How to Move Your Home Office

Taking a little extra care when packing your equipment will help make the transition smooth.
By Louie Gibson Scarlett · Sep 28, 2024

Relocating your home office requires some extra planning to ensure your essential work equipment and documents arrive safely and ready to use. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you move your workspace efficiently.

Prepare Packing Supplies

Before diving into the move, make sure you have all the necessary packing materials on hand. Here's a quick list of what you might need:

  • Sturdy cardboard boxes of various sizes
  • Bubble wrap or foam padding for delicate electronics
  • Packing tape and a tape dispenser
  • Labels or markers to keep track of what's in each box
  • Ziplock bags for smaller items, such as screws and cables

Having these materials ready ensures you can securely pack your equipment, helping to prevent any damage during the move. Proper packing will save you time and frustration when you set up your office again.

Clean Up Your Workspace

The coffee cups and empty Sprite cans probably don't need to come with you. Moving is the perfect opportunity to declutter. Go through your office space and decide what you no longer need. Discard old papers, recycle outdated electronics, and donate unused office supplies. Decluttering before you pack will make organizing your new workspace easier and more efficient.

A cleaner workspace means fewer boxes and less effort in packing. Plus, it’s always refreshing to start fresh in a new office with only the essentials.

Take a Picture of the Cables Before Disassembling Your Computer Set-Up

One of the trickiest parts of setting up your office again is reconnecting your computer and other electronics. Before you unplug anything, snap a few pictures of how everything is connected. This simple step will save you a ton of time later when you're trying to figure out which cable goes where.

Label the cables as you disconnect them, and store them in a small box or bag to keep them together. This small effort can prevent headaches during reassembly in your new office.

Use Cardboard Boxes to Protect Your Monitors

Monitors are one of the most fragile items in your home office, so they need special attention during the move. Ideally, pack your monitor in its original box. If you don’t have it, use a sturdy cardboard box that’s slightly larger than the monitor. Wrap it generously in bubble wrap or soft fabric to cushion it from bumps.

Secure the box with tape, and make sure it’s labeled "fragile" so that anyone helping you move knows to handle it with care. This will help prevent any unfortunate accidents that might damage your expensive electronics.

Use Filing Boxes to Keep Your Important Documents Organized

If you work with a lot of paperwork, you’ll want to keep your documents safe and organized during the move. Use filing boxes with built-in organizers to ensure your important papers don’t get lost or damaged. These boxes are designed to protect files and make unpacking easier, as they’ll remain neatly arranged in the order you had them.

Label the boxes clearly, especially if you have sensitive documents that you’ll need to access quickly once you’re settled. Filing boxes will help keep everything in place during transport, reducing the chances of misplacing anything important.

By following these steps, you can move your home office with minimal stress and ensure that you’re back to work in no time. Taking a little extra care when packing your equipment and organizing your documents will help make the transition smooth and efficient. If you are unsure about doing this yourself, it's always a good option to hire a moving company to handle your moving & packing for you. Big Camel offers these services and more.

About the Author

Louie Gibson Scarlett

Louie Gibson Scarlett is a dedicated moving specialist based in Wellington. With over four years of hands-on experience under his belt, he has seen it all when it comes to Wellington Furniture Moving. He has held positions at a couple of Wellington’s top moving companies, and founded Big Camel in 2020.