Moving. It’s right up there with getting a root canal or making small talk with your hairdresser- painful, dicey at times, but worth it in the end.
We’ve recently had the…opportunity/laborious yet worthy process to move into a better and brighter space.
To ease the burden that IS shifting spaces we proudly present The Relish Jar’s Tips and Tricks When Moving. Enjoy this curated list of things we def learned the hard way. Learn and grow from our mistakes. You’re welcome.
- Update your address with USPS and Google – trust us, this can take longer than you expected. Want your mail and package delivery to be seamless? Then you have to put in the work and make sure this is updated (it’s really pretty easy). This also means people are able to find you at your new location, which is, you know, helpful when running a business.
- Change over any subscriptions – FedEx and USPS and UPS and DHL and any other mail oriented combo of letters are busy. They don’t know if you specifically have changed up your address (see tip #1). So it is essential yet somehow equally easy to forget to update your address in terms of your subscriptions. Think about it: this could make or break a consistent coffee supply, something I think we can all agree is the lifeblood of your office, nay of commerce itself.
- Boxes – You can never have enough during a move. Think you have a sufficient amount? No you don’t, go get more. Trash cans, hampers and baskets get the job done in a pinch, but something light that you can throw away at the end of a long arduous haul is always preferable. Ask stores, who cares if it’s awkward? Grocery stores are a great place to look, especially if you can nail down specific delivery days and offer to take some cardboard swag off their hands. Go on, ask for the manager, we know you can do it.
- Check the weather – If you’re interested in avoiding heat stroke, hail damage on you and your possessions etc, then it’s best to double check you’re not moving during a heat wave or any other inclement weather event. We know that moves have a finite time in which to happen so this can’t always be avoided, but it’s best to at least try and make sure you’re not driving an unwieldy Uhaul during a flash flood.
- Make a moving plan – First off, this means taking a good hard look at your vehicle and accepting spacial limitations/basic physics. No amount of maneuvering is going to make your 70 inch desk fit in your 65 inch hatchback trunk. Either plan ahead and nab a rental that you (or someone) feels comfortable driving, or hope someone has a vehicle to transport your stuff. (Thanks Bill!).
- Arrive prepared – Does the new place have extension cords, power strips, floor protectors ready to go? If you have these things packed are they easily accessible? The last thing anyone wants is to dig through mountains of all the other stuff you packed to find the one cord you need to get things running. What is this, the 90s? People need wifi for scrolling breaks.
- A fed team is a happy team – This one kind of falls under the whole “be prepared” tip, but we felt food was so important it deserved its own spot in line. What’s the kitchen like at the new place? Do you have plates and forks? Were those part of your old kitchenette and they don’t come with you? What about a microwave? These are the questions that truly matter. People want to eat. They are more productive when they eat. Also unless you’re running a prison camp, you should be prepared for the fact that your team will want access to a functional kitchen as one of the first things in the new space. If you’re a bunch of foodies like our group, snacking is a must!
- Utility change – Last but not least, moving doesn’t do you much good if your power is shut off on day 3 because you didn’t update it! Tedious, yes. Essential? Also yes. Just get it done and you’ll be thrilled you did when you’re not freezing/melting to death. It’s the little things.
Well, there you have it. Our tried and true list of moving tasks that any team worth their salt heeds. Do these, and apart from lugging heavy furniture up and in and out and down, your move will be smooth sailing. We can’t wait to see your new place!