Relocating a business involves risk, and, therefore, several months of planning, negotiating with landlords and ensuring the transition causes the least disruption to operations. While small businesses can relocate sooner, large and average-sized offices can expect the following moving timetable.
An average office move can take up to 12 months, however, most office moves handled by Chicago Office Movers usually take between 5 and 9 months
1. Look for a New Space 12 Months in Advance
Business owners who anticipate relocating should begin planning at least 12 months in advance. Plans for moving start with looking for a new office space. Finding the right office can take a substantial amount of time, especially when multiple decision-makers are involved in the process.
The current office may no longer suit the needs of the business. Rapidly growing businesses require a larger office space. Downsizing also prompts business owners to search for a new, smaller space. A visit to the prospective location is important to get a sense of what the space affords.
Certain cities will require a larger or smaller budget, which can potentially exclude some locations from the search. Consider location, such as urban or suburban, and public transportation options for employees. Nearby neighborhood amenities also contribute to the quality of employee work life.
When on the hunt for a new office, factor in the lease terms. Short-term leases are attractive for small businesses, especially those that are likely to outgrow an existing space within a short span of time. It is also helpful to explore the community of tenants to determine affability.
2. Seal the Deal with a Landlord 3 to 6 Months in Advance
Once a desirable office space is found, negotiate the lease terms with the landlord. Commercial leases are flexible and typically average three years. Work with a tenant rep broker or a lawyer who can win favorable deals and help a business owner understand complex clauses.
Counteroffer asked base rent, initially offering 10 to 15 percent less than what the landlord asks. Try to negotiate on more than one location at a time, which allows business owners to walk away from at least one negotiation. Be aware that a longer lease term results in a better base rent.
3. Announce the Relocation 2 to 6 Months in Advance
Office staff should be informed of the upcoming move well in advance. Hold a staff meeting and provide each member of the office team with a detailed plan of the move. Ask for input from employees that would help make the relocation smoother and less disruptive to business operations.
If possible, allow a virtual tour of the new office space. Once team members see where they will be working, they will know what to expect and can continue performing without the tension often associated with being unprepared for the future.
Delegate tasks to each employee in preparation for the relocation. Check to see if any office employees require new equipment. An option to retain good employees is to offer a relocation package, which may include transportation expenses, temporary housing and finding a home.
4. Hire a Commercial Mover 4 to 8 Weeks in Advance
A commercial moving company experienced in corporate relocations will be a company’s biggest asset when it comes to facilitating a smooth office move. Research a handful of potential commercial movers, paying careful attention to customer reviews and ratings, affordability, and availability.
Spring and summer are the peak moving seasons, and moving companies are tightly booked. Relocating during the off-peak seasons of autumn and winter is cost effective and gives business owners increased flexibility and scheduling options. Plus, fall and winter’s less congested highways speed up the move.
5. Pack IT Equipment 1 to 3 Weeks in Advance
Once the relocation date is set, hire information technology (IT) professionals to back up all important business data. Experts are necessary to prevent risks, such as the loss of information. Technology can be replaced, but the sensitive business data cannot.
The process for packing and relocating IT equipment, including disconnecting services and shutting down systems, is lengthy and complex. Hire IT technicians if experienced employees are unavailable to disconnect all cables safely and correctly. Photograph wire connections so that reassembly is easier at the new destination.
6. Prepare the New Office Within 1 to 4 Months
Once the commercial mover arrives at the new office destination, it is time to unpack and prepare the new workspace. Depending on the size of the office and the number of personnel, this process can range from one to four months.
All office furniture and equipment will need to be unpacked and reassembled. Professionally set up the IT systems and equipment. Establish all utilities and internet connections. In the event any equipment is damaged during transport, be prepared to start immediate repairs or replace the units.
Work with a Commercial Mover
A corporate relocation is a stressful event but partnering with a commercial mover with experience shifting large and small companies to new destinations eliminates the tension. Chicago Office Movers is a highly rated commercial mover with services that will meet all your business relocation needs.
