One of the major positives of remote work is that your home office can be anywhere. Unrestrained by factors like commuting time and transport fares, many Kiwis are taking advantage of their new work-from-home situations to sell their current residences and move to dream locales. Buying a new home may be exciting, but the moving process, and managing to stay productive at work through it all, can be a different story.
While it may be difficult, you can do it all — sell your home, make the move, excel on the job, and keep your sanity. Therefore, in making sure everything runs smoothly, assistance from a tried and true moving service may be a part of the solution. As you begin planning for your big transition it is important to consider the following moving tips:
Manage your time carefully
With more on your plate outside of work, the value of your time will increase. Make the most of it by breaking what you need to do into smaller tasks. Focus on one task at a time, as trying to do too many things all at once can leave you overwhelmed and actually cause a loss in productivity. That means when you are working, you’re only handling work tasks, not thinking about all the clutter in the attic left to move.
Take time off to pack and move
Throughout this process it is important that you schedule a few days off to focus exclusively on moving. During these days, refrain from frantically checking work emails to see if there are any messages from your boss or clients. This is your personal time so make sure you're using it accordingly.
As you’ll need to request time off in advance, you can also plot out the rest of the moving process to make things less stressful. Understand that your schedule is just a guideline and allow for extra time in case you get a little behind. You don’t want to wind up overwhelmed if a part of the process takes longer than expected or something important needs attending to at the last minute.
Leave yourself a temporary workspace
As you begin to pack up your belongings, consider the timeframe and order in which you’ll pack them. This is especially important for moving a home office setup.
If you’re looking to stay productive all the way through the move, you’ll have to keep out the work materials you use every day and pack them up last. Even if most of your daily tasks require only a laptop and a charger, you’ll be surprised to discover how much harder it will be to stay productive without your typical workspace, whether it involves a sturdy desk or organisation system in a drawer.
Start by packing the items that are least important to your productivity, like decorations and old documents. Just remember that you’ll want to pack up some of the heavier or more complex furniture items sooner rather than later.
In the final stages of the packing process, when your office furniture is already disassembled, you may need to think of temporary solutions to remain productive. This could be anything from using a folding chair and table to renting a desk at a co-working space for a month or two during the transition. The latter could help you to stay focused by giving you a nice change of scenery.
Pack the right way
In addition to packing your least essential home office items first, ensure you’re using sturdy packaging materials and containers as well as sensible packing techniques.
Safely pack electronics
Seal electronics in a bag before boxing them up. This will add an extra layer of protection in case water gets into the box. In addition, place electronics on top of something soft, like a pillow in the box, to cushion any impact that might occur during the moving process. Consult the instruction manuals for your electronics for any additional precautions to take during the moving process.
Keep track of disassembled furniture
While disassembling your office furniture, be sure to keep all of the pieces together in as few boxes as possible. Secure nuts, bolts and other parts in a bag together, for easy reassembly at your new home.
Choosing the right packing materials
Rather than cardboard boxes, use reinforced containers like crates when transporting heavier equipment. Remove ink or toner cartridges from your printer before you pack it to avoid any messy mishaps during your move.
For smaller items like pens, notebooks and staplers, bundle these loose office supplies, rather than throwing them in a box. In the case of chargers and cables, be sure to label them for easier setup after the move.
Finally, label each box so you have a general idea of what office supplies are in each one. If there are certain boxes you will need to open up first to get your home office set up in your new residence, mark them accordingly.
Start settling in
You’ve done it — packed everything in your home office while maintaining productivity day in and day out. Now that you’re at your new home, it’s time to begin unpacking and getting settled into your new space. Make sure everything you left with is accounted for and then start unpacking boxes in a logical order. If you did things right, much of the hassle will be taken out by the way you packed.
If everything listed above sounds stressful, don’t worry! You don’t have to be alone throughout the moving process. The team at Allied is here for you. Our experienced removalists can take care of your packing, transport, storage and insurance needs, whether you’re moving domestically or abroad. That gives you more time to focus on your work responsibilities and personal life during this time of transition. Get started with a free local moving quote or call our experienced team on 0800 255 433 for more information.