Protect your belongings

The last thing that you want is damp, musty-smelling furniture or ruined files. Objects should be secured in durable and sealed containers. Ask your mover about renting plastic E-Crates instead of cardboard boxes to ensure your items are protected. Hiring a moving company to transport your belongings will save you a considerable amount of hassle in these conditions as they should have the necessary materials for this type of situation.

Watch out for the hazardous environment

Keep in mind that the sidewalks, roads, stairs and ramps can cause potential accidents and injuries. Prep your environment by shoveling snow from the surrounding area and use plenty of salt to melt ice. After all, you don’t want someone slipping and falling down the stairs while transporting a heavy box.

Don’t cut it too close to your move-out date

You want to start planning your move with a safe amount of time before the expected move-out date. This allows you to be prepared as possible going into the move. If you know inclement weather is coming, speak with your moving company about an alternate moving date should you need to move it.

Refrain from moving during rush hour

If you can, schedule your move around rush hour and times where traffic should be expected. This can cause additional hassle, especially when piled onto the hazards of moving in inclement weather.

Hire the Professionals

As you can see, there are copious things can go wrong during an office move but there are also precautions that can be taken. However, if you hire a moving company, you can prevent these accidents and breathe a deep sigh of relief. Moving companies can provide a time-efficient, safe and customer-friendly experience for both you and your belongings.

For a quick and professional move that prioritizes your needs, contact Washington Express Movers. We’re Washington DC’s top choice when it comes to commercial moving. We’ll pack your items, move them and even unpack them to save you the hassle. After all, we want to make your move as easy as possible.

The post Tips for Office Moving in Inclement Weather first appeared on Washington Express Movers.

Furniture First

All of your supplies, papers and electronics need to have somewhere to go. It will be easiest to place your furniture where you think you want it before you begin unpacking on it. Make a room plan and draw it out if need be. If needed, inquire with your office movers about furniture rearranging assistance post move.

Account For Your Belongings

Before you start unpacking, make sure all your furniture and boxes arrived. Labeling your items/boxes properly should ensure they land in the correct office. Take inventory of your office materials and ensure no items are missing.

Essentials First

There are some things that just can’t wait. All of those things sound be taken care of first. Some suggestions for those items are as follows:

1. Computer
2. Phone
3. Notepad or paper
4. Pens/Pencils
5. Printers/Fax/Copiers
6. Files or packets for upcoming meetings

Make sure the computer and phone are working properly as soon as possible to avoid more complications down the line. There may be other supplies you have to have in your office in order to function, so be sure to add those to the list. Some items may sound important but aren’t vital to running your business for a day or two.

A Little at a Time

While you don’t want to be unpacking for months, you don’t have to do it all in a day. Setting a goal like that adds extra strain that will make the move more stressful. Instead, try to pace yourself. Get anything you need for the day done, and anything extra you feel you have the time for. Give yourself a week or at least a couple of days to get everything put away and organized how you want it.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

Placements aren’t set in stone. You can move things around later if it isn’t working out where you originally put it. Getting flustered while unpacking about the final location of your belongings will end up causing the process to take longer. Get things approximately where you want them, and you can revisit later if anything isn’t quite where you want it.

Contact Us

Contact Washington Express Movers for a free estimate on your next office move! We aim to make your move as efficient and easy as possible and remain available to our customers for any post-move needs!

The post Tips For Unpacking Your Office first appeared on Washington Express Movers.

Update Directories

Make sure you don’t forget to update any online or offline directories and listings. You don’t want to leave your customers confused. This could include your Google listing, Yelp and other online profiles, social media channels, industry-specific directories, and of course your website.

Reprint Marketing Materials

Be sure to update any flyers, business cards and newsletters. We recommend printing all of your most important material ahead of time so you have updated marketing materials as soon as you get into your new space.

Be Utility Ready

Make sure you schedule a time to shut down your current utilities and begin your new utilities in the new office. Give your utility company and internet provider at least 1-2 weeks’ notice to ensure that your office is up and running in the event of a storm or malfunction.

Make Your Floorplan

Design your floorplan and assign offices prior to moving in. This will cause significantly less stress than making those decisions on move day. Hold a meeting with management to agree upon the best layout for each department.

Order Any Essentials Ahead of Time

Make sure keys, parking passes, appliances and new furniture are ordered and scheduled to be delivered ahead of time. If furniture needs to be rearranged, speak with your moving company about any post-move services. At Washington Express Movers we’re happy to assist you from start to finish, and even after!

Contact us

Contact us today to receive a free estimate for your commercial move. We make sure to provide a comprehensive plan that makes sense for your specific company’s needs, and aim to make your move as cost-effective and hassle-free as possible.

The post The Most Forgotten Office Moving Tasks first appeared on Washington Express Movers.

In a crowded sea of options, you might feel overwhelmed. Where to even begin?

The first step is to choose the right company for the job. You want a company that is trustworthy, reliable, and efficient. You want the experience to flow as smoothly as possible.

