A Guide to Academic Moving for The New School Year

The start of a new college school year is always exciting. The hustle of campus life will keep you on your toes, and deciding to live on or off campus can be a hard decision to make. Either way, when your move-in day is quickly approaching, you might want to consider getting help with all your move-in needs. Getting assistance with academic moving is your best bet at having a stress-free move-in day. Here are some things you’ll need to do to prepare for moving into your first college apartment.

Budget Wisely

Establishing a budget when planning for your academic moving experience is a smart thing to do. Not only do you want to figure out your expenses for living off-campus, but you’ll also need to budget wisely for the move-in date. You’ll want to pick up packing supplies like boxes, tape, bins, and bubble wrap to ensure nothing breaks and everything stays intact. For instance, as a rule of thumb, you should add 25% more moving materials than you think you’ll need in, according to Shared.com. Ensuring you have all of these materials will help the moving company you work with.

Pick Your Apartment Essentials

You’ll need a list of important things to buy and keep in your apartment. The necessities might include specific furniture for each room, small appliances, dishes, utensils, cookware, and much more. Living in a college apartment is the same as living in an actual apartment, so you’ll want to think about all aspects of daily living. If you are hiring a mover to help you, you’ll want to let them know that you have a few appliances that might be heavy and they will adjust accordingly.

Make a Visit Beforehand

Before your move-in date, ask to see if you can take a walkthrough of the apartment. You’ll be able to take note of any chipped paint or appliances and furniture that are broken. You can take pictures to keep proof that you didn’t cause the damage when moving or living there. This way, you’ll be able to get your security deposit back if there is one out in place, and you’ll be able to let your movers know what kinds of heavy furniture you need to bring with you to replace those items.

If you are hiring someone to assist you with moving, you can take the floor plan and add the furniture you plan to bring with you and give it to the mover. When it comes to appliances, make sure that the apartment you’re moving into doesn’t already have them. For example, some kitchens come with a microwave, which is an expense you won’t have to worry about. If your movers itemize your belongings, this might help them even more since they’ll be able to place your furniture exactly where you want it.

Find Out the Moving Range

Whether you’re going to school locally or in another state, you need to find out what the range of service is for the moving company. It may seem obvious, but planning a move without that consideration would be quite a setback. Traditionally, moving companies will know the local schools and help many students with the stressful task of moving their belongings. On the other hand, some companies are able to provide moving services for longer distances. Be sure to discuss with prospective moving services.

Questions to Ask Your Moving Company

Preparing for a move is usually a big task. However, when you rely on professional assistance, the process becomes easier. Before starting your move, ask your company if they pack up the boxes. This can vary from company to company, but it is a service that may be available. Another important factor is the time frame of the move. Companies can be flexible around your schedule, but also need to complete the job in a timely manner. This can depend on the time of year as well. Summer is can be a busier period for movers than winter, for example. Having answers to your questions before the move will make the process a bit easier.

Academic moving can be an exciting start to the new school year. Make it less stressful by hiring academic movers to assist you in moving into your new college apartment. Give Olympia Office Movers a call today to help you get started! We would be happy to help!

3 Things to Update After Using a Commercial Moving Service

Moving to a new office space can be a big change for any company. You might have relocated because of growth or downsized to save money. Either way, office relocation has a positive effect on about 68% of employees, according to Clutch. Now that you’ve successfully moved, here are some items you should update once you’ve settled in after your commercial moving service.

Business Address

The first order of business is making sure that all correspondence is sent to the new business address. You will need to update the address at the post office and forward any mail from the old address to the new one. Your commercial moving service may be able to direct you to the local post offices in the new city you arrive in. This also means that any online presence the business has established should be updated as well. That includes the Chamber of Commerce and any online business directories you are active on.

The big updates you should make after using a commercial mover service to relocate are with the IRS and State Department of Revenue. They will need to know the new business address so that the company can receive the necessary federal and state tax documents at the new address. If you have anticipated all of these adjustments and notified each respective department prior to the move, then you may have less to worry about once actually relocated.

Social Media

The business’s social media accounts are great places to notify followers and customers of the upcoming business relocation. When a company is on the move, you should send a clear message or post to your followers that the company address and phone number (if applicable) are being updated. Do this on all social media platforms on which you are active. Customers acquire information easily through social media, so it is arguably your best resource for keeping your clientele informed of your move.

