An office move checklist built around work
Plan an office move around staff responsibilities, equipment, IT handover and building access, with checks before work starts at the new address.
Before you start
Assign an owner to the move, create a destination-based inventory and agree separate responsibilities for transport, IT and building access. Plan how the new workplace will be checked before staff rely on it.
An office move often lands with someone who already has a full workload. The way to make it manageable is to turn “move the office” into named decisions, with a person responsible for each one and a clear point when it needs to be settled.
Use this checklist to assign the building, IT and staff handovers alongside the physical move.
Name the person who can make decisions
Choose a move coordinator with authority to approve the inventory, schedule and reasonable placement decisions. Identify a deputy for the move itself so the crew is not left waiting if the coordinator is pulled into another task.
List the contacts for the old building, new building, IT provider and any other contractor whose work affects the move. Give each person a specific responsibility. “Facilities will handle it” is not a useful entry if nobody knows which person has the keys.
Decide how changes will be approved and distributed. One current plan is more useful than several email threads containing slightly different dates or desk layouts.
Work backward from when the space must function
Record the lease handover, building access, moving date and intended first working day separately. They may be close together, but they are not the same event. Identify which dates are fixed and which depend on work being completed at the new address.
Build the schedule around dependencies. Network work may need to finish before equipment can be tested. Furniture placement may need to happen before workstations are connected. Ask the responsible suppliers what they require instead of assigning a guessed duration to each task.
Discuss the moving schedule before telling staff when the office will be ready. A completed furniture delivery alone does not confirm that every system or work area is operational.
Inventory by destination and team
List the furniture, equipment, files and shared contents being moved. Mark what will remain, be returned to a supplier, be removed or go to storage. Include cupboards and back rooms, not just the visible desks.
Give each destination area a clear name or code that matches the floor plan. Labels such as “old meeting room” become confusing when its table is intended for a different use at the new address. For shared equipment, name the person who will check it after delivery.
A simple responsibility sheet can connect the work:
| Workstream | Decision to settle | Responsible person |
|---|---|---|
| Furniture | Destination layout and approved inventory | Move coordinator |
| Technology | Backup, shutdown, transport requirements and testing | IT owner |
| Building access | Permitted hours, entrances and documentation | Named building contact |
| Staff belongings | What employees pack and take personally | Team lead |
| Return or removal | Which items are outside the move | Assigned owner |
Keep the IT handover separate and explicit
Ask the IT owner to identify equipment that needs special preparation, approved transport or an installation appointment. Record who shuts it down, who disconnects it and who verifies it afterward.
Back up business information through your approved process and check that the responsible person can access the backup. The FTC recommends regular backups and physical protection for sensitive devices and paper records in its small-business cybersecurity guidance. A move is a useful time to check those arrangements rather than temporarily relax them.
Agree how sensitive equipment and records will be handled with the people responsible for them before the move.
Confirm the building arrangements at both addresses
Obtain the actual moving instructions from each building. Record the permitted entrance, moving hours, any allocated access window and who will be present to open the required areas. Pass the instructions to the moving team before the date is agreed.
If management requires a certificate of insurance, send the written requirements and contact. Keepsake can coordinate that paperwork directly. The COI guide explains what information the moving company needs.
Check how contractors share the space. A cleaning team, network installer and delivery crew may all need access, but that does not mean they can work in the same corridor simultaneously. Agree a sequence and keep common access routes clear.
Tell staff what they need to do
Give employees a short instruction note covering what they pack, how their belongings should be labeled and what they keep with them. Include the final date for clearing desks and the person to contact about something that does not fit the instructions.
Ask teams to identify business-critical contents needed immediately after the move. Those items require a known destination and someone to receive them. Avoid asking every employee to mark every box “urgent,” which removes the distinction the label was meant to provide.
For a smaller workspace inside a home, our home-office moving guide covers a simpler version of this preparation.
Plan collection and placement decisions
Provide a floor plan that reflects the agreed furniture layout. Identify who can approve a change if an item does not fit as expected. Check larger pieces against the access route before moving day using the furniture measurement guide.
If some contents will wait in storage, identify them separately. Record the expected return trigger, such as a room becoming available, and the person who will arrange it. Do not leave the distinction to be decided while the truck is being loaded.
Check the workplace before calling the move complete
Walk through the inventory and placement with the person assigned to receive the move. Record missing items, visible concerns or placement questions while they can be connected to the correct reference.
Then let the responsible teams complete their own checks. IT can verify systems, the coordinator can check furniture and access, and team leads can confirm that essential contents are available. Tell staff which areas are ready and what remains outstanding.
For the physical move, our commercial moving service can review the workspace, contents and schedule. A free video or in-person survey is available when a walkthrough would answer more than an inventory sheet.
Common questions
What is the most forgotten thing when moving?
For an office move, use the final walkthrough to check shared cupboards, meeting-room accessories, spare equipment and items assigned to nobody’s desk. There is no single item every workplace forgets; compare the rooms with your inventory and give one person responsibility for closing out each area.
Who should coordinate an office move?
Choose someone who can approve placement, resolve inventory questions and reach the relevant building and IT contacts. Give that person a named backup. Assign technical work and building arrangements to specific people so the move coordinator can see which decisions remain open.
What should staff do before their workstations are moved?
Give staff a clear packing deadline, destination labels and instructions for personal belongings. Identify equipment or records that require separate handling, and tell staff when their setup will be unavailable. Have the IT owner explain the approved shutdown and reconnection process.