An office relocation checklist usually focuses on movers, IT and change-of-address notices. Those matter. But the decision that shapes your budget and timeline most is often skipped until the end: which furniture actually belongs in the new space.
If you settle that early, you move less, you order the right amount of furniture for the new floor, and you can turn what stays behind into a credit instead of a disposal bill. The plan below is built around that idea.
Phase 1: Set the frame (as soon as the lease is signed)
- Confirm key dates. Write down the new space access date, your planned move weekend and the date you must return the old space.
- Read your exit clause. Look for surrender condition language. Many leases require the space returned empty and broom clean, and some require removal of tenant-installed items.
- Name one owner. Pick one person to hold the timeline, the vendor list and the building contacts at both locations.
- Get both buildings' rules. Ask for contractor requirements, insurance certificate wording, freight elevator booking and allowed work hours.
Phase 2: Inventory and decide (weeks 1-3)
Walk the current office and count everything: workstations, desks, chairs, conference tables, files, storage, breakroom furniture and electronics. Note brand, condition and quantity.
Then compare that inventory with the new floor plan. Put every category into one of three buckets.
| Bucket | What usually lands here | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Move | Task chairs in good condition, private office suites, storage that fits the new plan | Tag and include in mover scope |
| Liquidate | Workstation systems that do not fit the new footprint, surplus desks, extra files | Schedule a liquidation walkthrough |
| Replace | Anything the new layout needs that you do not own | Space plan and quote |
Workstations deserve a hard look. A panel system built for one floor plate rarely drops neatly into another, and reconfiguring it can cost more than you expect. Chairs and freestanding storage tend to travel better.
Phase 3: Price the liquidation (weeks 2-4)
Request a walkthrough of what you plan to leave. With Office Station, walkthroughs typically happen within 48 hours in Greater Phoenix and 2-3 business days in other service markets, and a written offer follows within 5 business days.
The offer is a net number: resale value of the furniture minus removal cost. If it is positive, you are paid. If it is negative, you know the exact cost of clearing the space and can budget for it now rather than discovering it during your final week.
You can get a rough idea first with the liquidation estimator.
Estimate your furniture's value
Phase 4: Plan the new space (weeks 3-6)
- Space plan. Confirm station counts, private offices, meeting rooms and storage. Office Station offers free space planning.
- Fill the gaps. Order what the Replace bucket needs. Match lead times to your access date: liquidation-grade workstations in stock can be ready in as little as 72 hours, remanufactured usually 7-14 days, and new 4-6 weeks.
- Power and data. Share the furniture plan with your electrician and cabling vendor. Furniture pricing does not include electrical.
- Installation. Schedule installation after power rough-in and before your team arrives.
Phase 5: IT, records and people (weeks 4-8)
- Book internet and phone service at the new address early, since carrier installs can lag.
- Label every device, cable and monitor with its destination desk.
- Separate retired electronics from furniture. Plan for e-waste handling with certificates of data destruction.
- Purge paper files before packing. Shred what you no longer need to retain.
- Update your address with vendors, banks, insurers, clients and online listings.
- Give staff a move-day packet: packing instructions, what to label, when to leave and when to arrive.
Phase 6: Move and clear (final two weeks)
Sequence matters. Move what you are keeping first, then clear the old space. Removal crews can work nights and weekends so the building stays quiet during business hours.
- Deliver certificates of insurance to building management before crews arrive.
- Reserve freight elevator and dock time for each removal day.
- Ask for an itemized inventory of everything removed.
- Confirm e-waste pickup and collect data destruction certificates.
- Get a photo-documented broom-clean handback so you can show the landlord the condition you left.
- Request a diversion summary if your company reports on waste or sustainability.
If the old space needs more than furniture removal, such as cabling or fixtures, read about office decommissioning to see how a full exit is scoped.
Phase 7: After the move
- Walk the new space with your installer and log any punch-list items.
- File the handback photos, inventory and certificates with your lease records.
- Ask staff what is missing after one week, and order small gaps together.
Want one team coordinating the move and the liquidation? See corporate relocation, or read more planning resources in our guides.
Frequently asked questions
When should I start planning an office relocation?
Start as soon as your new lease is signed or your exit date is known. Inventory and keep-or-liquidate decisions come first because they drive the size of your move, your new furniture order and your lease exit timeline. Earlier planning gives you more room to schedule nights or weekends work around your building rules.
Should I move my old furniture or liquidate it?
Compare the cost of moving and reinstalling a piece against its resale value and the cost of replacing it. Large workstation systems often do not fit a new floor plate cleanly, while good chairs and storage frequently move well. A written net offer tells you what the furniture you leave behind is worth after removal cost.
How does a liquidation net offer work?
Office Station calculates a written net offer as the resale value of the furniture minus the cost of removal. If the number is positive, you are paid. Offers typically arrive within 5 business days of the walkthrough.
What do I need from my building before a move or removal?
Most buildings want certificates of insurance, reserved freight elevator time and dock access, and some limit work to nights or weekends. Request the building's contractor rules early so crews can be scheduled around them.
What happens to computers and electronics left behind?
E-waste should be handled separately from furniture. Office Station handles e-waste with certificates of data destruction so you have documentation for devices that stored company data.
