Moving can be a stressful, yet important event for many. Whether you are moving to your first home within the same town or relocating to an entirely new state, the packing, organizing, and moving process can be overwhelming. If you work from a home office, the moving process can be even more challenging due to the importance of storing and moving your telecommuting supplies and documents in a timely, organized manner. If you are part of the growing population of telecommuters, use this guide to move your home office in an effective, efficient, and less stressful manner.

Electronic Equipment

For most remote workers, the computer is an imperative part of their productivity, so ensuring it is packed in a safe manner is smart. This may seem simple if you use a laptop computer, but your home office may also consist of separate monitors, printers and copiers, and telephones. Here are a few tips to ensure your electronic devices are packed safely for your move:

• Disconnect and Label – Before packing, disconnect all of your electronic equipment from the main power outlet. Before unhooking the cables from your electronics, take photos of how they are installed using your smartphone's camera. Use a permanent marker to label each cable on a bread tie, as well. This will ensure you are able to quickly and easily reinstall your computer, monitor, printers, and other electronic equipment in your new home office.
• Computer – Packing your desktop computer in a dishpack is a great option. While dishpacks are designed to store and move fragile items, such as china and dishes, these sturdier cardboard boxes also provide ample support for your fragile computer and electronics. Wrap the desktop tower and monitor separately in bubble wrap. If you use a laptop computer, wrap the entire laptop in bubble wrap. Secure the ends of the wrap with tape to ensure they stay protected before placing into the box. Store your keyboard, mouse, speakers, and other computer accessories in a separate box. Add crumbled newspaper into empty spaces of the box for added support.
• Other Electronics – You should also wrap other electronic equipment in bubble wrap. If they will fit into a large dishpack box, wrap printers, copiers, and telephones in bubble wrap before packing. Fill in the empty areas of the box with newspaper for added support.

Documents

You most likely have a large amount of documents in your home office, as well. Before moving, go through all of your documents to dispose of forms, statements, and other paperwork that you will no longer need. To keep your business and personal information safe, shred documents in an electronic paper shredder and bring the waste to your local recycling center.

Be sure to keep at least 3 year's worth of tax returns. However, the recommended amount of time to keep your tax documents will depend on a few factors. You should hold on to your tax documents longer if you under-report income, have claimed a bad debt in the past, or if you are self-employed or a business owner.

Placing your work-related documents in a filing cabinet is a great option before moving. Be sure to lock the drawers of the cabinets before placing on the moving truck.

Furniture

If possible, hire professionals, such as Christos & Christos Moving and Storage, to move your office furniture to your new home, since most wood desks and bookcases are heavier and more difficult to move.

Make sure to remove all items from the drawers and cabinets in your desk, tables, and shelving units before the movers arrive. Use masking tape to secure drawers and cabinets closed before the move.

If any of your furniture has removable or adjustable shelves, remove these pieces and store in a cardboard box. Place newspaper or bubble wrap between each of the shelves to protect the furniture's finish. Remove the adjustable pegs from inside the furniture and place in a plastic bag, as well. Keep the bag in the same box as the shelves, so you will be able to reinstall shelves at your new home office.

Moving your residence is challenging, but moving your home office can increase stress levels. Using these tips and the help of professional movers, you can reduce the time and stress of moving your home office.