Most of an office move happens before anything is packed: sending notice on the current lease, ordering the internet circuit, and booking the mover all run on lead times of weeks to months. Skip that early work and the team spends its first week on phone hotspots, with mail still arriving at the old address and rent due on both leases.
This checklist covers the move from the day the new lease is signed to the team's first full working day in the new office. It's written for the office manager or operations lead coordinating the move, and it runs in date order, starting with the items that have the longest lead times.
The 20-step checklist
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Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should you start planning an office move?
Six months before the move date is the standard starting point for an office of 20 to 100 people. The two longest lead times set the schedule: the notice period on your current lease, often three to six months, and the internet installation at the new office, which can take six weeks or more. Everything else fits inside those two dates.
Who should run an office move?
One named move coordinator, usually the office manager or operations lead, with the authority to book vendors and sign off on the floor plan. IT needs its own owner for the network and equipment, reporting to the coordinator. Keep final decisions on layout and budget with the coordinator, or they stall while everyone weighs in.
Is it worth moving your existing office furniture?
Check each piece against the new floor plan and sell or donate whatever doesn't fit before moving day. Moving costs scale with truck space, and used office furniture resells for a small fraction of its purchase price, so it rarely pays to move desks you were going to replace anyway. Office liquidators can clear a full floor in a couple of days.
What should you do if the new office isn't ready on moving day?
Push the move date back if your current lease allows it, and ask the new landlord for a completion date in writing as soon as the delay appears. If the old lease can't stretch, ask your mover about storage in transit: most commercial movers can hold furniture and equipment in their warehouse for a few weeks while the team works remotely.
Is a spreadsheet enough to manage an office move?
A spreadsheet works for the inventory, but the task list needs owners, due dates, and follow-up, and a spreadsheet won't chase anyone. An office move spreads around twenty steps across facilities, IT, finance, and every employee packing a desk. If your team works in Slack, Chaser can run the checklist there, assigning each step and following up with its owner.
