicated project management specialist. The relocation team will be responsible for setting the budget, tracking expenses, enforcing the timeline, scouting locations, and resourcing third-party help.

When you work with us, we assign a project manager to your account who will operate as a single point of contact, seamlessly coordinating vendors so you don’t have to worry about matching busy schedules up or playing phone tag. Our project managers will keep your relocation team updated as we handle the more tedious parts of office furniture management for you.

Step 2: Meet With a Real Estate Broker

After you have a relocation team in place, the next item on your office move checklist is to meet with a real estate broker. If you rent your space and would like to continue, a real estate broker will have the industry experience to read through the terms of your lease and advise you on the best practices for communicating with your landlord. If you’re looking to expand your office footprint by leasing a new space, a broker will have the connections necessary to negotiate on your behalf and help you find the best commercial space for your growing business.

Real estate brokers remove the headache and risk involved in finding and vetting properties. They’re your best ally for communicating effectively with landlords' agents and setting advantageous moving timelines.

Step 3: Lease a Space and Set a Move-in Date

Once you’ve found an office space you love, you can sign the lease. These agreements will directly inform your soonest available possession date, but there are a few considerations you’ll need to make. 

The day you take possession of the property is an important date, but it’s likely a bit ahead of the day you’ll use the space. Use this time to discuss a tenant improvement allowance if you’re not the property owner or iron out your budget for hiring a contractor to make the space your own. Your landlord may have a preferred contractor they’re used to working with; if not, this is the time to solicit bids from at least three general contractors and set a timeline and target renovation completion date. 

Step 4: Consult Designers and Specify Furniture

Office space planning is a science and an art form. Furnishing the space and selecting appropriate finishes can be a full-time job if you allow it to be. Consulting designers can help you envision your office’s unlimited potential and start taking steps to make it an impressive and inspiring space for all visitors. 

At Benhar Office Interiors, we have a full suite of services to support you at every step of the moving and office redesign process. Our team will create technical drawings and 3D animations that bring your future office space to virtual reality. With these tools, you can visualize what is and could be in real time, so you don’t have to guess how it will all come together in the end. 

Once you’ve decided on your favorite design, our designers and project managers will work with architects, trusted contractors, and our curated catalog of over 300 brands to create a stunning office space that aligns with your vision and adapts to your business.

Step 5: Donate and Coordinate Storage

After you’ve decided on a direction for your office remodeling project, you’ll have a better idea of the items that will and won’t work in your new space. At this point, our project managers will tap into our wide network to appraise, liquidate, donate, and store your furniture and equipment that won’t be necessary after you relocate. 

Purging unnecessary items puts you in a better position to request accurate moving quotes and backfill gaps with updated pieces that match your new office’s aesthetic and function. 

Step 6: Evaluate Technology and Communication Needs

Your office’s technology demands will be informed by your business needs, space plan, furniture, and other equipment. Once you’ve got the ball rolling on your overall design, evaluate your new space’s audio-visual equipment needs. 

Our design resource group can advise you on this process. If we identify any areas for improvement, we will lean on our network of contractors to ensure your space’s utilities are compatible with your business needs and design vision. 

Step 7: Hire a Moving Company

Moving demand ebbs and flows throughout the year. In New York City, peak moving season spans from the mid-spring to mid-fall, making it expensive and difficult to find service. During peak moving season, we recommend securing movers at least two to three months in advance, but you may have more flexibility if you move during a less demanding time. 

If you’re relocating out of state, you’ll want to plan at least six months in advance. However, the ideal time to book movers often depends on the scope of your project. The larger the project, the more lead time you’ll need, so it’s important to be proactive if you’re in doubt. 

Our project managers are well-versed in delivering turnkey office solutions, so we like to anticipate moving timeline hurdles before they arise. We’ll keep in close communication with you and your relocation team throughout the design process and direct you on the best time to hire movers. 

Step 8: Inform Your Staff

Once you’ve finalized your moving timeline and secured your new space, you can roll out notices to your current staff. They’ll be sure to have questions, so it’s important that your relocation team is available and approachable. You’ll want to provide a thorough rundown of what your employees can expect so they feel calm and excited about the transition. 

Be specific about the types of items they should pack for the move, take home for safekeeping, or leave behind to avoid redundancy. For example, you’ll want to remind them to take personal effects, like family photos, so they don’t get misplaced or damaged. 

Giving your staff at least two months of lead time can allow them to create a plan for packing their desks and supporting their teams throughout the process. Keep in mind that commuters may have to make adjustments to their routine to accommodate the transition.

Step 9: Furniture Delivery and Day 2 Needs

About two to four weeks before your desired move-in date, furniture deliveries and installation should begin. Spacing out deliveries ahead of your desired move-in date gives you time to assemble furniture and troubleshoot any problems as they arise.

We make it our business to understand all our manufacturers' installation and care instructions so assembly goes smoothly. We also offer cleaning and repair services, allowing us to revive older pieces if necessary.

Outside of our furniture assembly services, we provide ongoing Day 2 support, meaning we’ll stay to coordinate service calls, set up software infrastructure, and receive last-minute deliveries before move-in day. 

Step 10: Move In

Finally, you can put the finishing touches on your office space by bringing in your personal effects, files, and other office supplies. Not everything requires a professional hand, so now is your chance to optimize your space to meet your precise needs. Think about the best place for your pens, notepads, and other items that make your workday productive, and give your team members the autonomy to figure those things out for their space. 

If you’re an office manager, now is the time to stock the pantry, make sure there is toilet paper in the bathroom and paper towels by the sink, and walk around to confirm various departments have everything they need to be successful in their new home. 

Benhar Office Interiors Offers Unwavering Support Throughout the Moving Process 

At Benhar Office Interiors, we have decades of experience creating office spaces that not only impress but also function optimally for years to come. We’ve gone through countless relocations of various scopes, and we’re pros at anticipating issues and proactively addressing them before they interfere with your business. Our project managers work off a tried-and-true office move checklist that takes the pressure of moving off your plate.