Crews at Chicago Office Movers are licensed, trained and background-checked to ensure your business goods are handled safely and securely. We have successfully moved fragile IT systems, delicate electronics, antiques, science lab equipment, artwork, heavy office furniture and cubicles.
Chicago Office Movers’ trucks are climate-controlled and feature air-ride suspensions, so that your technology remains protected during transport. With full access to our tracking equipment, business owners have the ability to track the movement of goods during the relocation process.
Follow in the footsteps of prestigious companies, like Alcatel Lucent and Northwestern University, that have utilized our commercial moving services with great satisfaction. Our multiple five-star ratings are a testimony to our commitment to excellence and dedication to serving area businesses.
Get a Free Estimate
Choose Chicago Office Movers for reliable and comprehensive corporate relocation services. We provide budget-friendly moving services, from long- and short-term storage to packing and unpacking.
Whether you plan to move locally, long distance or internationally, contact us for a free estimate at 312-244-2246 or by filling out a contact form.
Productivity increases when companies holistically support the well-being of their staff. Consider including a wide range of functional and design elements to today’s workspace to effectively promote employee wellness and productivity. Here is what every new office needs in the 2020s.
Companies in the 21st century rely on innovation. Recent technology advances rapidly, prompting businesses to invest in flexible and progressive workspace designs that embrace new technologies as they are steadily introduced. Dynamic offices should feel human-centric and showcase brand authenticity.
Employees perform, interact and function differently within built spaces than they had in bygone eras. New offices should enhance staff productivity and inspire ideas. The contemporary office ideally reflects business cultures how they are today and operates with an eye toward the future.
A new office should be dynamic and flexible, meaning elements are moveable, lightweight, ergonomic, and multi-functional. Rather than be fitted with bulky furniture and technology, the new office space will be designed to suit any purpose. Offices can be transformed in an instant.
Moveable walls, mobile furniture, adjustable lighting, and the latest technology can instantly convert a meeting room into a podcast studio, for instance. The goods in a new, multifunctional office will accommodate immediate company needs, even as the pace of business accelerates.
Here 5 things needed in every new office.
1. Privacy Pods
Privacy pods are ideal when a workspace features an open office concept. With its seemingly futuristic build, privacy pods block distractions and are soundproof. The design allows employees to focus on their work in a distraction-free environment. Use privacy pods in conjunction with open workstations.
2. Height-Adjustable Desks
Sitting for hours on end is unhealthy; standing desks, however, adversely affect the feet and back. The answer to these health issues is a height-adjustable desk. For maximum ease, employees’ bodies should be aligned with the floor and table. A height-adjustable desk allows this comfort.
Height-adjustable desks give office staff the ability to customize the entire workstation to suit their individual needs. Whether an employee prefers to stand, sit, or alternate between the two, the height-adjustable desk accommodates their preferences—all in the same workspace.
3. Flex Spaces
Employees who work overtime are humans—not robots—and pursue tasks differently from day to day. By adding flex spaces to the new office, staff have greater freedom and flexibility. Some employees may prefer to snooze after lunch or retreat to a relaxed space prior to diving into a project.
By adding napping stations, a small gym, meditation rooms and fully stocked kitchens, work-life balance is achieved. In a lounge room, install tech-enabled furniture, such as wireless charging-enabled tabletops. Employees who have a choice to work remotely half the week are also more productive.
Inviting and comfortable workspaces promote a sense of community for office employees. The lifestyle preferences of onsite staff and those who work remotely are simultaneously met. Inspiring offices boost morale, develop relationships, and encourage employees to return to the office.
4. Greenery
A solitary desk plant simply will not satisfy anymore. Today’s employees seek greenery in the workplace to help boost morale and enhance productivity. A biophilic office design includes natural elements, with vegetation in the forms of a vertical garden or a succulent planter.
Lifting employees’ spirits requires more than adding a few potted plants. Utilize furniture made of natural materials. Ensure workspaces are sunlit. Biophilic office experts can lend a hand when it comes to creating a gorgeous office environment that inspires staff to come to work every day.