Do your research first. Make sure your mover can fit together these essential pieces of the puzzle:

Before the Move

Your mover should take the time to discuss the intricacies of the process with you. Each office move is unique, and your mover should fully address your unique needs as an organization. At Washington Express Movers, our move coordinators are friendly, courteous, and thorough, and will take the time to discuss any of your questions or concerns. We will draft a written proposal for you which fully describes each aspect of your office move, and a plan for how we propose to execute the required work. This draft is subject to your approval.

This part of the process is especially crucial for specialty office moves; your input is critical in shaping the plan. We understand that. There might be something unique that a mover needs to address—they might need to come onsite before moving day to premove certain items to an off-site location or assist in premove training with your employees .

What about the money? You don’t want any ugly surprises after the job is done. Make sure to select an office mover who won’t spring hidden charges on you at the end. You have a budget. Your mover should offer a clear pricing structure; they should also give you a full breakdown of the proposed costs for your job. Washington Express Movers will provide you with a detailed cost estimate, and will always address any questions beforehand.

During the Move

Your move needs to proceed like a well-oiled machine, fully coordinated and operating smoothly. We offer onsite supervision services to make sure all of the “moving pieces” are in place.

Your movers should also be trained in the science of maneuvering large items in small places. Nobody wants their office facility to be damaged, on entry or exit. Our movers are trained in techniques to minimize damage to your facility.

Do you have pieces that need to be specifically installed in your new office? Your mover should not just drop things off and leave them at your new location; look for a mover who offers furniture installation services so everything will be ready to go.

After the Move

Your office may contain bulky pieces of furniture which you’ve decided to get rid of, and your mover should be able to help. Washington Express Movers offers furniture decommissioning services. We will also assist you in donating surplus furniture.

Contact Us

Make your commercial move a pleasant experience. Contact Washington Express Movers and enjoy a hassle-free, organized moving experience. Select us for your office move, and you’ll know right away that you’ve made the best choice.

The post Select the Best Office Mover with these Tips first appeared on Washington Express Movers.

DONATE TO CHARITY

Find a non-profit near you that accepts office furniture. Numerous organizations will take office equipment, furniture and office supplies off your hands and may even offer free pick-up. If not, inquire with your moving company about the pick-up and delivery of your items.

SELL TO AN OFFICE LIQUIDATOR

Looking to sell your office assets? Contact a liquidation company to evaluate, decommission and purchase your used furniture and office equipment.

REUSE/REPURPOSE YOUR FURNITURE

Get creative with your old furniture and refinish or repurpose it. With this method you can cut costs on new furniture or create new items for less money and resources.

E-RECYLING

Have old electronics you need to throw out? There are organizations all over who will recycle and recover old computers, monitors, televisions and other electronic equipment. If you’re not sure who to contact, inquire with your moving team about how to safely and securely get those items off your hands.

DISPOSAL

As a last resort, arrange a time with your moving team to pick-up and dispose of your unwanted inventory.  Allow them to coordinate the logistics of hauling away those large items and delivering them to the local dump.

CONTACT US

Figuring out what to do with unwanted items can be tough. Allow Washington Express Movers to walk you through your different options and choose the best option for your company needs. Speak with one of our expert move coordinators today to get started.

The post Getting Rid of Unwanted Office Furniture first appeared on Washington Express Movers.

HIDDEN CHARGES

A common complaint from consumers are hidden charges that are tacked on after the move is completed based on “change orders”. While the final cost may vary slightly from the original estimate due to additional items or special circumstances that make the move challenging, your final bill should not break your budget. To help avoid this, make sure the mover is perfectly aware of everything that has to be moved and allocate some cushion within your budget for any surprises. The final cost should stay within 10% of the bid unless there are significant change to the scope of work. Changes that you have agreed to during the move.

LABOR & HOURLY SURCHARGES

Most moving companies like to charge additional fees for moves that are completed outside normal business hours. This can cause concern for some as most building owners limit access during the work day. At Washington Express Movers we understand these concerns and do not charge over time for moves that take place after hours. Compared to the standard 4-6 hour minimum, we offer a 2-hour minimum so you only pay for what you need.

INEXPERIENCED MOVERS

An often-unknown fact to consumers is that many moving companies use outsourced, temporary laborers to keep up with high demand. While these companies may provide a large team of movers, it’s likely that they have been temporarily contracted and can be inexperienced to handle corporate moves. Our Washington Express moving team specializes in office relocation so we can ensure all our clients standards are maintained throughout the process and know exactly how to handle office moves.

NON-WORKING SUPERVISORS

Another common practice by commercial movers is to add non-working supervisors to your move. You will often find you are paying higher hourly rates for supervisors who do not assist in any of the actual moving. All managers or supervisors from the moving company should be hands on during your move.

CONTACT US

Experience the difference with Washington Express Movers. If you’re ready for a dedicated team of experts to handle your corporate moving needs, then contact us today.