The best places to use social media for your business are Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You could consider redesigning an element of the company account’s visual appearance to help draw attention to your news, such as a logo, profile picture, or header image.

Marketing Materials

After hiring a commercial moving service to help you relocate, any and all marketing materials should be updated with new business information. This could help you attract new clients in your new city and solidify the new company culture. A change of location may require a bold change in marketing strategy, whether it be something as simple as an updated logo or slogan or something more large-scale, such as an appeal to a new audience or demographic.

These marketing materials may include business cards, phone numbers, and business names (if updated to match the new city). Direct mail marketing that reaches customers in a specific area needs an update as well. Any brochures, posters, or weekly letters will need to reflect the relocation and establish a sense of confidence and excitement to be based in a new area.

Your business may also communicate with customers using newsletters. Sharing news about the relocation and details about the relocation, including the commercial moving service you used, can be shared in the newsletter, followed by sharing the new business address and phone number. This can be simple and cost-effective! Any outdoor signage that is used to reach customers should point to a new business location. Each employee should be reminded to update their individual email signatures if they include business locations.

More Items to Update

A few more things you’ll want to update are any advertising campaigns that use the company address. You might even want to announce the business relocation using a commercial or series of social media posts. You should also update the company’s credit card and bank information to avoid fraud accusations. Updating local vendors is a great way of working within the community you are based in. This could help you establish new relationships and attract new clients through referrals.

Relocating to a new office can be an exciting and stressful time. Hiring a commercial moving business is a great way to ease your burden and give your company peace of mind. Olympia Office Movers are here to help start things off for you! Give us a call today to learn more about our services.

The Benefits of Hiring Commercial Movers When Relocating Your Office

Relocating your commercial business can have positive results. For instance, according to a survey that interviewed several employees, the employees listed the benefits of moving as comfortable, with a 67% rating, and space, which had a 61% rating. These improvements are more likely to lead to workers that feel inspired and positive, which in turn boosts productivity levels. If you’re ready to relocate your business, you can improve the experience by hiring experienced and reliable commercial movers. Here are the top five benefits of hiring a commercial mover for your business.

Saves Time and Money

The good news is commercial movers have all the equipment you need to move large items, so you can save money by not renting the equipment. For instance, they will have all the large trucks, crates, and cranes that will make shifting all the bulky items an easier process. On the other hand, hiring different moving equipment can be very expensive and can be a hassle. Besides saving money, you save time by not having to run around looking for equipment. Whether you have plenty of office furniture, business equipment, or electronic devices to move, you can trust a commercial mover to do it right.

Fewer Hassles

From start to finish, there are many things that can make relocating your business stressful for you and anyone that’s part of your company. However, once you find a commercial mover that’s right for you, you can rely on them to make life easier. This is a good thing because when you’re moving, you don’t have to worry about the move impacting your employees’ productivity. However, since you’re not adding more work on your employees’ plates, they will still have more time and energy to focus on their work which is always good for business.

Removes Burden From Employees

Sometimes, it may be necessary to have employees chip in with the moving process. This is especially so if there’s a lot of work to do and the company has a limited budget. However, that doesn’t mean your employees have to be alone in the process. When your employees partner with professionals, the job can be completed more efficiently as your employees will have guidance when handling the challenging aspects of the process.

So, even if you have your own manpower, it never hurts to have more manpower. The more human resources you have, the faster the process will go. You’ll find that in most instances, it’s not even necessary to get your employees involved in the manual aspects of moving. That’s because it’s possible to find affordable commercial movers that will do the job efficiently.

Keeps Your Assets Protected

It’s very common for items to go missing or get damaged during a move. This isn’t surprising because moving involves, well, a lot of moving parts, and it can be hard to track what goes where and whether everything is safely packed away. That’s why you should let professional commercial movers do what they do best. This will give you more peace of mind, knowing that you have trained and organized movers that know how to safely and securely transport your expensive items. Chances are, if your business’s office equipment and other assets are damaged or lost, this could result in significant financial loss for your business which is something that should always be avoided.

