Tips For Moving Your Small Business From Your Home To An Office

Moving your business from your home into an office is a pivotal moment for your company. But with the privilege of no longer having to work at the kitchen table comes the responsibility of maintaining your designated professional space. When relocating your business, a lot must be accomplished both before and after the scheduled move date. Luckily, there are ways to make the transition as painless as possible.

Develop A Good Floor Plan 

Having a good floor plan eliminates confusion and guesswork. When developing a floor plan, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Be sure the conference room, reception area, cubicles, storage areas, entrances and exits are on the plan.
• Be sure enough floor space has been allocated for the office equipment and furniture you plan to bring.
• Allocate extra floor space for additional equipment and furniture.
• If your office is small and your office equipment multifunctional, consider designating one machine room or machine area.

Create A Checklist 

The checklist can be coordinated with the floor plan to cover logistical concerns. A checklist should include:

• Cleaning and facilities inspection
• Cleaning, janitorial and moving services
• Office move schedules
• Notifications to vendors and business partners of address changes
• Updates to website(s), contacts, business cards and letterheads
• A list of office supplies, furniture and office equipment
• A list of required permits, licenses and insurance
• Phone, computer, and equipment installation and testing
• Getting keys to the building
• Getting keys for office desks

Give Office Furniture The Once-Over

The comfy pieces from your home won't necessarily suit the new business office but you needn't squander the small business budget on designer furniture. Look for office furniture discounts and attractive multifunctional and ergonomic furniture pieces.

Use A Junk Removal Service   

Junk removal services can be indispensable to a small business. Junk removal experts transport unwanted goods to the dump site and may donate or recycle some of them. Usually, long-term contracts are not required.

Obtain Required Permits, Insurance And Licenses

The rules for home-operated businesses are less stringent, but businesses relocating to a commercial building or district must first obtain permits, insurance and licenses. Resources such as your local SBA, licensing departments, division of insurance, and permit offices can help.

Prepare The Office For A Move-In

Before scheduling a move, make the new office move-in ready:

• Hire an office cleaning company that is bonded and insured.
• Use the scheduled cleaning date as an opportunity to do an office inspection.
• If something isn't right or needs fixing, inform the building's owner or property manager and reschedule the move-in date.
• Post signs to direct visitors and employees to cubicles, conference rooms, and rest and dining areas.

Organize The Move 

Moving is a big and tough job. For the sake of your business, you want to make sure it's done right.

• Tell the moving company about your moving needs.
• Provide the street address and room number of your business.
• Provide directions to the delivery station or loading dock.
• Use the floor plan to show where to place equipment, furniture and boxes.

Put Everything In Order 

Make sure everything is in place and up and running.

• Test machines, computers and phones.
• Stock up supply cabinets.
• Place name plates and numbers on employee cubicles.
• Make sure kitchen appliances are clean and working.
• Place keys on the desks.
• Make sure cubicles to be occupied have good lighting.

Improve Energy Efficiency Whenever Possible

Business tenants are responsible for their own electrical bills. Some ways to promote energy efficiency and trim costs include:

• Installing ENERGY STAR^®-certified multifunctional business machines.
• Replacing fluorescents with ENERGY STAR lighting.
• Asking about the installation of smart meters for the building or office.

Want to learn more about saving on energy costs for your small business? Contact ComEd at 1(855) 433-2700 or visit ComEd.com/Business.

For more tips and inspiration for small business owners,
visit CBS Small Business Pulse Chicago.