Moving to a new place is stressful enough all on its own. There are so many things to pack up and organize that it’s easy to get overwhelmed, and when you add the fact that you’re currently working from home, things get even more complicated.
What do you do with your computer? Where should you work if your desk is still in storage? What if the movers are late and you start breaking deadlines simply because you’ve got nothing to work on?
There’s a lot to think about, but luckily none of this needs to be quite as stressful as it is now. With a few tips and a little bit of planning, you can ensure the move goes smoothly and that your work doesn’t suffer.
Determine which items are essential for your work
If you want to keep working without taking too much time off, moving your office equipment should come last. If possible, try to move in stages – first, pack up the rooms you need the least, and then move through your house until you’ve packed up your office and the other bare essentials you need to live in a home.
It’s important to split the whole job of moving into smaller chunks. If you attempt to move everything all at once, you’ll get overwhelmed and completely stressed out.
Make a pile of items you don’t need
Moving is a great opportunity to clear out all the clutter from your home office (and your entire house in general). Consider what your new office will look like, and figure out how you’ll place the furniture, then go through all of the items you own and see whether you actually need them.
Very often, when work alone from home, people will hold onto old receipts, supplies, and other small things that only take up space. Now’s a good time to clear those out.
Backup your files
Moving places can be very chaotic. You won’t know where half of your files are, and it’s entirely possible you’ll lose important documents in all that mess. To make sure this doesn’t happen, try to back up every single work-related file you have. Use a good external hard drive for this purpose, and find a place where you can keep it safe.
Be careful when picking moving options
Picking bad movers can spell out disaster – if they’re not careful, you could end up with a lot of damaged equipment or furniture, and you’re unlikely to get fully compensated for it. To avoid trouble, pick only companies that come highly recommended, or consider taking things into your own hands.
In large countries such as Australia, people will often load things up into utility trucks and do the move themselves to ensure everything goes according to plan. There are companies for ute hire in Sydney that allow you to rent a truck for yourself and then move everything at your own pace, with as much care as you can afford.
If you’re not willing to leave your equipment in someone else’s hands, this could be a good solution.
Consider getting a laptop
Desktop computers are usually more powerful, but these days you can get pretty great laptops for bargain prices. If you get the right hardware, you could cut costs and make it much easier to work at any place and any time, and this is going to be especially useful during a move.
As long as you have a cozy chair, you could technically do your work wherever. If your place is too noisy while the movers are there, you can also pick up your laptop and work from a coffee shop temporarily until everything you need is transferred.
Label everything clearly
Don’t rely on your memory to keep everything in check. Trust us, you won’t remember exactly where you put those important folders or where you keep your work notes unless you label everything clearly. Grab a big marker and simply label every single box and make sure that you put everything in its proper place. Packing isn’t the only thing you need to worry about – unpacking can become even more stressful if you’re not careful.
Try to take a day off work
There are so many things to do during a move that you simply won’t have enough time to get a proper working day in. If possible, ask for a day off work to get everything in order because you’ll absolutely need it for everything to go as stress-free as possible. This is especially important if you want to make sure your moving process is environmentally-friendly because it takes time to arrange everything accordingly.
The entire trick to moving to a new home and staying productive at work is basically good organization. Use the tips from our article to make a plan, and your work won’t suffer at all.
