Moving house is said to be one of the most stressful things you can do (we’re not sure about this if you have a good removals firm, like McCarthy’s – but we appreciate there’s more to moving house than the physical move and we’re not much help with mortgages).
But if moving home can be an anxious time, how about if you’re moving your business? Not only do you have to make sure that everything from equipment to important files get safely from A to B but you also have to try and ensure your business has as little downtime as possible. After all – time is money!
Have no fear – at McCarthy’s we’ve handled hundreds of business removals over the years and we know exactly how to ensure it’s a smooth move. So, here are our top seven tips to get your business moved and settled with the minimum hassle.
- The more time you have to plan the better – a rushed move is always going to be more stressful. Try and get a removal firm in place and start planning at least three months in advance.
- Have a big clear out – now is a great time to declutter as much as possible as it’s pointless moving things you don’t need to your new premises. Paperwork which is no longer needed can be shredded. Ensure it isn’t just binned to make sure you comply with GDPR – at McCarthy’s Safe Shred we send all your shredded waste off to be recycled so it also helps you with your environmental targets. We can also shred electrical waste which may be used by thieves to gain confidential data – such as old hard drives or laptops. Storage might be useful too, if there’s things you don’t need day to day but do need to keep. We have storage centres in Leeds, Wakefield and Harrogate.
- Delegate packing – ask staff to look after their own workspace, making sure any loose items are packed away. Speak to us about a packing service and whether any furniture, such as filing cabinets, may be able to be moved with items kept within them. For anything delicate or fragile or very important (such as IT equipment) you definitely want to be getting advice on how to best pack items, or to leave it to the experts.
- Be organised – a system which involves sequential packing of files and stock, efficient labelling systems and room planners will make it much easier to get settled into your new premises as quickly as possible. We’ll be able to give advice on the best way to go about this.
- Consider ways to minimise downtime – can staff work from home or other premises while the move takes place? Can the move take place at your least busy time or out of working hours? Give customers/clients and staff as much notice as possible so everyone can plan ahead. If your IT systems are the most important piece of your business, let us know so we can ensure they have priority when it comes to arriving at your new location.
- Ensure you’re insured – speak to us about insurance so we can make sure your items are properly ensured throughout the moving process.
- Park it – we’ll ask you about parking at both ends of the move – is there sufficient space or any low overhead barriers we may need to consider? Will permits be needed? Do neighbours need to be informed? Everything is surmountable but it’s best to get any potential issues sorted as early as possible so on move day you (and we) can concentrate on the job in hand!
Business moves don’t have to be stressful and we’ll always work closely with you to minimise any stress. Why not get in touch to find out more?