Another thing to remember is that your employees are your biggest investment. You can also protect them by ensuring they don’t have to lift heavy items, as this can result in other costly personal injuries and mishaps.

Smooth Transition for Your Business

Hiring a commercial mover results in a better moving experience overall. Relocating a business can be a challenging experience because you and your workers need time to adjust. However, having a commercial mover take care of some other responsibilities results in a smooth transition for your business. That way, your business can kick right off in the new location with minimal disruption.

As you can see, the benefits of hiring a commercial mover are well worth the costs. All in all, the right commercial mover saves you time, money, and a lot of headaches. Be sure to research your options and shop around as much as possible to find a commercial mover that’s right for you. If you’re looking for the best option that will save you time, simply get in touch with us, and we will help in any way we can.

Lease An Office Space

Sometimes it’s just not in your budget to outright buy an office space. Whether it’s because your company lacks the funds for it right away, or you simply don’t always need an office space. Leasing an office space may be the right business decision for you.

Lease Until You Can Buy

Your business needs a starting point. Not all small businesses will have the funds for property right off the bat. Many companies will opt to lease an office first to get their operations going, and expect the business will pay for itself eventually.

Better Opportunity

Because the cost of leasing is so much cheaper than buying, you’d be able to start off in a prime location that you would otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford. If your business relies on location, such as restaurants and retail stores, then a strong location for cheap can only be achieved if you lease a location.

Less Hassle

Sometimes it just costs too much to maintain your own property. Renting requires minimum property maintenance. Most locations will be properly maintained by the landlord, meaning you can just focus on running your business.

Looking to move to your next office? Contact Olympia for a quote to see if we’re the right moving company for you. Focus less on the move and more on your business!.

Responding To Facility Needs During COVID-19 Pandemic

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, we are all facing the challenge of adjusting to a new environment. As an essential service provider, Olympia is here to support all businesses, organizations, and institutions as they shift their facilities in response to the crisis. Whether it is business as usual or reacting to this new environment, Olympia has been there to support many organizations and institutions during these challenging times. Here are a few ways we’ve been serving facility needs big and small during the COVID-19 pandemic:

Packing and relocating employee equipment and desk contents to home offices

Many businesses are placed on a work from home order. Olympia has been helping people acclimate to their new home environment by moving equipment and desk content to their new remote office. When employees are working from their homes, organizations need to make sure employees have everything they need to get their job done. This includes materials such as desks, files, computer monitors, and specialized equipment. Olympia can receive or pick up all office materials and deliver them to employees’ home offices, or receive shipments of office supplies to distribute.

schools closing for covid-19 pandemic

Labor for projects & day-to-day facilities needs

In this environment, many facilities are now short-staffed or have more limited labor at their disposal. Our crew members can perform a wide variety of ongoing or ad hoc tasks to fill your labor demands. Olympia has been lending an extra hand for any day-to-day facility needs during COVID-19 pandemic, and as well as for projects that need extra labor. We are here and ready to support organizations with a variety of different needs.

Preparing spaces at universities, schools, office buildings for extended closures

As the pandemic continues, many universities, schools, and office buildings are preparing their facilities for extended closure. Olympia can assist this process. Many businesses are taking steps to help with social distancing while continuing to fight the COVID-19 outbreak.

With extended closure for schools across the country, we have been helping campuses respond. This entails movement of furniture to storage configuration, packing of equipment and boxes, as well as clearing any spaces. In the early days of the pandemic, we helped universities set up quarantine rooms to keep people distanced limit the spread of the virus. Additional rooms may need to be set up to prepare for the future. Our professionals are fully capable of handling this kind of work so that you are ready to re-open once we overcome this pandemic.

Packing and storing college student belongings

As schools closed early to keep students and staff members safe, Olympia was on the front lines of the evacuation for several universities. We packed out campus dorm rooms and stored students’ belongings in our warehouse, until they are ready for delivery back to the university when school resumes. For those who are graduating or will not be returning to campus, we shipped their belongings to their homes across the country.

delivering packing materials during covid-19 pandemicDelivery of packing materials

In the days leading to closure of major institutions, Olympia delivered tons of packing boxes and material for employees, students, and more to pack for departure. As you look to pack up your facilities for relocation or closure, Olympia can deliver packing materials to expedite the process. To limit exposure, it is better to use new packing materials overused in this environment. Olympia will deliver boxes and more right to your location.