Today’s offices are no longer sterile, drab environments. Companies that aim to attract top talent, especially Millennials who hold sustainability and pro-environmental ideologies, make an effort to create office spaces with warmth and character and that utilize organic and authentic motif.
5. Office Staples
A functional new office requires supplies to facilitate day-to-day operations. A phone system helps team members communicate without having to use an external phone network. Speakerphones should be available. Other accessories to ease communications include a headset and fax machine.
Broadband and Wi-Fi are necessary during collaborations. Employees who work remotely have the ability to connect with the rest of the team. Laptops are essential for remote workers. Desktop computers are useful for staff who continue to work in the office.
Some printers are built to function wirelessly and come with scanning capabilities. Along with printers, a new office should have a range of external storage, such as HDD and USB. External storage is critical for backing up documents and swiftly transferring data.
While many offices opt for an environmentally friendly, paperless approach, confidential documents still exist. A shredder is necessary to destroy sensitive paperwork. Shredders also work to help keep employees’ desks clean and uncluttered and eliminate wastepaper in a sustainable way.
Work with Chicago Office Movers
Business owners who are planning to relocate to a new office should consider all of the above necessities to ensure the workspace caters to the changing needs and preferences of today’s workforce. When an upcoming business relocation is on the horizon, turn to Chicago Office Movers.
Chicago Office Movers is a commercial mover that will facilitate your move from start to finish. Whether you need help with planning, secure storage facilities or professional assistance with unpacking, our moving specialists are available. We’ll ensure your transition is smooth and as stress-free as possible.
Our experienced moving crews have moved a wide range of office goods. We have relocated lab equipment (microscopes and heavy electronics), machines (HVAC equipment) and libraries. Our teams of union movers are trained to handle all types of office goods carefully and securely.
Added benefits of choosing Chicago Office Movers for your upcoming relocation include working with a green company that utilizes best practices and recycled packaging to reduce waste. As an essential service, we take coronavirus safety precautions to protect customers and movers.
Get a Free Estimate
Whether you have plans to move locally or across the country, choose Chicago Office Movers for a professional and efficient move. As a reputable office mover, we seamlessly relocate businesses to, from and within Chicagoland.
Contact us at 312-244-2246 or by filling out a contact form for a free estimate today.
As the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps the nation and leaves offices empty, businesses are restructuring their work from home policies. Some staff may return to work, while others will permanently work from home. What can offices do with idle furniture? Donate used furniture to local organizations.
Company managers may be reassessing their need for office furniture during the coronavirus health crisis. Fewer team members work onsite, making some office goods no longer necessary. Or the staggered shifts will prompt managers to rethink the office floor plans.
What to do with Surplus Furniture
Surplus office furniture may be donated to help non-profits in need. Even large quantities of high-value items may be donated to organizations that sell them and use the profits to offset project costs. Reputable organizations keep used office furniture out of landfills.
Environmental pressures are relieved when office furniture is reused and kept out of landfills. Why throw away office furniture when a small business or family can utilize the goods? Upcycling used office furniture also gives the donation recipients an opportunity to turn them into something new.
Office furniture that is no longer needed as companies restructure their office floor plans in the coronavirus era may be sent to area schools, foundations, charities and social programs. Waste solutions are important to companies that want to demonstrate their corporate social responsibility.
Companies that donate used office furniture may also claim tax deductions when they donate to a qualified charitable organization or non-profit. Donations with a value of over $5000 require the services of an appraiser to provide the proper paperwork needed to claim a tax deduction.
Five steps to complete office furniture donations:
Plan the donation process several weeks ahead of the scheduled pickup date, as agencies are extremely busy.
Look for local charitable organizations, like the ones that follow.
Appraise the furniture.
Schedule the pickup.
Get a receipt.
Many charitable organizations in Chicago offer free pickup services of the used office furniture. These organizations manage the labor and logistics surrounding the donation. Companies that donate their surplus office goods can rest easy knowing their excess furniture will be in good hands.
