Take Inventory

Moving is a huge and fairly stressful undertaking, no matter how exciting it is. Even the smoothest of moves can have you scratching your head later as you look for a particular file or piece of equipment that you thought you had, but cannot seem to locate anywhere. One of the best ways to decrease the amount of stress you feel about a move––as well as reduce the likelihood of not being able to find your favorite stapler once you unpack––is to take inventory.

Before You Pack

Being organized for a move starts before you pack your first box. Make an inventory of everything you own that will be moved. While a video is ideal, even pictures are sufficient as long as they are accompanied by identifying information. Be sure to take close-up pictures or video shots of serial numbers and other details that will make such belongings more easily identifiable at a later date.

For safe keeping, as well as ease of access, be sure to store at least one extra copy of this information off-site. A cloud-based storage solution is both easy to access and secure, making it a great choice.

As You Pack

Make sure you adhere to a particular system as you pack. The last thing you want to do is simply nonchalantly pack everything from the coffee filters and pens to the toner cartridges and trash bags in the same box. Keeping all your office supplies, for example, in a labeled and numbered box that you then tally in a notebook––or on a form on your laptop or cloud-based storage system––will enable you to easily access the items when you need them. Color-coding will help you stay organized by letting you know instantly that all the boxes with red labels on them belong in the office, for example.

When You Unpack

Make sure that you are armed with your list of items that you packed in each box as the boxes are unloaded off the truck. This way, you can immediately determine if a box is missing. If you know that the boxes labeled with your chosen color––say, blue––are the most urgent on your list, you can unpack them first.

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