Transportation and loading of shipping packages

As facilities are changing, items and equipment need to be moved from location to location. If you need to ship in large quantities, Olympia can assist with transportation from your organization to local shipping centers. We have to capacity to deliver items big and small to fulfill all your shipment inquiries.

Receiving, warehouse, and rapid delivery of supplies, equipment, and critical items

The demand for critical supplies, items, and equipment are increasing at hospitals and care facilities. Olympia can help meet the demand with our delivery services. We can deliver critical supplies, items, and equipment to the facilities that need them.  Our five warehouses in greater Boston, Washington DC, Philadelphia, and Austin can receive supplies for short or long term storage and rapidly deliver them as needed.

Conversions of spaces for alternate usage

As the pandemic continues, many organizations are working with government and hospitals to provide alternate spaces for needs from bedspace to storage to essential worker housing. Olympia can assist hotels, schools, convention centers, and more with converting their spaces for COVID-19 response.

warehouse responding to the needs during covid-19 pandemic

COVID-19 response logistics in Boston, Washington DC, Philadelphia & Austin

New updates and changes continue as the days go by. Therefore, organizations are shifting and trying to adjust to keep up with the current environment that we are in. Olympia can help with your response, and help quickly. We can all move forward by working together. If you need the variety of services that Olympia offers, click here to receive a free estimate or call 800-222-4744.

Considerations When Choosing a New Office Location

There are many reasons why offices or companies relocate. Whether you are expanding and growing, trying to reduce costs, or have an expiring lease, you’ll want to make sure you’re approaching your relocation in the right way. You must put together a good strategy together when creating a list of things you should consider for your office relocation.  There are many things to consider when choosing your new office location.

For Your New Office, Location Is Everything

Consider mapping out the best location for your office relocation
Mapping out your office relocation

Three of the main things that you should consider are demographic, consumer base, and resources. This may be the biggest thing to consider for your office relocation.

Demographic

Whether you are downsizing or expanding you may have to make some new hires. Choosing a location where there is a significant talent pool for your industry is very important. Hiring is one of the most difficult things for a company. Having a variety of options will help with this relocation process a lot.

Consumer base

Depending on your industry and the customers you serve, more likely than not you’re going to want to choose a location where you can easily serve your consumer base. This is where you’re going to have to get to know and understand your consumer identity. When this is understood you can identify a location that has a large enough market size for your business.

Selecting a location with the right economic status is extremely important. It’s important to be sure that the community in the market you choose can afford your product or service.

Resources

As a business owner, you know the resources that your business needs to operate day-to-day. Selecting a location where you will easily have access to those resources is vitally important. Not only is the access to these resources important but the convenience and price have to be factored into play as well.

Office Size For Your New Location

A look at office size to consider for office relocation

Identifying the goal of your office relocation beforehand will help you when choosing your office sizes. It may be clear to say that if you are expanding you will be looking for a larger office, if you are downsizing you will be looking for a smaller office. Consider the growth stage that you are in and be sure to plan around that growth. The last thing you would want to do is have to plan another relocation because you miss judged your future company size.

Budget for Choosing a New Office Location

calculating costs for your office relocation

What it all comes down to, it’s all about the numbers. You’re going to want to find an office location where the rent or lease fits your finances. In some situations, it may be smarter to own than to rent. Taking a good look at your business and deciding what path is good for your company will help you in the long run. This is extremely important to consider, the last thing you want to do is have an office relocation that hurts your business.

 

Choosing a new office location can be intimidating, so preparation is key when you are approaching this process. If you strongly consider these things during your office relocation, you should be well off to a successful office relocation. Be sure to get a free estimate on office moving services by clicking here. 

What Is a Commercial Cube Sheet?

What is a Commercial Cube Sheet?

List are one of the most common tools to make a move run smoothly. Offices will have lists of important documents that need to be saved, who will be working on which floor, and other important information. Commercial moving companies make lists too. Their lists contain all the items being moved from your business.