1. Chicago Furniture Bank
As the office sits nearly vacant amidst the coronavirus crisis, the break room will remain 100 percent unused. Work life may not return to the status quo once the pandemic ends. Now is a good time to donate the kitchen table and chairs from the lunch and break rooms.
Chicago Furniture Bank accepts kitchen furniture, as well as coffee tables, lamps, mirrors, desks, end tables, couches and chairs. The area non-profit donates its collection of used furniture to families in need. In a span of two years, the organization has kept 750 tons of furniture out of local landfills.
2. Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore Chicago
Habitat for Humanity will take a wide range of used office furniture, as well as cabinets, windows, doors, carpeting, knobs and hinges, countertops and functional appliances. The proceeds from the sales of donated goods go back into the non-profit to help Chicagoans find affordable housing.
All furniture donated to Habitat for Humanity must be in excellent condition. Upholstered furniture should not be ripped, stained or otherwise damaged. In order to schedule a pickup, donating companies are required to submit a photo of the office furniture.
Habitat for Humanity has the right to refuse any donation. The non-profit will not accept donations of furniture items that are known to have a low turnover rate. The organization will also not take donations of goods that are in need of repair.
3. Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, a well-known local charity, will take any type of used office furniture, even the television in the office breakroom. Chicagoans in need benefit from the Salvation Army’s charitable services. Donated items also help fund the Salvation Army’s rehabilitation programs.
The Salvation Army does not provide a valuation of donated items. Companies that donate are responsible for determining the approximate value of tax-deductible donations. The non-profit offers a Donation Value Guide to help companies determine the estimated value of some items.
For valuation purposes, for instance, the office desk and upholstered chair have a low value of $26 and a high value of between $104 and $145 each. The office waiting room sofa may be donated and carries a low value of $36 and a high value of $207.
4. Cancer Federation Chicago
The Cancer Federation Chicago accepts furniture of all types. Similar to Habitat for Humanity, the Cancer Federation Chicago will not accept furniture that is in need of repair. The non-profit will also not accept metal desks and used furniture made of particle board or pressed wood.
Private companies and stores benefit from the sale of items by the Federation. The funds from the sales support cancer research as well as education programs for cancer patients and their families. Pickups of donatable furniture may be conveniently scheduled on the organization’s website.
Get Help from a Commercial Mover
While local charitable organizations will pick up used office furniture, company managers may need professional help when they have to move office goods in preparation for a renovation. Chicago Office Movers is available to help you move furniture when you have a planned remodeling project.
Chicago Office Movers’ teams of experienced office movers will remove and install furniture, fixtures and large equipment. When you need to move items into storage, our skilled professionals will safely relocate the goods. We also provide a detailed inventory list of items relocated to our secure storage facilities.
Diverse local businesses utilize the invaluable moving services provided by Chicago Office Movers. Our satisfied customers include area businesses in the hospitality industry, government agencies, educational institutions and commercial businesses, among many others. We work with you to understand your business’ unique needs.
Consult Chicago Office Movers when you are planning a relocation within the Windy City, when you have goods to be moved into storage or when a renovation is on the horizon. As a reputable commercial mover, we proudly serve businesses in Chicago, Illinois.
Get a Free Estimate
Give us a call at 312-244-2246 or fill out a contact form to receive a free estimate regarding your next move or furniture donation.
Bringing style to a cubicle is a DIY task. No hard and fast rules come into play when uplifting the mood of an office cubicle. The best part of designing the interior of a cubicle is that your personality takes center stage. Add a splash of color, throw in a few accessories, and end up with a comfortable, lively work space into which you can retreat for the entire workday.
1. Embellish a Cubicle Wall
You are surrounded by three walls when working inside a cubicle. As a first tip, these panels deserve the most attention. Decorating the walls is super easy, especially given the cushion-like texture of standard cubicle walls. Tack up calendars, favorite photos, and framed art in a cinch.
