Safety is a top priority for movers like us, most especially for office shifting. While a house move does have its own unique set of challenges, commercial removals tend to be more complex because of the sheer number of equipment and supplies that need to be transported.
And since these items are likely to be of high value, you need your staff to know exactly how to pack them safely for transport—and this can prove difficult.
You can always hire experts for packing unpacking services, of course. But for added safety, and in case you don’t have a big relocation budget, it still pays to learn the three best tips for packing office equipment and supplies listed below:
1. Use the original packaging whenever possible.
The safest packaging for your office equipment is that which they originally came with when you bought them.
When buying new office equipment, we recommend setting aside the original packaging, including the box and any cushioning provided. Since those came from the manufacturer, the packaging details are custom designed to ensure that the specific equipment you bought arrives in its perfect state.
2. Don’t skimp on cushioning.
Cushioning is a vital part of packing office supplies and equipment, especially if you have lots of fragile items in your office.
To avoid damage, you need to use the right cushioning materials to prevent the items from rocking back and forth in their respective boxes or containers.
Some of your cushioning options include:
Packing peanuts
These are foam-based products that come in the shape of shelled peanuts around the size of an unshelled one; hence, the name.
Also called ‘foam peanuts’, these cushion fragile items by filling the empty spaces in the box and closely surrounding the object they are protecting.
Padded divider sets
Padded dividers are compartmentalised containers made to organise items for shipping. These are characterised by little walls that come with padded inner surfaces and covers for added protection.
Padded dividers are perfect for keeping smaller objects, such as figurines and mugs, secure during transport. They can also be used for packing items with incompatible shapes or sizes.
Bubble bags
Bubble wrap bags or just “bubble bags” are packaging essentials made of bubble wrap that may look like a bag, envelope or even a sheet of wrapping material.
Available in many shapes and sizes, bubble wrap is made from tiny air-filled sacs that cushion items wrapped in it.
Packaging foam
Deemed to be the biggest packaging material used for cushioning, packaging foam can be cut and shaped into whatever form is ideal for an item it is supposed to protect during transit. This makes it the second-best option in securing computers and other fragile office equipment (next to the original packaging).
Unlike packing peanuts, packaging foam is denser and bigger. Plus, it doesn’t have a definite shape and can be purchased in the form of sheets, rolls, or even egg crates of soft, thick foam.
It also comes in a wide range of firmness levels, depending on what’s necessary for the object it needs to protect.
3. Know the proper packing method for every item.
Different things require different packaging approaches to make sure they arrive in pristine condition in your new office. You can’t expect papers to remain clean and uncrumpled if you just toss them inside the same box as the copier, after all.
Below is a practical guide to packing common office items you can follow:
Documents
Using file boxes, sort and organise your documents before the move.
Develop an organisational system that will make it easier to find and endorse paperwork once you arrive at your new office. Don’t forget to label every file box and add a brief description of its contents.
Pro Tip: Take the relocation as an opportunity to go through the papers in your office and get rid of anything that is no longer needed. Remember to shred any document containing sensitive information, like your customers’ phone numbers, addresses, and credit card numbers.
Office Equipment
Before packing your phones, printers, fax machines and computers, make sure you backup all your company data on a cloud server. This ensures the safety of your data and allows you to continue working at the same time, even if the computers are still in transit and your new office hasn’t been set up yet.
Untangle cables for your electronic equipment, and make sure these are organised and labelled properly. If possible, use coloured tape to wrap the cords that go together. The colour-coding system can help you know which set of cables go with what equipment.
If you don’t have their original boxes, pack your monitors and computers in sturdy boxes to make sure they are secure during transit. Don’t forget to add sufficient and appropriate cushioning.
Office Décor
Keep office décor like clocks, framed pictures and vases bubble wrapped well ahead of the move.
Since they don’t affect day-to-day operations, these could be the first ones to go into the moving boxes for your office relocation. Remember to label them accordingly for easy unpacking.
Desks and Office Furniture
The contents of individual desks should be packed by the person that uses them. Inform your employees of the relocation schedule so they can prepare and pack the contents of their desks ahead of time.
Make sure all personal items are bubble wrapped and get rid of any items that are no longer in use.
Leave the prep work for the transport of the desk themselves to the packing and unpacking service provider or commercial packers and movers you hired for the relocation. The same goes for chairs and the rest of your office furniture.
Ensure a Safe and Secure Office Relocation
Relocating to a new office can be a daunting endeavour without the right knowledge or expert help.
Protect your equipment and supplies during transit by following these tips and make the entire move hassle-free with the help of Writer Relocations.
Get a quote and send your inquiries today.