Whether you are upgrading to a bigger facility, or moving for budget reasons, moving your business from one building to another can be a stressful and tricky task. Cleaning might get pushed to the bottom of the list in favor of other more pressing moving issues. However, cleaning is just as essential as any other list item you’re looking to check off. Moving into a facility that is in pristine condition will ultimately save you time and money on future commercial cleanings.
What You Need to Do Before Moving Your Business Into a New Facility:
1. Minimize Clutter
An efficient move starts with getting rid of unnecessary supplies, equipment, files and a host of other materials that tend to accumulate over time. Encourage employees to clean out desks and areas in and around their current workstations so less clutter finds its way to the new space. The less you need to move, the easier the move will be.
Desks: Throw away or recycle any papers or files that are no longer needed. Toss out old notes and broken office supplies. Don’t get caught up in thinking too deeply about this process. Anything you don’t need anymore should be donated or thrown away.
Files: Before you just toss all of your files into a box, figure out which ones to be moved and which can be archived, shredded and recycled.
Supply Closets: Closets are easily cluttered so this is the time to be ruthless as you will only want to move items that are actually needed. This is the time to get rid of ink cartridges for the printer you no longer have or outdated brochures that are no longer relevant.
Storage Room: Your office storage room is likely the place where all of the things that you didn’t know what to do with ended up. Many of these items won’t be needed in your new office space! Donate obsolete equipment and old furniture that were replaced long ago.
2. Clean
Chances are, the previous tenants of your new facility didn’t take time to thoroughly clean the facility before leaving. If you are lucky enough to be moving into a new facility, you’ll still need to clean up the layers of drywall dust, stray carpet fibers and trash left behind by construction workers. Doing a thorough cleaning prior to getting all the furniture and equipment moved in will save a lot of time and hassle. Areas to consider include:
Bathrooms – sanitize fixtures, stalls and clean tile grout
Flooring – vacuum or mop prior to moving in furniture
Windows – clean inside and out
Window treatments – remove collected dust on blinds and material
Vents and grates – remove cobwebs and built-up grime
Ceiling tiles – replace stained tiles
Walls – wipe down all surfaces, especially textured areas
Upholstery – shampoo your existing furniture and any that came with the facility
3. Touch Up Paint and Minor Repairs
Inevitably, previous tenants or construction workers have scuffed up the walls or dented door jambs. Quickly touch up these areas or hire someone to repaint while the facility is still empty. Keep in mind that a fresh coat of paint can help make a good first impression for visitors and the colors you choose can enhance your company’s branding. Replace burned out lightbulbs, install new door handles, repair broken window blinds, and patch holes in walls to keep your fresh environment looking and feeling new and exciting.
4. High Rise Needs
Typical office buildings have an 8-10 foot ceiling that is relatively easy to reach. Industrial facilities and warehouses, on the other hand, can be several stories tall. Specific spaces in these facilities, such as interior rafters, beams, fans and vents, can present a cleaning challenge. You will want these areas to be as clean as possible before moving in, especially if settling dust and debris from overhead poses a contamination risk to your production.
5. Bring in the Pros
Starting with a clean facility is the first step in any big move. From there, you can complete the rest of your move with ease. Hiring a professional to make sure your new facility is move-in ready will remove some of that stress and help you and your employees focus on getting back to work and serving your customers as quickly as possible.
At OctoClean, we know that moving an entire company is one of the most stressful things you can do as a business owner. We are committed to making sure that you move into or out of a sparkling clean facility without interfering with your day-to-day operations. Our customized janitorial services and cleaning plans mean that we work when itÃs most convenient for you, including after hours and overnight services.