Feeling dramatic? Take the cubicle wall panels to new heights. Cover the entire expanse of the panels with colored fabric or wallpaper, like shimmery aqua blue for a tropical feel, bright yellow to evoke the cheeriest of temperaments or even camouflage for the occasions when you feel like hiding out.
When you fancy a new look, the existing wallpaper or fabric can be easily switched up. The temporary nature of hanging wallpaper onto cubicle panels makes altering the ambiance of your cubicle simple and quick. Change out the panel décor as often as you fancy!
2. Perk Up the Floor
The dull carpeting of the cubicle floor is no match for the vividness of a spectacular floor rug. Add a hefty dose of personality to your office cubicle by laying an eye-catching rug along the floor. If you kick off your shoes during the daily grind, the soft rug will keep your feet cozy.
3. Add Plants for Vibrancy
Nature may not thrive in the well-contained atmosphere of an office. But you don’t need trees to experience nature from nine to five. Several plants flourish in the bright, white lights and cool temperatures of an office environment. Just remember to water the plants so they stay hydrated.
Known for growing in limited natural light, the fern is an ideal plant for cubicles. If your cubicle features a window, set an Aloe Vera plant along the windowsill. The trellises of the English Ivy plant accentuate the desks of any cubicle. Little time for care? Bamboo plants are low-maintenance.
4. Add Some Light to Influence the Ambiance
Lamps come in all sorts of sizes and designs, from liquor bottle lamps to rustic design lamps to comical vintage lamps. Unique floor lamps, custom table lamps, bookend lamps and hanging lamps add massive flair. A mandala lamp shade, for instance, is a perfect conversation starter with colleagues.
Bring a lamp into your cubicle and plug it in for warm, subtle lighting. The golden light of a lamp boosts an officer worker’s mood and streams a cozy ambiance throughout the cubicle atmosphere. Say goodbye to harsh office ceiling lights with the placement of a desirable, functional lamp.
5. Add Little Furniture
While hauling in a sofa will not pass in a cubicle space, bringing in shelving might. Cubicle panels are ideal places to install shelving or vertical bins. Shelves can be painted to your preferred color. Supplemental shelves add a personal touch while serving the functional purpose of refining organization.
Office workers may also bring in their own chair to add vibrancy to the cubicle. Consider a brightly colored ergonomic chair to increase physical comfort, an upholstered chair that matches your preferred cubicle color scheme or a chair that features a no-nonsense, contemporary design.
6. Make it Your Own
Adding items that are personal to you like pictures, drawings and handcrafts are some of the best ways to really personalize your workspace. This can also improve productivity as you feel more comfortable being surrounded by memories that are unique to you.
In addition to adding pictures of family and friends, you can also add pictures of your favorite things, such as an animal, plant, flower, car, etc. This is your own space so you can personalize it according to your preference!
7. Incorporate Some Quotes
Adding some inspiring quotes can go a long way and even give you some motivation for those Mondays where you just don't want to be at work! We're also not talking about "Live Laugh Love", but something from celebrities or world figures like Walt Disney, Tony Robbins, Abraham Lincoln or Albert Einstein.
You can certainly achieve a lot if you adopt their strategies and views on life as they certainly did something in life to be successful! So why not surround yourself with your favorite quotes. Below are some of our favorites:
"The best way to predict the future is to create it" - Abraham Lincoln
"The best way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." -Walt Disney
"The pessimist sees difficult in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficult." -Winston Churchill
"Don't let yesterday take up too much of today" -Will Rogers
8. Keep It Organized
No cubicle or office will look good with a ton of decorations and no organization. With a few file organizers, mini desk shelves, pen holders and room to put your papers, you can keep things neat and organized. Outer order contributes to inner calm! Here are some more tips on office desk organization.
Some of these organization accessories can also be personalized. So if you want to paint or draw on them, or even add some stickers, go crazy! The sky's the limit.
9. Make it Seasonal
Of course you can never forget the holidays! what better way to decorate the office space than to incorporate some holiday pizzazz! Whether it be streamers and little party favors for the new year, a little Christmas tree or menora for December, or some colorful leaves in the fall, there are a ton of trinkets available on Amazon to scroll through.