That is where a commercial cube sheet comes in. The commercial cube sheet will list quantities of inventory, then use the corresponding volumes of those items to generate a price estimate for the move. Generally, these items include common office furniture like desks, computers, and cubicles and their volumes.

Why Does My Business Need One?

Estimators will use a commercial cube sheet to create an inventory of items that need to be moved. For example, common items like chairs will be recorded for quantity under the same category of ‘desk chair’. Generally, items that have no category on the sheet will be marked by the size of box they require. Once everything is accounted for, a total volume is calculated that a price estimate can be based on.

Do I Complete the Cube Sheet?

No. A sales representative will complete the cube sheet for you.

However, understanding how a cube sheet works will make it easier understand how your movers look at your business. You will be in charge of telling our rep what will move with you and what won’t. Making those decisions early will better organize your business for the moving process.

How Is a Cube Sheet Completed?

Again, your sales rep will handle the completion of the cube sheet from start to finish. They will work with either you or whomever you designate to manage your move. Then, they will go room by room, discussing with you/your manager which items will be moved and what will not. This is the time to provide greater detail to your sales rep so that there is clear understanding between you, the rep, and the moving crew.

What Else Do I Need to Know?

Cube sheets are a very simple part of your moving process. The only thing you should keep in mind is whether the scope of your move has changed vs. what’s recorded on the cube sheet. If there are significant changes of what is or isn’t going, the sales rep will usually need to adjust the move plan and maybe even your price. The cube sheet is a record you can reference to recall the agreement of what’s included in the service. If the basis of the service has changed, be sure to let the sales rep know so he or she can prepare.

Any questions you have about cube sheets can be directed to an Olympia sales representative.

Contact us today at 800-222-4744 for more information or to schedule a proposal meeting.

9 Things Companies Just Don’t Need Anymore

We’re almost two decades into the new millennium, and some companies are still stuck like it’s 1999. Nostalgia might work for old records and bell-bottom jeans, but not for office spaces.

It’s time for a declutter. You company is likely wasting money on a larger office space to accommodate things you just don’t need. Olympia Office Movers is here to help you evaluate and move to a smaller, cost effective, and modern office space.

Here is Olympia’s list of things in your workplace that just need to go.

Fax Machines to Email and USB

Fax machines are out and digital transfers like email, local cloud storage, and Dropbox are in. Only Joe Shmoe at Radioshack is still using a fax machine, and he’s just doing it to be different.

 

 

Mail Rooms to Digital Communications

Mail rooms became obsolete with email, but some companies have kept them around gathering dust. All that wasted space is the best place to set up a game room or relaxation area.

 

 

 

Fluorescent Lighting to Natural Light

Not only are fluorescent lights an energy drain, they also hurt the eyes. Most offices try to do the most they can with natural sunlight these days, with LED bulbs as an alternative.

 

 

Analog Registers to Multi-Use Registers (Card tap and Apple Pay)

Cash rhymes with past for a reason! The classic push-button register is being retired across the country. Now full-digital systems like Square are taking over point of sale systems, as well as payments, capital management, and payroll.

(Disclaimer from the author: Actually, carrying cash is very important and you should still do it even if you don’t ever use it).

 

 

Water Cooler to Water Bottle Fountain

Though the water cooler is legend in the stereotypical office, more and more companies are switching to filtered water bottle stations. This reduces plastic waste from disposable cups. Encourage your team to convert to water bottles full time and access to crisp, filtered water.

 

Drip Coffee Machines to Keurigs and Tea Pots

The drip coffee maker lost favor with the caffeinated masses long ago. Keurig brewers are usually the first suspect in drip coffee’s decline, but traditional and electric teapots are also seeing a resurgence as tea reasserts itself.

 

Meetings Over Dinner

Nobody wants to talk business while they chomp on a medium rare steak. As the concept of ‘work-life balance’ gains popularity, less people are wooing clients in the evening.

 

Stationary Storage to Free Space

Physical marketing materials and company stationary are out of favor. Offices need less storage space than ever nowadays, so the old closets full of paper have lost their relevance. As email and social media marketing take over, say goodbye to the pamphlets of yesterday.

 

Closed Cubicles to Open Floor Plans

Cubicles are reaching the age of retirement in certain industries. Now, open concept offices are the cutting edge of innovation.

