The Ultimate Office Move Checklist: Move Offices Without Losing Momentum

An office move is one of those projects that touches everything: your people, your clients, your IT, your brand, and your budget. Done well, it becomes a strategic reset that supports hybrid work, productivity, and growth. Done poorly, it creates downtime, stress, and unexpected costs.

This guide gives you a practical, step-by-step office move checklist you can actually use. It follows a realistic timeline from 6–12 months before your relocation through the first weeks in your new space. Along the way, you will see where switching to a coworking or flexible office can dramatically reduce your to‑do list and risk.

Whether you are a founder moving a 10‑person team or an operations lead coordinating a 150‑desk relocation, you can adapt this checklist to your own office move plan.

How to use this office move checklist

Most office moves follow the same pattern: planning, preparation, move day, stabilisation. The details change depending on your size, industry, and the type of workspace you choose, but the sequence stays similar.

Use this office relocation checklist in three ways. First, as a roadmap to understand what is coming and when. Second, as a control tool: assign each task to an owner and a deadline. Third, as a risk filter: for each phase, ask what could go wrong and how you will prevent it.

The checklist assumes a 6–12 month runway, which is typical for companies signing a new lease or moving regional offices. If you are relocating into a fully serviced coworking space, you can often compress the timeline because fit‑out, furniture, IT and services are already in place. The earlier you involve your workspace provider, the more of this plan they can absorb.

6–12 months before your office move: strategy and workspace choice

Clarify why you’re moving and what success looks like

Before you look at boxes or floor plans, define the strategic reasons for your office move. Common drivers include headcount growth, downsizing to match hybrid work patterns, entering a new market, or reducing long‑term real estate risk.

Turn those reasons into measurable success criteria. For example, you might aim to reduce fixed office costs by a specific percentage, increase access to meeting rooms, improve commute times for a majority of staff, or enable a more flexible desk policy. Document these outcomes and treat them as your north star when making trade‑offs.

At this stage, map your existing work patterns. How many people are in the office on a typical day? Which teams need fixed desks, and which can share? Which functions need quiet focus rooms versus collaboration areas? Honest answers here will help you avoid copying your old layout into a new space that no longer fits how your team works.

Build your office move project team

An office move is a cross‑functional project, not an admin task. Nominate a project lead with enough authority to make decisions quickly. Then involve representatives from finance, HR/people, IT, legal, and key business units that are heavily dependent on the office, such as sales or customer support.

Define responsibilities early. Finance can own the move budget and approval steps. IT handles the office IT move checklist: network, Wi‑Fi, security, devices, and SaaS tools. HR coordinates change communication and wellbeing. Legal reviews leases, licences and compliance. The project lead keeps the office moving checklist on track and resolves conflicts.

If you are moving into a coworking or flexible workspace, add your workspace provider as a member of this team. Mature operators bring a tested relocation framework, service‑level commitments, and clear processes for everything from access control to mail handling. Treat them as a partner, not just a landlord.

Decide what kind of workspace you’re moving into

The biggest structural decision in any office relocation checklist is the type of space you are moving into. Broadly, you have three options: a traditional leased office, a managed office where much of the fit‑out and services are bundled, or a coworking / flexible office.

A traditional lease may suit very large or highly specialised organisations, but it also puts more responsibility on your team: fit‑out, furniture, IT backbone, cleaning, reception, and safety compliance all sit with you. Your office move project plan will be longer and more complex.

A managed office or coworking space shifts that burden. In our locations, for example, desks, chairs, meeting rooms, phone booths, high‑speed Wi‑Fi, cleaning, security, and reception are already in place. You move into a fully operational environment, adjust the layout to your needs, and plug your team into existing services and community programmes.

At this stage, shortlist locations and workspace types that match your size, budget and culture. Book in‑person tours, ask about service‑level agreements (for example, Wi‑Fi uptime and response times for support tickets), and request example move‑in timelines. These details belong in your office move checklist because they determine how much work your internal team must absorb.

3–6 months before: design your new office and plan operations

Plan your space for hybrid work

Once you have signed or are close to signing, turn strategy into floor plans. Start with capacity: how many workpoints and meeting seats you need on your busiest days, rather than total headcount. Then map circulation, quiet zones, collaboration areas, and support spaces such as storage, print areas, and wellness rooms.

