After freelancing from your dormitory/living room for a good period, you may decide to open an office. It’s going to be an easy move if it is just your PC that needs to be taken from one place to another, but can be a much tedious and longer process if you want to move more equipment (desk, chairs, suit hanger, lamps, air conditioner, etc.).
Because the move can turn out to be a significant expense on your finances, you might as well think about ways to make the transition as cost-effective as possible. Mentioned below are some measures you can take to keep costs down while saving time:
- Pack Smartly & Efficiently
The mere thought of packing up your belongings can be daunting, but there are ways to pack items with a vengeance. For instance, you should focus on one area of your current setup and avoid mixing items from different rooms in one package. And to prevent small items and knickknacks from being thrown out with the packing paper mistakenly, use brightly-colored paper to wrap them up.
Allied and other top moving specialists are also an option. They provide detailed packing guides that eliminate the clutter and confusion as well as give options to plan the move. For instance, they recommend that you should first set aside the important paperwork that’s likely present in your home office. Then proper valuation coverage should be considered for expensive inventory. For office furniture, a tape can be used to mark where the pieces fit together and keep equipment together (drawer pulls for instance), in a spot.
- Negotiate Deals or Look For Different Vendors
An office move is an ideal opportunity to get better deals on existing services, upgrade packages, or consider other vendors. While you’ll have to do some research, it’s going to save you money in the long run. The vendors you should review are messenger service provider, cleaners, and phone, internet & cable TV providers.
Examine the contracts before the move and check out the newly available services in the proximity of where you’re moving your freelance office. It’s a great time to think about the mentioned services, especially those that go together (cable, internet and phone). Most service providers are willing to give a discount to new businesses near their location when it comes to buying bundled services.
- Sell, Don’t Throw Away Things That You Don’t Need
If you plan to purchase new items like furniture and want to get rid of your old chairs and desks, then sell the unwanted things instead of throwing them away because you’ll be able to get back some money that way. As such items are expensive, they’ll possess value even if you’ve used them for a couple of years. You can advertise such items on Amazon or eBay and even the local listing websites to sell instantly.
To ensure you don’t have to organize a delivery service, list your items as buy and collect. That way, whoever buys items from you will have to arrange his/her own delivery. Another thing you can try is exchanging items at a second-hand store. The store may be willing to offer you items that you need in exchange for items that you no longer need.
A move can wreak havoc on your budget if you don’t manage it well. Plan ahead an extra few weeks or even a month if you are self-employed. The tips mentioned above will allow you to significantly lower stress while making your new transition cost-efficient.