BUSINESS MOVING CHECKLIST
Business Moving Checklist
A step-by-step plan to move your office or shop with as little downtime as possible.
Moving a business is different from moving a house. You have employees who need to keep working, customers who need to find you and equipment you can’t do without for even a day. The key is starting early and giving every job an owner.
This checklist is for office managers, owners and anyone in charge of a company move, from a small suite to a full floor. Print it, assign each item to someone on your team, and check it off as you go. If you have three to six months, start at the top. If you have less, work each section in order and move faster. A & M Friendly Movers handles office moves on evenings and weekends, so your team can leave on Friday and walk into a working office on Monday.
Moving your home too? Try our main moving checklist, the packing checklist, or our long-distance moving checklist.
Your Business Moving Checklist
3–6 Months Out
- ☐ Choose a move coordinator and a small planning team
- ☐ Review your current lease for notice and move-out terms
- ☐ Get the new space’s floor plan and measure key areas
- ☐ Set a budget and a target move date
- ☐ Get quotes from movers and ask about after-hours scheduling
- ☐ Decide what furniture moves, what gets sold and what gets donated
- ☐ Order any new furniture early so it arrives on time
2 Months Out
- ☐ Book your mover and confirm the date, time and crew plan
- ☐ Ask both buildings about elevator reservations and loading docks
- ☐ Get building rules for move hours and insurance certificates
- ☐ Request a certificate of insurance (COI) from your mover for each building
- ☐ Plan where every desk, file cabinet and piece of equipment goes
- ☐ Number each spot on the new floor plan for labeling
- ☐ Schedule junk removal for old furniture and clutter
IT & Equipment
- ☐ Bring in your IT vendor early and share the move date
- ☐ Have your IT vendor disconnect servers, network gear and phones
- ☐ Back up all data before anything is unplugged
- ☐ Order internet and phone service at the new address
- ☐ Confirm the new space has enough outlets and data drops
- ☐ Label every computer, monitor and cable with its new location
- ☐ Plan for copiers and specialty equipment that need a technician
Employees & Customers
- ☐ Tell employees the move date and what changes for them
- ☐ Give each person a floor plan showing their new spot
- ☐ Ask staff to pack and label their own desks and personal items
- ☐ Send parking, access and key card details for the new building
- ☐ Let customers and vendors know your new address and move date
- ☐ Update your website, online listings, invoices and business cards
- ☐ Set up mail forwarding and update your address with the bank
Moving Week
- ☐ Confirm elevator times, dock access and COIs with both buildings
- ☐ Post the numbered floor plan at the new office entrance
- ☐ Tag each desk and cabinet with its matching floor plan number
- ☐ Empty and lock file cabinets, or pack files in labeled boxes
- ☐ Clean out the break room fridge and pack the kitchen
- ☐ Keep keys, contracts and critical documents with you
- ☐ Walk the old space with the crew lead before loading starts
After the Move
- ☐ Walk the new office and check each item is in its numbered spot
- ☐ Have your IT vendor reconnect and test network, phones and printers
- ☐ Unpack shared areas first so the team can get to work
- ☐ Note any damage right away and report it to your mover
- ☐ Hand back old keys and schedule a final walk-through with the landlord
- ☐ Update emergency contacts and building access lists
- ☐ Celebrate with your team once the dust settles
Easy-to-Forget Business Moving Tasks
Building Insurance Certificates
Most office buildings won't let a mover in without a certificate of insurance on file. Ask each building's manager exactly what they need, then send those details to your mover. A & M provides COIs for buildings free of charge, but give yourself a few days of lead time.
Elevator and Dock Time
Many buildings only allow moves during set hours and need the freight elevator or loading dock reserved ahead. Book both your old and new building early. Missing a reservation is one of the most common reasons a business move gets delayed.
Your Online Listings
Customers look you up online before they call or visit. Update your address on your website, map listings, social pages and review sites the day you move. Change your email signature, invoices and letterhead so nothing goes out with the old address.
Furniture Setup and Install
New workstations, conference tables and shelving often need to be assembled and placed before the team arrives. Plan who handles delivery and installation so new pieces aren't sitting in boxes on Monday morning while your staff waits.
Business Moving FAQs
Yes. We regularly move offices in the evening and on weekends so your business keeps running during the day. Many companies close on Friday afternoon and open in the new space on Monday. Tell us your schedule and we will plan the crew around it.
No. Your IT vendor or in-house IT team should disconnect and reconnect servers, networks and phone systems. We carefully move the equipment once it is unplugged and place it where your floor plan shows. Bringing your IT people in early is the best way to avoid downtime.
You number each desk, office and area on the new floor plan. Then every box and piece of furniture gets a label with the matching number. Our crew uses the plan to put everything exactly where it belongs, so your team isn’t hunting for desks on the first morning.
Yes, and it is free. Most commercial buildings require a certificate of insurance before movers can work on site. Send us your building manager’s requirements for both the old and new locations and we will take care of it. A & M Friendly Movers is fully insured.
Yes. Along with moving your existing furniture, we can assemble and set up new pieces through our FF&E installation service. That covers furniture, fixtures and equipment, so your space is ready to use when your team walks in. Just let us know what is arriving and when.
Call us or request a quote online, and an owner or our office will call you back within 15 minutes, 8am to 8pm. We will talk through your space, your equipment and your timeline. A walkthrough of the office helps us plan the right crew and equipment for the job.
Let's Plan Your Business Move
You have a business to run. Let us handle the heavy lifting. A & M Friendly Movers offers evening and weekend moves, free COIs for your buildings and careful crews who follow your floor plan. Call 717-434-6711 to talk with an owner, or request a free quote and we will help you pick the right day.
Ready to start your stress-free move? Contact us today to Get a free moving quote and let the A & M family make your moving experience a delightful one!