Some people go as far as setting up a whole fireplace right beside their desk, complete with garland, plants and a holiday picture above. That's definitely going above an beyond!
Others have completely gift wrap their entire desk and everything on it! There's also those that set up an entire Christmas village, complete with little lights and cotton padding for snow.
Bonus tip: Think ahead of how these accessories will fit on your desk before purchasing. Many customers make the mistake of buying a ton of items and not having enough space to place them all. That's how things become cluttered.
10. Give It a Theme
Many cubicles have a whole theme incorporated into their working space. Some are straight blue, purple and pink while others will have a full football field mouse pad that covers their full desk space. Other ideas to consider are Disney, holidays, flowers, retro, beach, nature and patterns.
Just be sure that the theme is appropriate and doesn't contain anything offensive or too personal to make others uncomfortable as they will still be walking by.
11. Add Accessories for Gusto
Unless you have a tendency toward minimalist design, go all out with accessories. Even standard office supplies, like deep blue paperclips, markers and bright green pushpins, can be decoratively housed inside mason jars to simultaneously serve as office supplies and brilliant cubicle décor.
Play with washi tape. The variety of designs makes decorating with the tape fun and unique. Stick the colorfully designed tape around the edges of file cabinets or around table-top jars. The ornamental tape provides beautiful accents to any materials or objects upon which it is adhered.
Have fun with paint. Large rocks may be painted in metallic colors, like silver or gold, and strategically placed next to books. The rocks serve a dual purpose—as decoration and as bookends. Add metallic sheens to the tops of the mason jars or trays that house office supplies.
Toys are not just for kids. Mini action figures, stuffed animals, and building blocks line some cubicle shelves for a brilliant effect. A themed approach works best. Customize your work space with a sci-fi theme or an animated one. Avoid the mess of clutter or items considered inappropriate for work.
When your office cubicle is dull and dreary, take decorating your workspace into your own hands. The options for infusing your cubicle with humor, vibrancy or scintillating color are endless! Once you take to reinvigorating your space—just once or every few weeks—your colleagues are sure to ask who is your new office cubicle designer.
Moving Cubicle Decorations
Whether your office cubicle décor features attractive pastels or bold hues, you’ll require the services of a dependable mover, like Chicago Office Movers, during an office renovation or remodeling project. As Chicagoland’s premier office mover, Chicago Office Movers handles moving office goods from start to finish.
Included in the company’s comprehensive business moving services are disassembling cubicles and office equipment, packing and labeling boxes, unpacking and setting up in the new space. Moving specialists also are available to provide assistance with the installation of furniture or appliances.
Moving to another building during an office renovation demands the help of experienced professionals. Chicago Office Movers is equipped with the manpower and equipment to make moving an easy task.
Expect only quality service and exceptional work from our skilled movers. Chicago Office Movers is dedicated to serving Chicagoland’s large and small businesses.
Get a Free Estimate
Before the office renovation or remodeling is set to start, contact us at (312) 244-2246 to get a free estimate from Chicago Office Movers.
Office moves are stressful, requiring advanced planning, strategic packing and coordinating with employees. A successful move, however, can be readily achieved by packing and relocating less stuff. Here are three effective tactics to help you purge at work before the big moving day.
The Benefits of Downsizing Before Moving
Downsizing is one reason many business owners shift to a smaller office space. Rent is usually cheaper in an office with less square feet. The cost of utilities is likewise less expensive. Property taxes decrease in proportion to the smaller-sized building. Less furniture and supplies are also needed.
Reducing the number of items to be moved is critical when moving to a smaller office space. Imagine dragging a five-foot executive desk from a large office into one more restricted in size. In such cases, donating or selling the executive desk and opting for less extravagant furniture is practical.
Paper files, too, consume large amounts of office or storage space. The massive files and piles of paperwork contribute to a chaotic office environment. It makes sense to reduce the clutter of paper to focus on the work at hand and avoid drowning in a flood of files.
