Services That Make Moving Your Business Easier

Savannah Coulsen

July 04, 2014

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If you’ve ever had to move business locations, you know exactly how stressful, time-consuming, and exhausting it can be. You might have even experienced pre-moving nightmares, in which your subconscious treats you to a night of worst-case scenarios: inclement weather, lost equipment, problems with the lease, and so on.

Fortunately, moving doesn’t have to be nearly as awful as your nightmares. Here are a few of the available services out there that can help make your experience more enjoyable.

Rent-A-Box

If finding enough boxes to pack up a small home is bad enough, dealing with corrugated cardboard boxes and packing tape when you’re trying to move an entire business is even worse. Paying for enough packing material to move a corporate office across town would just about break the bank, and dealing with the recycling and clean-up after you’ve finished is more trouble than it’s worth.

Instead, check out local companies that rent sturdy plastic boxes. Many will deliver stacks of them straight to your doorstep and pick them up after you’ve finished unpacking at your new location. You won’t have to deal with splitting cardboard boxes or unwieldy tape, and the price for is usually reasonable. Besides, it’s worth it for convenience’s sake.

Warehousing

If you’re downsizing, you’ve probably got far more equipment than you have room for in your new location. Trying to organize, furnish, and decorate a new office can be incredibly stressful, even if you’re excited about the move.

If you’re having a hard time organizing your new store or office, don’t be afraid to warehouse some of your goods. Store extra equipment or furniture in a warehouse until you have need or room for it. Call around your new area to find a warehousing company (Toronto has some good options, if you’re moving to the area) that will fit your needs; make sure that it’s not too far from your business.

Custom Packaging

If you have valuables or fragile equipment that you don’t want stuffed onto a moving van with the rest of your business’ assets, find a custom packaging company like Pack-All International. Packing companies can ship the goods straight to your new location, avoiding the truck (and the potential damage) altogether.

Make sure you insure your possessions, and have the packing company label the boxes clearly before they send them off.

Van Line

Even if you’re just moving across town, don’t try to take all of your boxes over one truckload at a time. You might think you’re saving money by loading up company cars with goods, but you’ll save yourself time, convenience, and a hefty gas bill if you hire a van line instead.

If you’re moving internationally, on the other hand, you’ll have to hire a moving company. Find a few that move companies overseas and compare prices and reputation. Some companies will offer same day or next day services—others will have to be booked well in advance. It’s always smart to book a moving van or two well in advance so that you don’t find yourself out of luck when it comes down to the wire.

DIY Tips

You’ll be doing parts of the moving process yourself, so here are a few tips to help you get started:

Sell, Donate, Recycle: Before you move, take inventory: if you have old files or equipment that are just taking up space in your current location, get rid of them. Don’t cart unnecessary baggage around with you—it’ll just take up space in the moving trucks and clutter up your new office.
Number and Label your Boxes: When you’re ready to start packing boxes, put everything you’ll need to unpack first in clear plastic containers. That will make them easy to find once all the boxes are unloaded. Number each box clearly, and write down what is in each box in a cheap notebook.
Make an Inventory List: In addition to documentation of each box’ contents, make sure you have a master list of everything you’re moving. That way, if an entire box gets misplaced you’ll know what you need to look for or replace.
Take Photos: If your business uses high-tech electronics, take pictures of which wires and cords go where. That way, even if an IT guy isn’t readily available, you’ll be able to put together your systems quickly and easily in your new location.

Your move doesn’t have to nightmare-inducing. Use the services available to you, and moving across town (or even across country) might turn out to be a dream come true instead.