Moving offices is a chance to stop paying for storage that no longer works. But it is easy to move every cabinet you already own, then discover that some do not fit, others are damaged, and the new workspace still lacks room for everyday supplies.
This office storage relocation checklist helps you decide what to keep, replace and order before moving day. By checking your contents, measuring the new premises and coordinating purchases with the move, you can build a practical storage plan without carrying unnecessary furniture into your next office.
Before choosing new furniture, establish what your business actually needs to store. A cabinet count alone will not tell you whether the new office needs more filing space, shared shelving or personal storage.
Walk through each department and record the furniture alongside its contents. Include cupboards in meeting rooms, supplies beside printers and items sitting on top of cabinets, not just the obvious storage areas.
For each storage unit, note:
Give each unit a simple reference, such as “Accounts Cabinet 01”, and photograph it. Use the same reference on your inventory, floor plan and moving labels so everyone can identify the correct item.
Separate regularly used materials from occasional-use items, duplicates and belongings with no clear owner. Ask department leads to review their contents before you calculate new storage requirements.
For business records, follow your organisation’s retention and disposal procedures rather than treating an office move as permission to discard files. The aim is to understand your genuine storage demand, not simply reduce the number of boxes.
An existing cabinet is worth keeping when it remains functional, suits its contents and fits the new premises. Its appearance matters, but condition and usefulness should drive the decision.
Assess furniture individually rather than making one decision for an entire department. Two similar cabinets may have very different remaining value if one works smoothly and the other has missing keys or damaged drawers.
| Decision | What to look for | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Keep | Functional unit, suitable capacity and a confirmed place in the new office | Label it and allocate its destination |
| Review | Usable furniture with uncertain fit, missing parts or changed requirements | Measure, inspect and compare costs |
| Replace | Poor function, unsuitable dimensions or contents it cannot accommodate | Write a replacement specification |
| Leave behind | No continuing storage need or unnecessary duplicate furniture | Arrange an approved exit process |
Keeping furniture is not automatically the cheaper option. Consider removal charges, handling, any required disassembly and reassembly, replacement keys or components, and the time needed to coordinate repairs.
Compare that total with a replacement that better suits the new space. Avoid replacing functional furniture merely for a matching finish, but do not move a poor-performing unit just because your business already owns it.
If paper files remain part of your workflow, compare filing cabinets against the file formats and drawer access your team needs.
For mixed stationery, equipment and office supplies, consider storage cabinets. Start with the contents and required shelf arrangement, then check the furniture dimensions.
A storage unit can fit against a wall and still be awkward to use. Drawers need opening space, doors need clearance, and frequently accessed supplies should be convenient for the people using them.
Mark proposed storage positions on the new floor plan before confirming your purchases. Check actual site measurements where possible, rather than relying entirely on a leasing plan or photographs.
Record the available wall space, nearby furniture and any features that affect placement. Include doorways, windows, power outlets and equipment that must remain accessible.
Then check the delivery route. Entrance doors, lifts, corridors and turning points can affect whether a unit reaches its intended position, particularly when it arrives assembled.
Ask the removalist or supplier to confirm handling and installation requirements. Do not assume every cabinet can be dismantled or that your own team should move or install it.
Group storage according to what happens around it:
For materials staff need to see and retrieve frequently, explore office shelving. Compare shelf dimensions with the actual boxes, folders or equipment being stored.
Where personal belongings need a dedicated place, include office lockers in the relocation plan. Base your specification on the belongings staff bring and your allocation process, rather than choosing a configuration purely by appearance.
Once you know what you are keeping, turn the remaining gaps into a purchase list. Each item should have a required quantity, dimensions, intended contents, destination and responsible person.
Separate essential day-one storage from purchases that can wait. This helps you prioritise without committing to every possible future requirement before the team has used the new office.
A practical schedule can follow these stages:
| Relocation stage | Storage task | Result |
|---|---|---|
| New premises confirmed | Inventory furniture and contents | Initial keep-and-replace list |
| Layout being finalised | Check dimensions and access | Confirmed storage positions |
| Before placing orders | Compare specifications and confirm availability | Approved purchase list |
| Before delivery | Confirm access, receiving arrangements and timing | Coordinated delivery plan |
| Moving week | Label furniture and packed contents | Clear destination instructions |
| After settling in | Review actual use and remaining gaps | Targeted follow-up purchases |
Confirm current availability and delivery timing before relying on a particular item for moving day. Your ordering schedule should reflect supplier information and building access arrangements, not an assumed standard lead time.
“Two new cupboards” leaves too much room for misunderstanding. A useful purchase brief includes external dimensions, shelf requirements, door or drawer configuration, lock requirements and preferred finish.
Also record what needs to be confirmed about assembly or installation. Keep those questions alongside the purchase list so they are resolved before delivery, not when furniture arrives.
Sometimes the office move and furniture delivery cannot happen in the ideal order. Decide how essential files and supplies will remain accessible if new storage arrives later.
Use clearly labelled temporary containers and nominate an owner for each department’s unpacking. Avoid making unidentified piles that turn a short delay into weeks of searching.
The most expensive mistakes often come from purchasing before the contents and layout are understood. A relocation plan should connect all three: what you store, where it belongs and which furniture accommodates it.
External dimensions tell you whether a cabinet fits the room, not whether its contents fit inside. Check usable shelf or drawer dimensions, file compatibility and relevant product specifications before ordering.
Where shelving will hold equipment or heavy supplies, check the manufacturer’s stated load information. Do not estimate suitability from the unit’s appearance.
Packing everything is quick in the moment, but it transfers the same storage problems to the new office. Complete department reviews early enough to update both the removal plan and purchase quantities.
Equally, avoid buying large amounts of spare storage without a defined purpose. Allow for known growth, but give any additional capacity a reason.
Once the office is functioning, check whether staff can find and return items easily. Look for overflowing cupboards, underused shelves and supplies repeatedly left outside their allocated area.
Adjust shelf positions and item allocation before assuming more furniture is needed. If a genuine gap remains, you will have a much clearer specification for the next purchase.
An office relocation works better when storage decisions happen before the boxes arrive. Keep furniture that still earns its place, replace units that no longer suit the job, and order against measured requirements rather than guesswork.
Once your checklist is complete, browse EasyMart’s storage cabinets to compare options against your new office’s needs.