The advantages of relocating to an office with less stuff are clear. However, additional benefits help the business owner relocate seamlessly. An office move is simply cheaper when moving crews are obliged to pack, load and transport fewer office belongings.
For example, relocating a 3000-square foot office with huge amounts of files and furniture will cost an average of $1500 to $9000. Moving a 10,000 square foot office space runs from $5000 to $30,000. But moving fewer items, such as in a 1500 square foot space, costs $750 to $4500.
By eliminating surplus supplies, files, furniture and other office goods, a relocation will be significantly more cost-effective. This is mainly because moving quotes are based on the length of time it takes to load the truck, the expected difficulty, and the number of moving personnel.
Furthermore, the level of stress on moving day is drastically reduced when transporting less office goods to the new space. At the destination, employees have fewer boxes to sort through and unpack. Less furniture means less reassembly time is required upon arrival.
1. Evaluate Office Goods
How do employees declutter at work before moving day? The first step is to evaluate the necessity of each item in the office. If an item has not been utilized in the last six months and using it in the next six months is unlikely, consider donating or selling it.
Remember that holding on to items that may (but not definitely) have some use left in them does not help employees move toward their goal of purging the workspace. Rather, eliminate low-cost items that can be easily replaced, if needed, in the new work environment.
2. Digitize Paperwork
Decluttering requires organizing the filing system if the office still utilizes paper files. Organization may be accomplished via date, subject matter, or type of document. Better yet is to eliminate unnecessary paperwork altogether—the bonus is that an uncluttered office helps boost productivity.
Instead of packing up the endless paperwork and files, consider making use of advancements in technology. Paperless offices are good for the environment. Plus, electronic documents are easier to access, increase security, reduce paper supply costs, and help to decrease human error.
Store paperwork using cloud-based applications rather than holding on to mountains of physical documents. Start invoicing electronically and sending statements virtually. Use scanning apps and document management software. At the end of the paper purging process, recycle the inessential physical documents.
3. Sell, Donate or Recycle Furniture
Reconsider relocating outdated, unused, or broken office furniture. Many business owners simply replace old furniture once they arrive at their new destination. Getting rid of bulky furniture is a large project, but three options are ideal for properly disposing the office furniture.
Sell desirable office goods to third-party companies. These companies remove the furniture and pay a lump sum. When selling, evaluate the furniture quantity, condition, and age. Sometimes products may not be in demand, which leads to the second option of donating.
A range of companies accept surplus office furniture and give them to schools and charities. These companies manage the labor and logistics of handling the donated goods. The tax write-off for the office furniture donations can be attractive to business owners.
If the furniture is unusable in its current condition, recycle or dispose of it. Local recycling centers will separate the items into metals, plastics, and timbers. Recycling helps to conserve natural resources, while helping office managers achieve their goal of purging the workspace.
A stress-free office move takes long-range planning. Smaller offices may require only three months of preparation time; medium to large offices may demand at least six months of planning. Purging the workplace, however, can be gradually done in daily increments of 15 minutes or more.
Work with a Professional Commercial Mover
If plans for relocating are on the horizon, you will benefit from the assistance of professional packing crews from Chicago Office Movers. Each of our packers is licensed and insured. We are experienced and trained, so your office belongings reach their destination safely and securely.
Chicago Office Movers specializes in commercial moving. Local businesses place full trust in our professionalism, reliability, and reputation for making office transitions as smooth as possible. We label all boxes, provide an inventory of packed belongings, and unpack the items at the destination.
Relocation is an integral part of our comprehensive commercial moving services. Small and large companies benefit from our free estimates, licensed and background checked moving crews, assistance with planning and executing the corporate relocation, insurance contracts and long- and short-term storage options.
Our professionals are experienced in packing and transporting a wide range of office goods, from furniture to IT systems. Choose Chicago Office Movers for all your commercial packing, storage and relocation needs. Based in Chicago, we are available to help you move locally, long distance or internationally.
Get a Free Estimate
Give us a call at 312-244-2246 or fill out a contact form for a free estimate on your next commercial move.