The post Common Pitfalls when choosing an Office Mover first appeared on Washington Express Movers.

Choose the right amount of storage space.

It can be hard to know exactly how much space you need. Afterall, what if you are moving to a new location and just need an in-between spot, but you have a lot of furniture to move? You don’t want to spend more than your budget allows, but you also need enough room for your items! Contact our team and show us what you have. We can provide an estimate on storage and let you know how much space you may need.

Make sure that your items are safe from harsh weather conditions.

Regardless of what you have to store, you will want to make sure that your items won’t get damaged while they remain in one spot. Some storage companies will provide the space you need but cannot guarantee that temperatures will be regulated. If you are hoping to store items like electronics, batteries, ink, or other fluids, the cold weather might cause these items to freeze, expand, or explode. Washington Express Movers offers heated units, allowing you to feel confident about the location of your electronics and other sensitive items.

Keep your packing needs in mind.

You will want the right materials for packing in order to both protect your items and to identify them when they move to their next location. We recommend planning ahead for any heavy machinery you might have, as well as your more fragile items (glass, electronics, etc.) before you add them to the storage space. Label your boxes clearly with the name of the item inside. Don’t be shy about color-coding, as this will help you know what goes where and what you can expect to find inside of the box. Should you choose to store heavy or fragile items, leave a warning label on the package so that whoever moves the box is prepared.

Know what can and cannot be stored in a storage unit.

We can hold most of your commercial items, but there are things that attract pests or are overly flammable that we should not store for you. Contact us if you have any questions about what we can and cannot hold for you.

Insure your items, especially the expensive and fragile ones.

We have strong, 24-hour security at our facility, but acts of nature cannot be predicted. Should a fire, flood, or other extreme condition damage our Washington, D.C. facility and your possessions, we would much rather you feel prepared to be reimbursed for those items through your insurance. Consider storage insurance, and feel free to ask us if you have any questions about this. It’s always better to be safe than sorry!

Choose the right moving and storage company to fit your needs.

Why hire several companies to do work for you when you can trust one with the whole process? Washington Express Movers is here to help your business move to its new location, as well as assist you when you need somewhere to hold your commercial items. If you are ready to get started, please contact us today! We look forward to helping you reach your new and improved location.

The post Top Tips for Storing Commercial Items first appeared on Washington Express Movers.

Plan Ahead

Nothing can ruin a move quite like not being prepared for it. What day are you moving? Will the office be conducting business as usual that day, or will you be dismissing your employees early? Knowing these things ahead of time will help you keep things running with as little downtime as possible. Many business relocations are planned anywhere from six months to a year in advance, and larger moves can take ever longer to plan. Keep that in mind as you prepare.

Hire Professional Office Movers

As easy as you might think it is to just get a truck and move everything from point A to point B on a budget, this is a terrible mistake. Items may get lost or broken, and you might even have an issue with an employee getting injured in the process. When you hire professional office movers, such as Washington Express Movers, you can be sure that we have the experience, resources, and manpower needed to move everything quickly and efficiently. Also, we have insurance. If something goes wrong, you won’t be the one footing the fill.

Check Your New Building’s Requirements

Some properties can be a bit more stringent than others when it comes to hours of operation, parking lot requirements, and elevator reservations. Check with your new building manager before your move to ensure that everything is in place. You don’t want to have everything packed up and arriving at the new building only to find that the building is locked outside of normal operating hours.

Update Your Printed Material

If your business cards, letterhead, envelopes, and other distributed materials have your old address, make sure to update these! The last thing you want is for a client to send something of importance to the wrong location. Even if you do forward your mail, this can increase the amount of time it takes for it to arrive at your new location. Having these items printed ahead of time sets you up to distribute these items to your employees after the move with no in-between time to worry about.

Take Inventory

Make sure that all your items are accounted for. If you have a larger company, put your supervisors in charge of their own department’s inventory. That way, you can stay focused on the office move as a whole instead of worrying about smaller items that could go missing along the way.

Be Properly Staffed

It’s a good idea to have two managers there during the move. You can keep one at the old office to oversee things being packed up, while you can put another manager at the new location to guide the office movers as they drop off the items. However, don’t have too many managers on hand – otherwise, they might get in the way of our office movers and slow them down!

Keep Your Electronic Needs in Mind

If you are a largely electronically based company – many companies are, these days – then make sure that these items get moved quickly. You will want to ensure that all data cabling has been installed and tested before the IT team gets there to set up your network and equipment. Keep an IT professional in the new location to assist anyone who needs help setting up their new workspace and electronic devices.

Contact Our Team of Office Movers

If your office is ready to make the transition from one space to another, then it’s time to contact the professionals at Washington Express Movers. We are proud to serve businesses like yours in the Washington D.C. area, and we would be happy to help you in any way we can. Contact us today to get started and tell us about your moving project!

The post Tips to Make Your Office Move Smooth first appeared on Washington Express Movers.