Most businesses lose workdays during an office move for three reasons: the internet is not live when staff arrives, nobody knows where desks and equipment belong, and packing starts too late. The fix is a schedule built backward from move day. Plan the network first, move over a weekend or after hours, and give every item a destination before it leaves the old office. The checklist below walks through that schedule from six months out to the first morning in the new space.

Six Months Out: Set the Date and Name a Move Lead

The first decisions shape every later step, so make them early.

  • Read your current lease for the notice period, the move-out date, and any requirement to return the space to its original condition.
  • Choose a move window that avoids your busiest weeks, such as quarter close or a seasonal rush.
  • Name one move lead with decision-making authority and a direct line to leadership.
  • Build a small move team with one person each from IT, facilities, and every department that moves.
  • Ask both buildings for their move rules, including freight elevator hours, loading dock access, and required vendor documents.
  • Request quotes from commercial movers and schedule walkthroughs of both spaces.

Pay attention to building rules at this stage. Many office buildings only allow moves after business hours or on weekends, and some require elevator reservations weeks in advance. Those rules decide your move window, so confirm them before you commit to a date.

Three Months Out: Plan the Network, Phones and Floor Plan

The network is the item most likely to cost you workdays. A team can work from boxes for a morning, but it cannot work without internet, phones, or access to shared files.

  • Order internet and phone service for the new office and get the installation date in writing.
  • Have IT visit the new space to check wiring, outlets, server room cooling, and Wi-Fi coverage.
  • Create a floor plan that numbers every desk, printer, and cabinet.
  • Assign each employee a station number and share the plan with the whole team.
  • Take inventory of furniture and equipment, then mark each item to move, sell, donate, recycle, or store.
  • Order new furniture now if anything needs to be in place on day one, since delivery dates can slip.

Schedule internet installation for at least a week before move day if your lease allows early access. That buffer gives IT time to test the connection and fix problems while the old office is still running.

Six Weeks Out: Update Your Address Everywhere It Lives

A business address appears in more places than most teams expect. Missing one can mean lost mail, missed notices, or customers driving to the old location.

  • File IRS Form 8822-B to report a new business mailing address or location to the IRS.
  • Set up mail forwarding with the U.S. Postal Service.
  • Update the address on file with the California Secretary of State if your company is registered there.
  • Notify your bank, payroll provider, accountant, and business insurance carrier.
  • Tell vendors, suppliers, and delivery services where to send shipments.
  • Update your website, Google Business Profile, email signatures, and online directory listings.
  • Order new business cards, letterhead, and signage with the new address.

Google Business Profile matters if customers visit you in person. Update it close to move day so the listing does not send people to an empty office.

Four Weeks Out: Assign Packing and Labeling

Clear packing assignments keep the last week calm. Without them, staff pack desks the night before and items arrive at the new office with no destination.

  • Ask each employee to pack their own desk and take personal items home.
  • Label every box with the owner’s name, station number, and destination room.
  • Color-code labels by floor or department so the moving crew can sort boxes at the door.
  • Have IT label every cable, monitor, and computer with its station number.
  • Pack shared spaces such as the break room, supply closet, and file room first.
  • Order boxes, tape, and labels early so staff can start packing nonessential items.

Files need extra thought. Decide which records move, which go to secure shredding, and which go to storage. Paper records you rarely use can move to storage instead of taking up space in the new office.

Two Weeks Out: Confirm Every Detail at Both Buildings

Confirmations prevent the move-day surprises that cost the most time.

  • Confirm freight elevator and loading dock reservations at both buildings in writing.
  • Confirm where the moving truck will park at each address.
  • Get key cards, keys, and alarm codes for the new office and test them.
  • Confirm the internet installation date and the date IT will test the network.
  • Send staff a schedule that covers the last workday, move day, and the first workday.
  • Arrange removal for furniture and equipment that is not making the trip.

Move Week: Protect the Last Workday and the First

The goal of move week is a short gap between the last productive hour in the old office and the first productive hour in the new one.

  1. Back up servers and critical files before IT disconnects anything.
  2. Pack IT equipment last, after staff finishes their final tasks on the last workday.
  3. Post the floor plan at the entrance of the new office so the crew can place furniture and boxes by number.
  4. Keep the move lead at the new office and a team member at the old one until the last load leaves.
  5. Walk the old space at the end to check closets, server rooms, and storage areas for anything left behind.
  6. Have IT set up and test workstations before staff arrive on the first morning.
  7. Run a help desk station on day one to quickly fix login, printer, and network problems.

Ways to Cut Downtime During an Office Move

The right approach depends on your team size and how much the business can pause. Most offices use one of three approaches.

Approach Best for Trade-off
Weekend move Small and midsize offices that can finish in one or two days Requires after-hours building access and a ready network by Monday
Phased move by department Larger offices or businesses that cannot pause Runs two offices at once for a short period, so IT supports both
Remote workday plus move Teams that already work remotely Staff need laptops and VPN access ready before move day

Storage can also reduce pressure on move day. Furniture, archived files, and equipment the new office doesn’t need right away can go into storage and arrive later, keeping the first week focused on the items that keep people working.

Common Office Move Mistakes

  • Waiting to order internet service until a few weeks before the move
  • Moving without a floor plan or station numbers
  • Leaving packing to the last workday
  • Forgetting to reserve the freight elevator at one of the two buildings
  • Moving old furniture and equipment that you will throw out at the new office
  • Updating the address in some places and missing others

Planning an Office Move in Marin or the East Bay?

Johnson & Daly Moving & Storage handles commercial moving, packing services, storage, and junk removal for businesses relocating in Marin and the East Bay. 

Request a quote to talk through your move date and floor plan.