 

 

 

Are You Hanging On to Old Stuff?

If you read this list and felt called out, maybe its time to call in the professionals. Olympia Moving and Storage can help you declutter your office with our trained disposal crews. Unwanted furniture, appliances, papers, and trash will be out of your office without any hassle on your part.

 

If your company has thing it just doesn’t need anymore, contact Olympia Moving and Storage today at 800-222-4744 or fill out our free estimate form.

Downsizing Your Office

Downsizing Your Office for Increased Efficiency

Downsizing is a major reason companies move offices. When it comes to office space, less is sometimes more. With rent on the rise, downsizing your office can be an effective way to reduce fixed costs. If downsizing and relocating offices is a possible fit for your company, consider these reasons companies are making this move:

Photo by Alesia Kazantceva on Unsplash

Eco-Minded

Downsizing your office space means that less energy is needed to heat, cool, and keep the lights on in your office space. Not only does this save your company money, but it also reduces overall energy consumption.

Remote Work, Rotating Desks

A changing technological landscape allows many people to work from the comfort of their home. If your employees spend half of their days working out of the office, a permanent desk can be more of a placeholder than a necessity. One solution is to designate a certain number of desks as ‘free to use’ for a rotating crew of remote employees. This allows you to remove extraneous seating space without removing in-office work space entirely.

Downsizing Your Office with Open Space

Open concept offices can give the feel of more space without the extra expense. A balance between open collaboration and private work space can increase efficiency. Consider what would work for your company. For a deeper look into open concept office space, see our blog post Open Concept Office Positives and Negatives.

An Opportunity for Simpler Design

Photo by Dylan Gillis on Unsplash

Feeling cluttered? Changing the layout and design of your office can get employees out of a rut. Downsizing your office can provide the impetus to ditch the old, out-of-date furniture and decorations for something fresher. Don’t send those items to landfill, though—let Olympia Moving and Storage take them off your hands and Recycle Old Furniture Instead of Trashing It.

Choosing a new office can be daunting. If you’re not sure what is best for you, check out our post How Much Office Space Does Your Company Need?

If you are ready to downsize your office space, contact Olympia Moving and Storage at 800.222.4744 or fill out our form to schedule a free quote for your move.

Recycle Old Office Furniture Instead of Trashing It

Are you redoing your office decor, downsizing, moving, or shutting down an office? Every office change comes with office furniture left by the wayside. Often, companies will just call a junk collector to get it out of their hair quick and easy. Unfortunately this causes more harm than good. There are a variety of ways to get old office furniture out of your work space without putting it in the trash.

Why recycle?

Tons of old office furniture each year end up in landfills

The United States produces around 250 million tons of waste per year. Much of what we throw away can, in fact, be reused, recycled, or disposed of in a more responsible manner. Did you know that 80% of what America puts in the trash could actually be recycled? By reusing and recycling, we can preserve the ecosystem for further generations, reduce greenhouse gas emissions that are causing global warming, and save money and energy. Consider the following options before you throw all your old chairs away.

Where to recycle old office furniture

recycle old office furniture by donating it to an underserved community

Donate to a church, school, or non-profit if the items are still usable. These organizations are often in need of new supplies and furniture but don’t have the funds. They may also serve a community that is impoverished or underserved. These organizations can help facilitate the transfer of your old office furniture to families and organizations that need it. They get what they need, you get rid of your old furniture, and nothing is thrown into landfills!

Recycling services companies can take your used furniture and reintroduce the materials into the manufacturing cycle. This is a good option for damaged goods, as they cannot be reintroduced into the consumer market.

How a commercial moving company can help

Olympia deconstructing old office furnitureLiquidation services can help you sell your used or old office furniture. This puts the items back into the market, rather than dumping them in a landfill.

Hire logistics providers and commercial moving companies to manage your office furniture donation, liquidation, or recycling process. This ensures that the process is managed in a responsible and charitable way.

Check out Green Standards for more general education about the topic. Over the course of their company’s lifetime, they have diverted 40,000 tons of office furniture waste from landfills across both the US and Canada.

When you’re ready to get the old office furniture out of your space, give Olympia a call a  800.222.4744 or fill out our form to schedule your commercial move or hire us for logistics.