For hybrid teams, prioritise flexible settings over rows of identical desks. Hot desks, touchdown bars, and informal collaboration spaces allow you to absorb peaks without paying for unused fixed workstations. If you are moving into a coworking space, your operator’s design team can run utilisation studies and propose layouts that reflect how similar organisations use the space.

Do not forget practicalities: power and data points, acoustic treatment, wayfinding signage, and accessibility. Decisions here directly affect how smoothly your team will work in the first weeks after the move.

Map your IT, security and compliance requirements

IT is where many office moves fail. Create a dedicated IT office move checklist that sits alongside your main office relocation plan. It should cover network design, internet provisioning, Wi‑Fi coverage, access control systems, meeting room AV, printing, telephony, and device deployment.

Confirm what is provided by your building or coworking operator and what remains your responsibility. In a traditional lease, you will likely manage everything from structured cabling to vendor contracts. In a serviced or coworking office, core connectivity, guest Wi‑Fi, and AV in shared meeting rooms are typically included, and you focus on integrating your own tools.

Include information security and compliance. If you work with sensitive data, involve your security or compliance officer early. They will want to understand physical security, CCTV policies, visitor management, secure disposal of old equipment, and any regulatory approvals required for the new address.

Align key dates, contracts and budget

With design and IT requirements clearer, refine your timeline and budget. Anchor your office move project plan around a firm move‑in date, then work backwards to set design freeze dates, procurement cut‑offs, and communication milestones.

Review all related contracts: your existing lease and its make‑good obligations, new lease or membership agreement, insurance, waste and cleaning providers, and any service contracts tied to your current address. Missing a termination date can turn into months of double rent.

Your budget should cover not only movers and packing materials but also temporary storage, new equipment, marketing collateral with updated address, and contingency for surprises. If you are moving into coworking, ask for an all‑inclusive quote that covers workspace, utilities, cleaning, security, and shared amenities. This will simplify comparisons and remove hidden costs from your office moving checklist.

2–3 months before: prepare people, vendors and inventory

Communicate the move to employees and stakeholders

Clear, early communication will decide whether your office move feels like an upgrade or a disruption. Start with your internal audience: explain the reasons for the move, expected benefits, and high‑level timeline. Share visuals of the new workspace as soon as you can, especially if you are moving into a more modern or central location.

Give managers talking points and FAQs so they can address team concerns consistently. Be transparent about commute changes, desk policies, and how hybrid work will operate in the new office. If you are moving into a flexible workspace, highlight practical benefits employees care about: more meeting rooms, better coffee, wellness rooms, events, or access to other locations.

Externally, update key clients and partners. Reassure them that service levels will be maintained during the move and give them clear dates and contact details. Add the relocation to your website and email signatures once dates are firm.

Audit furniture, equipment and files

Treat your office move as an opportunity to declutter. Walk the floor with your facilities, IT and team representatives. Decide what to move, what to sell or donate, and what to recycle. Old filing cabinets, spare chairs, and unused equipment take time and money to move and rarely justify their footprint in a new office.

Create a simple inventory of what will travel with you, especially any specialised or high‑value equipment. For each category, note dimensions, power requirements, and handling instructions. Your movers and workspace provider can then plan access routes, loading docks, and floor protection.

If you are moving into a coworking space that already includes furniture, you may find that you can dramatically reduce what you move. In many relocations we support, teams bring only their monitors, personal equipment, and a small number of storage units. Everything else is ready and waiting on day one.

Select movers and specialist vendors

Choosing the right vendors is one of the most important items in any business move checklist. Look for commercial movers with proven experience in office relocations for organisations of your size. Ask specifically about their approach to IT equipment, lab or production gear (if relevant), and after‑hours moves to minimise disruption.

Request detailed quotes that show how many days and people they will allocate, what is included in packing, and how they handle insurance. Cheaper is not always better if it increases your risk of damage or overruns. Include references in your evaluation.

Beyond movers, line up any specialist vendors you need: AV integrators, IT network partners, signage providers, and cleaners for both the old and new premises. If you are moving into coworking, your operator will often have preferred partners who know the building and can shorten your learning curve.

2–3 weeks before: final countdown to your office move

Confirm your move-day run sheet

As move day approaches, your office relocation checklist should become very concrete. Create a run sheet that shows who needs to be where, doing what, and when. Include building access details, loading dock times, key contact numbers, and decision‑makers for on‑the‑spot approvals.

