If you work from home, having your home office functional is crucial, and the downtime between transitioning can be detrimental to your career. Here are some tips to help you reduce your downtime.
Proper planning. Give as much notice to your coworkers or clients as possible that you will be “out of the office” during the days of your move. This ensures no one is relying on you for crucial tasks during those days. If assignments are due, wrap them up beforehand or get everything in line to quickly wrap them up after settling into the new place. Also remember to have your internet switched to the new location ahead of time so the setup will be as quick as possible.
Packing. To start, prior to the move, start packing the items that you won’t be using for work, such as decorations, or otherwise items that are rarely needed. Place those items at the top of boxes and don’t bother taping them off until shortly before the move. This will allow you to quickly access those items if indeed a rare use for them is necessary.
Deployment ready packing. Instead of removing all of the pens and office supplies from desk holders and cups, wrap them in tape and place them into the box as a whole – that way when you unpack these items, you can simply remove the tape and place the ready to use items on your desk. Filing cabinets and desk drawers? Don’t bother emptying out these furniture items as well. If there is excess space inside, place some bubble wrap so items won’t slide around during transition. Just before the move, wrap these furniture pieces so the drawers won’t come open during the transition. When you set up at the new location, all you have to do is remove the wrap and bubble wrap, then your items are ready for use without the time it takes to reorganize everything within.
Take your electronics in the car with you. No matter how much planning and precautions you may take, unforeseen accidents happen sometimes. In the event your move hits a few snags, you will still have your computers and accessories with you so you can deploy them in any space as needed. By following these steps, you will put yourself in the best position possible to not miss anything and be ready for work the day after your move!
