When putting your items in storage for any amount of time, it’s important that you pack them in a way that’s certain to protect them and maintain their quality. During an office relocation, renovation, or simply in the case of over stocking, putting your office supplies into storage can be a good idea.
Your office will likely be full of expensive and valuable equipment, documents and furniture which at some point will need to be stored, or packed. Here’s how you should pack your office supplies to ensure their safety.
Important Items First
Your first and most crucial step should be to pack the most important items in your office first. If you run a well-organised office, the important things should be easy to find. Packing these things first helps ensure they’re not lost in the packing and moving process. Things should be categorised and packed into their own boxes.
Documents, files and other essential papers should have their own boxes and can be placed in protective plastic bags or sleeves to protect them from potential leaks and spillages during transport.
Personal items should also be cleared out first and packed separately.
Fragile and Delicate Items
After you have packed your important and essential documents, it’s crucial you then pack fragile and delicate items. Packing these things before you start moving bulkier items ensures they won’t be damaged during the packing process.
Each item that you deem fragile needs to be wrapped in bubble wrap or a few layers of packing paper and placed in a box. The box should also be filled with crushed newspaper or packing peanuts to prevent the items moving around within the box. Boxes with fragile items need to then be labelled as “fragile”, bold and clear.
When storing or moving your office supplies, it’s important that the fragile boxes are placed on top of things and are on a stable surface.
Labelling is key
While it might seem obvious, labelling is the most important part of packing. Effective labelling can make the difference in a successful move or when it’s time to take your items out of storage.
Your labels should be colour coded to differentiate between what’s inside, or what department they belong to. If you’re moving, the labels should also state where the boxes should end up in the new office.
If you’re putting your items into storage it can help to create a master list of your entire inventory, and even what’s in each individual box.
Large Equipment
Large equipment pose the biggest challenge when moving and items out of your office. These items can range from computers and copy machines, to fridges and tables. Many of these things can be difficult to move as they can be bulky and heavy while still being fragile. Professional movers will be best for moving these items.
When storing these items, it can be helpful to store other things on or within them. Boxes with documents can be stored on desks, while more fragile items can be stored underneath, out of the way.
If you’re looking to move offices, or simply need more storage space, Spacer can provide you with affordable, secure and local storage solutions.