Share this plan with your movers, workspace provider, internal move team, and building management on both sides. Encourage questions now rather than on the day. Clarify which services must stay live until the last hour in the old office (such as main phone lines or certain systems) and what can be switched earlier.

Pack, label and protect critical assets

Packing is where a good office move checklist becomes highly practical. Provide teams with clear instructions: what to pack themselves, what will be handled by movers, and how to label everything. Using consistent labelling – by team, area, and destination zone – will save hours of confusion at the new office.

Ask IT to oversee packing of servers, network gear, and shared equipment. Sensitive files and hardware should travel in sealed containers with assigned custodians. If you are decommissioning old devices, ensure secure data wiping and disposal are part of your plan.

Protect your brand assets too. Signage, branded fixtures, and any customer‑facing elements should be packed so they can be reinstalled early in the new location, supporting a seamless transition for visitors.

Test your new office before go-live

Where possible, schedule a pre‑move walk‑through of the new office with your core project team. Test Wi‑Fi coverage, access cards, meeting room AV, climate control, and printing. Check that wayfinding signage makes sense and that emergency exits are clearly marked and unobstructed.

If you are moving into a coworking or serviced office, your operator’s community and operations teams will typically run their own checks as part of their standard operating procedures. Still, bring your own perspective: simulate a normal workday and see what might confuse a new arrival. The goal is to fix issues before your wider team sees the space.

Office move day checklist

On-site coordination and access

On move day, keep decision‑making tight. Your move lead should be on site from the first arrival of movers until the last truck leaves, supported by representatives from IT and facilities. Start with a brief safety and logistics briefing so everyone understands the sequence of activities and access rules.

Ensure that someone is always available at each key point: loading dock, goods lift, old office, and new office. Confirm that reception or security at both buildings knows your schedule and contact persons, and that access cards or visitor passes have been prepared.

IT, internet and systems go-live

Your aim is simple: when employees arrive for their first day in the new office, they should be able to sit down, connect, and work. To achieve this, schedule IT tasks early on move day. Prioritise network and Wi‑Fi activation, core systems, and shared devices such as printers and meeting room screens.

Run basic tests before you declare the move complete. Can you join video calls from key meeting rooms? Are shared drives and applications accessible? Is guest Wi‑Fi working for visitors? Create a clear channel – for example, a dedicated chat or email – where employees can report issues in the first days, and route those directly to IT or your workspace provider’s support team.

Health, safety and building checks

Before you release the space to your wider team, quickly walk the floors with a safety lens. Check that emergency exits, fire extinguishers and first‑aid kits are accessible, that corridors are clear, and that any temporary hazards from the move have been removed or clearly marked.

In a coworking environment, much of this is handled by the operator’s operations team, who conduct daily checks against their safety and cleanliness standards. Even so, your internal safety officer or office manager should perform their own review and document any issues that need follow‑up.

First week in the new office: stabilise and optimise

Support employees through the transition

The first week is about people, not furniture. Plan a structured onboarding into the new office: short tours by team, a simple guide with floor plans and key information, and clear instructions on how to book meeting rooms or desks if you are using shared seating.

Expect a learning curve. Some employees will love the new environment immediately; others will need time. Give them channels to share feedback and questions, and respond visibly. If you are in a coworking space, introduce your team to the on‑site community team so they know who to ask for day‑to‑day help.

Fine-tune layout, policies and services

No office layout survives first contact with real usage unchanged. Observe how people actually use the space in the first weeks. Where do they naturally gather? Which areas are underused? Are there recurring complaints about noise, meeting room availability, or focus space?

Use this information to make small, fast adjustments: moving furniture, adding acoustic screens, changing desk neighbourhoods, or tweaking your hybrid work guidelines. Flexible offices and coworking spaces make these changes much easier because you are working with modular furniture and an operations team used to reconfigurations.

Close out the old office properly

Finally, complete your exit from the old office. Confirm that all decommissioning work has been done according to your lease: removal of cabling or fixtures where required, patching and repainting, and professional cleaning. Document the condition of the space with photos before handover.

Update your address everywhere it appears: website, Google Business Profile, invoices, contracts, HR systems, and marketing materials. Set up mail forwarding for a defined period. These small items often fall through the cracks but can cause ongoing confusion if ignored.

Why more companies switch to coworking when they move office

Lower risk and more predictable costs

An office move is a natural moment to question whether you should sign another long lease. Many companies now use their relocation as an opportunity to shift to coworking or flexible offices, trading fixed commitments for more adaptability.

