Table of contents
Schedule the move to end — not start — outside business hours
- Ideal window: Friday 5 PM pack + load, Saturday transit and unload, Sunday IT reconnect
- Confirm building access with property management at BOTH origin and destination before booking
- Reserve freight elevators for the full window, not just the load hours
- Stage a walk-through with the foreman on Friday afternoon before the crew arrives
The IT coordination plan
Your IT team (or MSP) should own disconnect and reconnect. The mover owns the physical transport and furniture reassembly. A miscommunication here is the #1 reason Monday morning breaks. Agree on a disconnect order (phones last, so the last staff member in the old office still has a line) and a reconnect order (network switches first, then servers, then workstations).
Labeling by department and floor
| Department | Color | Number range |
|---|---|---|
| Executive / leadership | Red | 100–199 |
| Sales | Blue | 200–299 |
| Engineering | Green | 300–399 |
| Operations / HR / Finance | Yellow | 400–499 |
| Shared / break rooms | Orange | 500+ |
What employees should pack themselves
- Personal items (photos, awards, plants)
- Laptops, power adapters, peripherals (keyboard, mouse, headset)
- Personal monitors (label yours clearly)
- Contents of their own desk drawers, in a labeled box
- Anything confidential (HR files, contracts) — chain-of-custody matters
What the commercial mover handles
- Modular furniture disassembly, transport, reassembly
- Server rack and copier moves (with IT supervision)
- Files in gondolas or carts — no packing, no unpacking
- Artwork, signage, and lobby furniture
- Floor protection, wall corner protection at both ends
Downtime budget — set realistic expectations
| Office size | Downtime | Full productivity |
|---|---|---|
| 10–25 staff | 0.5 days | Monday morning |
| 25–75 staff | 1 day | Tuesday morning |
| 75–200 staff | 2 days | Wednesday morning |
| 200+ staff | Phased over 2 weekends | Rolling |
Frequently asked questions
How long before the move should we start planning?
For offices under 50 people, 6–8 weeks. For 50–200 people, 12–16 weeks. Larger than that, plan on a 6-month runway with phased sub-moves.
Do we need moving insurance for office equipment?
Yes — commercial cargo coverage separate from the building policy. Most movers include $0.60/lb free; upgrade to Full Value on any monitor, server, or specialized equipment.
What about confidential files?
Use lockable file gondolas (the mover can supply them). Keep a signed chain-of-custody log at disconnect and reconnect. Some industries (healthcare, legal) require additional HIPAA/privilege-aware handling.
Can you move during business hours?
For smaller offices, yes — but the downtime hits harder. Most teams find the weekend model recovers the hourly premium in lost productivity avoided on Monday.
Sources & further reading
- SBA — business continuity resources ↗
U.S. Small Business Administration
