How to Move a Home Office Without Losing a Day of Work

For the millions of people who work from home full or part time, the home office has become one of the most critical rooms to move successfully. Unlike a bedroom, the home office contains equipment that directly affects your ability to earn a living - and getting it wrong means a day or more of lost productivity.

Plan your connectivity before moving day

The biggest cause of home office downtime after a move is connectivity. Broadband installation at a new address typically takes one to three weeks from order to activation. Order your broadband service as soon as you have a confirmed completion date. As a fallback, ensure your mobile data plan has sufficient allowance to work as a hotspot for the first few days if broadband is delayed.

Back up everything before the move

Before any equipment is packed, back up all data to cloud storage or an external drive stored separately from the equipment. House moves involve physical handling that could - in a worst case - damage a hard drive. A backup taken before the move ensures nothing is lost even in the worst case.

Packing computer equipment

Use original boxes where available. Otherwise wrap in anti-static bubble wrap. Remove discs and USB drives before packing. Photograph the back of your computer setup before disconnecting - this makes reassembly significantly faster. Pack monitors vertically and never lay a flat-screen television or monitor flat - the screen can crack under its own weight.

Label every cable

Label every cable at both ends using masking tape and a marker pen before disconnecting anything. Group cables that belong together in labelled zip-lock bags. This 30-minute investment before packing saves hours of confusion after unpacking.

Set up connectivity first at the new property

Prioritise your internet connection before unpacking furniture around you. Once connected and working, you can unpack the rest of the house at your own pace around a functioning home office.

Notify clients and contacts

If your move involves any genuine period of unavailability, notify key clients in advance. A brief email explaining your moving date and limited availability is professional and courteous - most clients will appreciate the transparency.