In a coworking model, you usually pay a single monthly fee that covers workspace, utilities, core IT infrastructure, cleaning, and shared amenities. This simplifies your office move budget and reduces the number of vendors you need to manage. If your headcount changes, you can scale your footprint up or down with far less friction than subletting or renegotiating a traditional lease.

Operational relief: IT, services and SLA included

Running an office is operationally heavy: cleaning, security, reception, maintenance, and IT issues never really stop. A significant part of our role as a coworking operator is to absorb this operational load so your team can focus on clients and products.

When you move into a well‑run flexible workspace, many items on your office moving checklist disappear. You do not need to procure furniture, negotiate separate internet contracts, or set up reception from scratch. Instead, you plug into an existing operations machine with defined procedures, SLAs for incident response, and a support team that lives and breathes office logistics.

Community, flexibility and scale as you grow

Beyond the practicalities, coworking changes the experience of being in the office. Your team gains access to shared amenities and community programmes: talks, networking events, wellness sessions, and curated introductions to other members. This can be particularly valuable if you are moving into a new city or market and want to accelerate local connections.

From a strategic perspective, flexible offices also support new ways of working. You can start with a smaller private office plus access to shared areas, then add desks, meeting rooms or additional locations as your footprint evolves. Your next office move may be as simple as expanding within the same building rather than coordinating another full relocation.

How our coworking team supports your office relocation

Pre-move consulting and workspace design

We support clients well before their move‑in date. Share your headcount, hybrid work patterns, and target move date, and our team can help you translate that into a practical office move plan. Together, we choose the right membership structure, locations and layouts so your new workspace supports how your team really works.

Our design and operations teams will recommend floor plans, furniture configurations, and room setups that reflect what we have seen work for hundreds of other companies. This saves you weeks of trial and error and reduces the risk of costly redesigns after the move.

Structured move-in and onboarding

On the operational side, we use a standard move‑in playbook that covers everything from access cards and IT configuration to signage and welcome communications. Before your first day, we test your space end‑to‑end so that workstations, Wi‑Fi, meeting rooms and printing are ready.

On move‑in day, our community team is on site to greet your employees, run office tours, and answer practical questions. This human layer matters: it turns a stressful transition into a positive experience and helps new routines form quickly.

Ongoing support, reporting and optimisation

After you have settled in, our role shifts from relocation partner to long‑term workspace operator. We monitor utilisation and feedback, suggest layout tweaks, and help you plan for future growth or changes in working patterns.

You have one point of contact for day‑to‑day requests and a clear process for escalations. Instead of maintaining your own internal office management team, you can rely on ours – with service levels defined in your agreement and a shared interest in keeping your workspace running smoothly.

Frequently asked questions about moving office

How long does an office move usually take?

For small teams moving into a flexible office, it is possible to plan and execute a relocation in a few weeks if the space is already built and available. For larger companies signing a new lease and fitting out their own premises, a full office move project can easily take 6–12 months from initial brief to full stabilisation. The more you can reuse existing infrastructure and services, the faster you can move.

Who should own the office move inside the company?

Ownership varies by organisation, but successful office moves always have a single, empowered project lead. This person might sit in operations, HR/people, or finance, depending on your structure. What matters is that they have the authority to make decisions, the time to manage the project, and direct access to senior leadership for escalations.

What are the biggest risks in an office move?

The most common risks are downtime from IT issues, unexpected double rent or penalties from poorly managed leases, and employee dissatisfaction if communication is weak. A thorough office relocation checklist, combined with realistic timelines and early involvement of your workspace provider, dramatically reduces these risks.

How does moving into coworking change the office move checklist?

Coworking does not remove the need for planning, but it shifts where the work happens. Many complex items – fit‑out, base IT, cleaning, security, and front‑of‑house – are handled by the operator. Your internal checklist becomes lighter and more focused on people, communication, and integration with your tools. For many companies, this is the difference between a once‑in‑a‑decade disruption and a smooth, repeatable process.

When should we talk to a coworking operator about our move?

As early as possible. Even if your move is six to twelve months away, a short conversation now will help you understand your options, compare costs with a traditional lease, and avoid committing to a space that will not support your next stage of growth. When you are ready, share your timeline and requirements with our team, and we will help you turn this office move checklist into a concrete, low‑risk plan.