How To Pack A Home Office

How To Pack A Home Office

Is your home your office? Nowadays, it is very common to work from home and many people have set up a space from which they work. It could be a specifically designated room, a mobile office, where you move around the house. It could be a second office, away from your main office, or even a shared space used with the rest of the family. Whatever your home office looks like, it will need to be packed and moved.

Organize

Begin early so that you have time to sort through the office and see if there is anything that can be thrown away, sold, or donated. If some of your documentation/paperwork is no longer needed, consider shredding it. This can be done yourself, using a store bought shredding machine or by a professional shredding company. There are also mobile shredding service’s that come to you, this way you can witness your documents being shredded. In addition to paper, hard drives can also be shredded.

Being organized when packing up your office is vital to ensuring nothing gets misplaced during the move. Often, the office is one of the first rooms to be unpacked. Even when your items are in transit, it is likely you will still have to work, using the “mobile office” method.

Label each box and the contents. This will speed up the unpacking process and give you quick access to your items if you are still not immediately set up at your new home.

Once you begin packing, keep all legal and important papers aside. It is advised to carry these with you during your move.

Packing

Paperwork

If you have a filing system that works for you, keep it that way and pack your boxes using this system. This will allow you to unpack quicker and more efficiently. Clearly label each box for further simplicity.

Most moving companies will require you empty any filing cabinets and have all the file folders and contents packed into suitable boxes, specialty file boxes are good for this.

Books

If you have a collection of books to be packed, make sure to use small boxes so that it doesn’t become too heavy. If you have just one or two books lying around, pack them with other items. Books can be packed flat and stacked, or with the spine facing downward towards the bottom of the box. This will prevent any damage.

Supplies

All offices use supplies of some form: paper, pens, printer ink etc… pack these items into boxes. Begin with small boxes, filling any empty spaces with packing material. Making sure any loose items will not move around or get damaged. Small items such as pens and pencils can be placed in ziploc bags. Individually wrap any valuable or fragile items.

Computers and Electronics

In most cases, your computer, laptop, or both, will be packed last. When the time does come, if you have kept the original box, this would be the best option to protect the computer or laptop. This is also best for any other electronics, such as the printer, or scanner. If the original box is not available, use padded boxes to assure maximum safety.

Monitors should be packed and protected the same way as the computer, with care. If you are not using the original box, protect the screen with padding and make sure the box is not too big.

There will be plenty of cords to disconnect. Keep these together with the corresponding item, or in a separate box. Label each one if needed. Make sure to protect the cords by using plenty of packing material.

DON’T FORGET TO DO A BACKUP OF YOUR FILES!

Backing up your data is vital when moving computers and laptops. When possible, back up twice. You can use a cloud service and also transfer all data to an external hard drive, which you will carry with you. Being prepared with your backed up data could be a technological lifesaver.

If you need help with backing up data or disassembling/reassembling your computers, hiring an IT (Information Technology) professional could be of great assistance. They can also help with getting your computers up and running once you have arrived at your new home, should you have any difficulty.

Any computer equipment exceeding $100 per pound should be listed on your “High Value Inventory” form. This is to make sure proper valuation coverage is received.

Office furniture

If you have decided to move your office furniture, some of it, for example the desk, will need to be disassembled. If you are moving with a professional company, inquire whether they provide disassembly/reassembly services. Any hardware, such as screws will need to be packed and labeled.

Once you’re all set up again, it’s time to enjoy your new home office. As the saying goes: "New Office! New Beginnings!"

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