Office Relocation Checklist: Plan Packing, IT and the First Working Day

Updated 12 October 2026 · DZ Cargo moving guide

An office move starts well before the truck arrives. Someone needs to decide what is moving, where it will go and how the business will keep working while equipment is disconnected. A clear plan also helps the moving team prepare the right packing materials and quote for the actual job.

Use this checklist to organise the move with your facilities team, IT staff, department heads and mover. Adapt it to your office size and the services you book.

1. Start with an inventory and a destination plan

Walk through the office room by room. List desks, chairs, storage units, computers, monitors, printers, meeting-room equipment and boxed records. Mark anything that will stay behind, go into storage or need specialist handling.

A useful inventory has these columns:

For valuable or leased equipment, add the serial number and a photo reference. Label cartons with their destination room so the crew can place them correctly without opening everything.

Share the inventory with the mover before the quotation is finalised. A last-minute addition of furniture, cartons or equipment can change the vehicle and labour requirements.

2. Give the IT team control of disconnection and restart

Packing a computer and bringing it back into service are different jobs. Decide who will shut down, disconnect, pack, transport and reconnect each device. Do not assume the moving crew will configure your network or applications.

Ask your IT lead to prepare a checklist covering:

• Backup completion and a restore check for critical data.
• Cable labels and photographs of connections.
• Device-specific packing instructions.
• Protection for screens and sensitive components.
• The order in which equipment must be reconnected.
• Tests for internet, phones, printers and essential applications.

Use the equipment manufacturer's handling instructions for servers, specialised devices and leased machines. Keep passwords, access credentials and confidential records out of carton labels and shared moving documents.

Choose a named staff member to oversee sensitive equipment and records. Agree how custody will be recorded at pickup and delivery.

3. Plan around the work that cannot pause

Which teams need to answer customers, process orders or access key systems during the move? Ask their managers what they need to keep working and how long they can operate without the office setup.

Possible arrangements include moving departments in stages, using an agreed remote-working period or keeping essential equipment available until the new premises are ready. The right arrangement depends on your systems and building access.

Before committing to a moving date, confirm the new office has the power, internet and access needed for your first working day. Set a clear decision point if a critical dependency is delayed, and tell staff who will make that decision.

A moving plan can reduce disruption, but it should not promise zero downtime. Agree a realistic working arrangement and communicate it before move day.

4. Check both buildings

Share the floor, lift access, parking position and loading restrictions at both addresses. Ask building management about:

• Approved moving hours and contractor entry.
• Loading-bay or service-lift reservations.
• Vehicle height or size restrictions.
• Protection required for lifts, doors and common areas.
• Security passes and permissions to remove goods.
• Rules for packing waste and access after office hours.

Confirm who will arrange each permission. If a truck cannot reach the entrance, discuss the carrying distance or need for a smaller vehicle before booking.

Have your internal advisers check any business-registration or compliance updates needed after the address change. Requirements vary; those checks should sit alongside the moving plan.

5. Make responsibilities easy to follow

One move coordinator should hold the final inventory, schedule and contact list. Give each department a named contact and a deadline for preparing its belongings.

Staff should know what they must pack themselves, what the crew will pack and which personal or confidential items they should keep with them.

6. Compare quotations against the same scope

When comparing office shifting services, give each mover the same inventory and access details. Check whether the written quotation includes packing materials, labour, dismantling, loading, transport, unloading and reassembly.

Confirm the following before agreeing:

• Pickup and destination addresses.
• Moving dates and proposed delivery schedule.
• Included services and exclusions.
• Tax treatment and payment milestones.
• Any storage arrangements.
• Charges triggered by stairs, waiting, extra items or access changes.
• Responsibility for specialised equipment.
• Insurance arrangements and the process for reporting loss or damage.
• Cancellation or rescheduling terms.

Ask for unclear items to be explained in writing. A lower headline price is only useful if the scope matches the work you need.

7. Check delivery before closing the move

Have the receiving team use the inventory to count cartons and equipment. Record missing items, visible damage or incorrect placement against the relevant item ID. Photograph exceptions and raise them promptly with the mover; follow the insurer's separate notification process where a policy applies.

IT staff should test equipment before marking it ready for use. Facilities staff can check furniture placement, access cards and any agreed reassembly. Keep the delivery record, invoice, receipts and unresolved-item list together.

Before the crew leaves, confirm who will deal with outstanding work and how to contact them. Complete sign-off according to your agreement, with any exceptions clearly recorded.

Discuss your office move with DZ Cargo

Share your inventory, both addresses, access conditions and preferred schedule with DZ Cargo's office shifting team. Discuss the packing, transport, storage and unpacking support you need, then confirm the inclusions in your written quotation.

The aim is a move that everyone can follow: staff know what to prepare, the crew knows what to handle and the receiving team knows what to check.

Read our IBA mover verification guide before booking.

Discuss Your Move