An office move can quickly become expensive if staff arrive on Monday without desks, Wi-Fi, files or a clear idea of where they are meant to work. Knowing how to organise an office move is not just about getting furniture from one building to another. It is about protecting productivity, keeping people informed and leaving both premises in the right condition.

For small businesses and growing teams across Cambridge and Cambridgeshire, the easiest approach is to treat the move as a short operational project. Give it an owner, work backwards from moving day and book the practical support early. That prevents last-minute van bookings, missing cables and rushed cleaning when the keys are due back.

Start planning your office move early

The right lead time depends on the size of the office, the amount of equipment involved and whether your new space needs work before staff arrive. A small office may be ready to move in a few weeks. A larger move with servers, specialist furniture or several departments may need two or three months of planning.

Choose one person to coordinate the move, even if several colleagues help with the work. They do not need to carry every box themselves, but they should keep the timetable, supplier details, floor plans and key decisions in one place. This avoids the common problem of everyone assuming somebody else has arranged the parking, ordered the keys or confirmed access times.

Your first job is to set a moving date and identify what has to happen before it. Check the end date of your current lease, the handover requirements, lift access, loading restrictions and whether either building has rules about move times. Offices in busy parts of Cambridge may have limited loading bays or restrictions that make an early morning, evening or weekend move the sensible option.

Make a realistic office move checklist

A useful plan separates the move into four areas: people, premises, equipment and services. The move coordinator should know who is responsible for each area and when they must confirm completion.

For people, decide how staff will work while the move is happening. Some teams can work remotely for a day, while others need a temporary desk area or phased relocation. Tell everyone what they need to pack, what must stay with them and when they can access the new office. Clear instructions reduce lost personal items and prevent valuable work time being spent looking for a labelled box.

For the premises, check both buildings carefully. Measure doorways, stairwells, corridors and lifts before ordering large desks, storage units or meeting room furniture. A boardroom table that fitted in the old office may not turn the corner at the new one. Photograph any existing damage in your current space and make sure you understand your landlord’s cleaning, clearance and repair expectations.

For equipment, create an inventory of furniture, computers, screens, printers, files, stock and kitchen items. Mark each item as moving, being disposed of, donated, stored or replaced. This is the point where many businesses find they are paying to move broken chairs, redundant paperwork and unused cabinets. Clearing these before moving day saves space in the van and makes the new office easier to set up.

For services, list every supplier and account connected to the premises. This includes broadband, phones, alarm monitoring, utilities, post, insurance, waste collections and stationery deliveries. Give suppliers the new address and switch dates well in advance. Broadband installation dates deserve particular attention, as a delay can affect every member of staff.

Plan your IT move before packing anything

IT is often the part of an office move that causes the most disruption. Computers and screens are easy enough to transport when packed properly, but the wider setup needs more care. Network equipment, servers, phone systems, printers and meeting room technology may need to be disconnected and reinstalled in a specific order.

Ask your IT provider what they need from you. They may need a current floor plan, photos of the new comms cupboard, details of power sockets and confirmation that internet service will be live. If your business handles sensitive client information, agree how paper records, backup drives and devices will be secured throughout the move.

Label every cable, plug and piece of equipment before it is disconnected. A simple numbering system works well: label the desk, the monitor, the docking station and the box with the same number. Keep essential equipment separate from general office items so it can be unloaded and set up first.

It is worth having a fallback plan for the first working day. This could mean charged laptops, mobile hotspots and access to cloud files if the fixed connection is delayed. The goal is not to expect problems, but to make sure a minor delay does not stop the whole business.

Decide what to move, clear and clean

An office relocation is a good opportunity to reduce clutter rather than reproduce it in a new building. Go through filing cabinets, cupboards, stores and kitchen areas early. Shred confidential paperwork securely, recycle what can be recycled and arrange responsible disposal for unwanted furniture, electrical items and general waste.

Do not leave clearance until the day before handover. It usually takes longer than expected, particularly when old desks have to be dismantled or a commercial landlord requires the space to be empty. Booking removal, waste clearance and cleaning through one provider can also reduce the number of appointments you need to manage.

Your outgoing office may need end of tenancy cleaning, carpet cleaning, oven cleaning or a deep clean before inspection. Your new office may need cleaning before furniture arrives, especially if it has been vacant or refurbished. Scheduling the clean around the removal team matters: clean the new office before equipment is set in place, and clean the old office once everything has been removed.

How to organise an office move day

Moving day runs more smoothly when there is one person at each location. They can direct the removal team, answer access questions, check rooms as they are emptied and make sure nothing is left behind. If this is not possible, nominate a trusted staff member with authority to make decisions.

Prepare a move-day pack containing keys, access fobs, alarm instructions, floor plans, supplier numbers, first-aid supplies, phone chargers and refreshments. Keep it with the move coordinator rather than loading it into a van. It sounds basic, but hunting for keys or an alarm code can hold up an entire crew.

Label boxes by destination, not only by contents. “Accounts – cupboard by window” is more helpful than “Accounts files”. Use the new office floor plan to show where desks, cabinets and meeting room furniture should go. This allows the team to unload directly into the correct rooms, avoiding unnecessary lifting and rearranging later.

Protect fragile and high-value items with suitable packing materials, and keep confidential files in sealed, clearly controlled boxes. If you have particularly heavy or awkward items, such as safes, large printers or specialist equipment, tell the removal company before booking. The right vehicle, handling equipment and staffing level must be arranged in advance.

For businesses that need to keep trading outside normal hours, a flexible removals team can be a practical choice. Vantage 24/7 Services can combine office removals with clearance and cleaning support, helping you arrange several moving tasks through one point of contact.

Get the new office working quickly

The first few hours after delivery matter more than perfect styling. Focus on the essentials: internet, power, staff workstations, toilets, kitchen supplies, security and a working phone contact. Once these are in place, you can deal with artwork, spare storage and less urgent furniture.

Walk through the old office before returning the keys. Open every cupboard, check the loft or storage areas if applicable, take meter readings and photograph the final condition. At the new office, test alarms, access fobs, Wi-Fi, printers and meeting room screens before staff depend on them.

Update your website, invoices, email signatures, online listings and customer communications with the new address. If clients or deliveries regularly visit the office, give them clear notice and display any temporary directions they may need.

A well-organised office move does not have to interrupt your business for days. Give the job enough planning time, remove what you no longer need and make sure the people handling removals, clearance and cleaning know exactly what is required. When staff walk into a prepared workspace, the move feels less like disruption and more like the positive next step it should be.