Guide
How to pack for an office move
Give each person one or two small boxes for their desk, pack files in small boxes because paper is heavy, and pack IT in its own labelled boxes with cables bagged per device. Label every box with a person or zone and the room at the new office. Most small offices pack in a week; leave the server and kitchen until last.
Last checked 19 October 2026
What boxes do you need to move an office?
Mostly small boxes. An office is dense: paper, binders, books and hardware are heavy for their size, and a large box of files is a back injury waiting to happen. Medium boxes suit stationery cupboards, kitchen gear and monitors wrapped in bubble wrap. Large boxes are only for light things like cushions, signage and lampshades.
| What | Box | Rule of thumb |
|---|---|---|
| A person's desk | 1–2 small | Drawers, desk items and personal things |
| A filing drawer | 2–3 small | Keep files in order, spine up |
| A bookcase or binder shelf | 4–6 small | Books and binders flat, not stood on end |
| Desktop computer and peripherals | 1–2 medium | Cables bagged and taped to the device's box |
| Office kitchen | 3–5 medium | Pack it last; people still need coffee |
How should you pack files and documents?
Keep them in the order they are filed, so they go back into the new cabinets in the same order. Pack them spine up in small boxes, label the box with the drawer number, and number the boxes in sequence. Confidential paper should be boxed and sealed by the team that owns it, and anything you were going to shred anyway should be shredded before the move, not after.
How do you pack computers and IT?
Back up first. Then unplug each device, put its cables in a zip-lock bag labelled with the device, and pack the device and its bag together. Monitors travel best in their original boxes; otherwise wrap them in bubble wrap and stand them upright in a medium box with padding. Take a photo of the back of any network cabinet before anything is unplugged, so it can be put back the same way.
What labelling system works for an office move?
Label every box with three things: the person or team, the room or zone at the new office, and a box number. Put a floor plan of the new office by the door on moving day with the zones marked, so the crew can drop boxes where they belong without asking. Colour-coded labels per zone make it faster still.
- Person or team, for example ACCOUNTS or J. SMITH
- Destination room or zone at the new office
- Box number, for example 4 of 9
- FRAGILE or THIS WAY UP where it matters
When should you start packing?
A week out for most small offices. Archive boxes and stationery cupboards can go a fortnight ahead. Desks get packed on the last afternoon, and IT and the kitchen go last. Book a removalist who moves offices: they bring crates and trolleys, and many work weekends so the business is not closed on a weekday.
Moving soon? Tell us your house and we will size one kit for it, or ask for a removalist quote if you would rather not pack at all.