Moving an office or commercial space: planning, boxes, and accurate labels
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
6 min reading time
Moving with a team rarely goes wrong with the desks, but with the unlabeled boxes and the keys someone put in their bag. This is how you calculate per workstation, label smartly, and continue working on Monday.
An office move rarely goes wrong with the large items. Desks and cabinets are usually in place within a day. The problem arises with the small things: the box of cables that no one has labeled, the archive cabinet keys that someone "just" put in their bag, and the question on Monday morning which box contains the printer cartridges when there are thirty identical boxes in the hallway.
Moving with a team is different from moving with a family. More people pack items that don't belong to them, there's company information in those boxes, and there's a deadline: at some point, work needs to resume. This approach is built on that premise.
First, count your workstations, not your square meters
The most convenient unit of measurement for an office move is the workstation. Roughly estimate two to three boxes per desk: one for desk contents and personal belongings, one for cables, adapters, and peripherals, and half to a whole box for paper that needs to be moved. On top of that, there are shared spaces: kitchen, archive, pantry, and warehouse. These are almost always heavier than you think — count on at least ten boxes for a kitchen and pantry combined.
A standard size for most office contents is the moving box of 480 x 430 x 330 mm (50 liters) (€ 3.50). Large enough for desk contents, small enough to still lift when full of binders. Don't fill it completely with paper: a 50-liter box crammed with binders quickly weighs more than 25 kg, and no one can carry that up two flights of stairs. Fill heavy boxes to a maximum of three-quarters and place something light on top.
For fragile or small items — monitor stands, phones, laptop docks, office plants — a compact cube box works better than a half-empty moving box. The cardboard shipping box of 15 x 15 x 15 cm (€ 1.99) is a perfect size for this, and these boxes stack neatly into a larger one.
Label so you don't have to search for anything on Monday
The difference between a smooth first working day and a chaotic one lies in the label. Write three things on each box: the destination (room name or workstation number on the new floor plan), the content in two words, and the priority (day 1, week 1, or archive). Write on two sides, not on the top — stacked boxes don't show their lids.
Additionally, use color coding per room. A sticker at a glance is faster than reading handwriting, especially for movers who are unfamiliar with your building. With price stickers in 6 colors, 500 pieces (€ 2.95) you can assign each department or room its own color. At the new location, hang an A4 sheet with the color legend by the door.
What to keep separate: keys, data, and the day-1 box
Three categories do not belong in the regular flow of boxes.
Keys and access. Collect all cabinet, drawer, and archive keys in advance, label them per cabinet, and keep them with one person. Lock cabinets that need to remain closed during transport with their own lock; a set of locks with keys, 12 pieces in 3 sizes (€ 14.95) is enough for an average office.
Sensitive content. Boxes with personnel files, contracts, or customer data should be kept separate and visibly sealed. Security seal stickers with VOID print, 60 pieces (€ 9.95) leave a visible trace if a box has been opened en route. This immediately shows which box you need to check.
The day-1 box. One box per room that opens first: power strips, a tape dispenser, a utility knife, coffee cups, cleaning wipes, a roll of trash bags, and the floor plan. Put that box in the car of someone who arrives first, not in the moving truck.
Speaking of files: don't throw away paper too easily when tidying up. The Tax Authorities generally require you to keep your administration for 7 years, with 10 years for data concerning real estate. The current rules and exceptions are available on belastingdienst.nl; if you are unsure about a specific folder, consult your accountant instead of putting it in the paper bin.
Tape, utility knives, and padding: the tools that keep the day running
During a move, tape and utility knives run out faster than with any other job, because multiple people are working with them simultaneously. A rule of thumb: one roll of tape per fifteen to twenty boxes if you seal the bottom and top, plus a reserve.
Place one utility knife per room instead of letting one wander around — Kinzo utility knives, 3 pieces (€ 1.95) or the set of 8 utility knives (€ 4.95) for a larger team. Agree that utility knives should be placed on the table with the blade retracted, not in a box.
Wrap monitors, glass doors, and equipment in bubble wrap. For a single office, the roll of bubble wrap 50 x 500 cm (€ 5.00) is enough; if you're moving an entire floor or packing more often, the bubble wrap roll 500 mm x 500 m (€ 12.95) is much more economical per meter. Roll a monitor with the screen facing inwards and place it upright in the box, never flat.
Cables that need to be moved: roll them up, put a cable protector (€ 1.95) on the vulnerable connector, and label which device it belongs to. A box of loose, unlabeled cables is a box you'll have to sort through again at the new location.
A four-block plan
Four weeks in advance: create floor plan, number workstations, determine color legend, order boxes and tape.
Two weeks in advance: thin out archive, collect keys, have everyone clear their own desk.
The last week: pack shared spaces, assemble day-1 boxes, disconnect and label equipment.
Moving day: one person at the door assigning boxes to rooms. Without that person, everything will end up in the hallway.
What you need, all together
Boxes in various sizes can be found in Moving Boxes and Boxes; tape, dispensers, and utility knives are under Tape and Packaging & Shipping. Markers, stickers, and the rest of the office supplies can be found in Office Supplies. Would you like an estimate of the number of boxes and tape rolls for your number of workstations, or are you wondering what is available at short notice? Email your situation to info@verpakkingdeals.nl and we'll help you calculate.
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