What to consider when relocating IT and office equipment

Creating an inventory of IT and office assets

A detailed inventory is the foundation of any successful equipment relocation. Without accurate asset data, items go missing, arrive at the wrong location, or sit in storage longer than necessary.

Inventory work should go beyond listing equipment. Each item needs to be recorded with its current location, destination, and any special handling requirements. For a relocation of 1,600 Aviva employees, every monitor was scanned and audited by desk location, allowing accurate updates to the client's asset database throughout the move.

This level of detail also supports decisions about what to keep, redistribute or dispose of. During the Aviva project, surplus IT was disconnected, audited and consolidated by monitor type on a holding floor, with peripherals and cables boxed by type for redistribution across other sites. The same approach applied to furniture: over 4,000 items were assessed, with reusable assets scheduled for storage and later redistribution across the property estate.

For some moves, inventory data informs crate requirements and vehicle planning. A Broadcom relocation required 120 LC3 crates and 30 IT-specific crates to accommodate servers, incubators and other specialist equipment. Without accurate counts and specifications, that level of preparation is impossible.

Data protection and backup planning

Equipment containing sensitive data, such as servers, laptops and storage devices, must be transported securely with documented chain of custody. For regulated organisations, this means controlled access from the point of disconnection through to delivery at the new location. Where equipment is being decommissioned rather than relocated, secure disposal is essential.

Packing and handling sensitive equipment

IT equipment requires specialist packing materials and handling protocols that go beyond standard office moves. The same applies to office furniture, particularly items with mechanical components or specialist finishes.

Monitors are particularly vulnerable to damage during transit. We use custom-sized bubble bags for monitors to prevent damage or mishandling. When we receive new client IT equipment, our teams set up a production line to unpackage, inspect and repack items into anti-static bubble bags before loading into security transit cages for delivery.

Heavier items such as servers, printers and specialist devices need appropriate crating. IT-specific crates are designed to protect sensitive equipment during loading, transit and unloading.

Office furniture also requires careful handling. Height-adjustable desks, ergonomic task chairs and soft seating can be damaged if stacked incorrectly or transported without proper protection.

Labelling is equally important. Every item should be clearly marked with its destination, and where equipment needs to be reconnected in a specific configuration, this should be documented before disconnection.

Managing downtime for staff and operations

Minimising disruption to staff requires careful sequencing of logistics operations around business needs.

Weekend and out-of-hours moves are common for IT relocations. One relocation of 1,650 staff for a tech firm was completed across three consecutive weekends, allowing the business to continue operating during the week while equipment moved in phases.

Phased approaches allow teams to test and stabilise before progressing. For the Aviva move, migration was delivered over two weekend phases, ensuring business continuity and zero loss of productivity. Equipment was delivered in batches to the new location for just-in-time deployment, rather than everything arriving at once.

Pre-move checks can also reduce post-move disruption. In some projects, our client's IT teams run checks before packing to identify potentially faulty items. By catching issues before the move, delays can be avoided when equipment is unpacked at the new site.

Temporary storage during office moves

Not all equipment moves directly from origin to destination. Temporary storage is often required when fit-out timelines slip, when phased moves create gaps between departure and arrival, or when equipment needs to be held for redistribution.

Secure storage facilities should offer climate control for sensitive equipment, real-time inventory tracking, and controlled access. For the Odro relocation, specialist equipment and furniture requiring extra care were packed with protective materials and transported to a monitored facility, with an asset list available for the client to request items as needed.

Storage also supports equipment reuse programmes. Our own research found that unused furniture remains in storage for more than eight months on average, despite facilities managers believing that over 40% of stored furniture could realistically be reused within their organisation. Optimising storage strategies and reintegrating stored furniture can reduce costs and support sustainability goals.

For organisations managing legacy paper archives alongside a move, secure collection, digitisation and compliant storage or disposal are worth considering, as this can reduce physical footprint while maintaining access to critical records. Find out more about how we deliver this in partnership with Iron Mountain.

Reinstallation and testing at the new location

The logistics partner's role typically concludes with positioning equipment ready for technical teams to complete installation and testing. This includes delivering items to their designated locations, unpacking where required, and removing all packaging and waste from site.

Where equipment needs to be reconnected in a specific configuration, this should be coordinated with internal IT teams. During the Aviva project, monitor arms were reused, having been decommissioned at the old building, relocated, and positioned with new kit at the destination, with cable management and desk dressing completed to client specification.

Post-move support can address snags and help staff settle in. Having the relocation team attend sites on a Monday following a weekend can assist with integration, including ensuring tech was set up correctly and signposting employees to new storage locations.

Testing and validation of IT systems is typically responsibility of the client's technical teams, but a well-executed logistics operation ensures equipment arrives intact, on time, and ready to be commissioned.

IT and office equipment relocation support

Business Moves Group has delivered IT and office equipment relocations for organisations ranging from fast-growing technology companies to global enterprises with thousands of staff.

Our approach includes detailed asset inventories and pre-move audits, specialist packing using anti-static bags, IT crates and custom protective materials, secure transport with documented chain of custody, phased delivery aligned to business operations, temporary storage with real-time tracking, and post-move support to address snags and assist staff.

If you’d like to discuss how we can support you with IT and office equipment relocation, contact your local office or fill out a quote enquiry form.