10 To-Do’s to Accomplish Before You Relocate to a New Office
Before you move into your new private office or executive office suite in a virtual office space, make sure all of your ducks are in a row with this handy checklist.
1. First, find the perfect virtual office space
If you don’t already have the perfect space picked out, spend some time learning about your options. Here are six things that will help you know when you’ve found the right spot.
2. Update your contact information
When you get a new business address, don’t forget to update all of your accounts with your new address, including:
- Bank and credit card accounts
- State and federal records
- Office software
- Insurance plans
- Email signatures and letterhead
- Website and social media accounts
Clients, customers and vendors should also be informed of the change.
3. Outsource tasks to a virtual assistant
Speaking of updating contact information, it’s the perfect job to delegate. A virtual assistant is well-equipped to handle this task, so consider hiring one if you already feel overwhelmed by the stresses of moving into a new office.
4. Set up mail forwarding
There’s always a chance that you’ll forget to change your address on an account, which is why mail forwarding is a great back-up plan that ensures you always receive important correspondence.
5. Sell or donate unneeded equipment and furniture
One of the best things about moving into a virtual office space is that it will be fully furnished. That means you’ll have a desk, chair, copier, scanner, fax machine, conference phones, kitchen and more.
You can sell anything you’ll no longer need or donate items to a local charity.
6. Get your technology in order
Every company has different technology needs, so your mileage will vary with this to-do item.
To start, conduct an assessment of your existing technology infrastructure. Look at power sources, cabling, servers and other essential tools that your business relies on. Then, make a plan for how to relocate whichever tools you need.
7. Backup important data
Here’s another technology item for your office relocation checklist: making sure all of your most important data is secure.
Backup all of your company’s data before the relocation, and consider revisiting these data security best practices to ensure that your information is protected.
8. Keep your team in the loop
Moving into a new office as a solopreneur is one thing, but if you have a team, they need to be kept up-to-date.
Let employees know when they will be expected to report to the new office. Make sure they have all of the information they need, such as suite numbers, WiFi passwords and other essential details.
9. Stay organized throughout the move
Staying organized is another critical component of a successful move. What “organized” means ultimately comes down to personal preference, so think about what it means for you. You could:
- Take inventory of every item.
- Use clear bins and purchase a label maker to keep track of things.
- Label standard moving boxes with a quick description of the contents.
- Create a moving spreadsheet and schedule.
- Hire professionals to do the actual moving.
10. Make your new virtual office feel like home
If you’ll be renting a private virtual office space, you can absolutely decorate it. After all, your new office should be a place of inspiration and productivity.
All major furniture, like the desk and chair, will be provided. But, don’t hesitate to bring in some of your favorite artwork, family photos and anything else that will make your space feel like home.
