Packing and moving IT equipment

With every business expansion comes the need to increase your work and office space. This is also a great opportunity to achieve a lot of goals you have been planning. These days, IT equipment is an integral part of every business, both for simple and efficient running. Apart from holding important work data, this equipment is very delicate, and in most cases, very expensive. For this reason, packing and moving IT equipment requires a lot of care and attention. So, if you want to pack everything yourself before your movers Starkville MS arrive, this guide will help you prepare your work equipment like a pro. It isn’t as difficult as you may think, and when you finish, everything will be ready for relocation. We will cover everything from preparing your IT equipment for packing to the packing process itself, so you can be fully prepared.

Preparing your IT equipment for packing and moving

Before you start packing your office supplies and machinery, you have to go through a few simple, yet important steps. You can’t just unplug all of your computers and printers and throw them in a box. Not only is it unorganized, but it can turn out to be harmful to your business. So to prevent any unwanted problems, going through these steps will be good both for you, and your equipment.

Take a few photos of your devices and back up important data

Electronics can get pretty expensive. So, if by some chance your IT equipment suffers damages or gets lost, it will only cause you profit losses and work delay. So, as an added precaution, take a few photos of every piece of hardware you have in your workplace. This will be good evidence in case something goes wrong during the move and the items disappear or suffer damages. In addition, this is a good way of keeping inventory. You will have pictures of every device so you will know if everything is there after the move.

Taking pictures will also help you with the unpacking process. Take pictures of the cables plugged in, so you know what goes where when its time to plug everything back. So, before your reliable Mississippi moving company takes over, make sure everything is documented. It will take some time, but it will be worth it. After you do this step, make sure that all of your sensitive work data is backed up. Before you unplug and pack your computers, laptops, or servers, download all data from them and save it, just to be sure. If you’re not sure how to do this, make sure to hire IT experts to handle your operating systems and the backup process. Any device can be easily replaced, but the important information stored on it is irreplaceable.

Unplug your devices and prepare them for packing

After you have saved your data and made an inventory list, it’s time to take your devices apart. Before moving your IT equipment, you need to disconnect it from the power sources in the safest way possible. Otherwise, you may risk damage or data loss. If you’re running an office with a lot of computers or other pieces of hardware, ask your employees to help you by making sure that every device is completely shut down. After you check this, you can unplug every component that is currently plugged in.

When you finish this part, begin dismantling every device. This would include separating monitors and keyboards from the pc housing, disconnecting the printers, and wrapping the wires. Don’t forget to remove batteries from smaller electronics, and ink cartridges from printers. As we mentioned before, if you’re not sure how to do all of this effectively and correctly, you might want to consider hiring professional movers and packers. Many electric devices contain a lot of small, delicate pieces, some of which need to be handled in a specific way. If you’re not sure how to handle all of it, call a professional.

Packing IT equipment for the moving process

When everything is secured, unplugged, and prepared, it’s time to pack! For this step, you will need some quality packing supplies. These are some of the basic materials you will need:

• Moving boxes in different sizes
• Original device boxes (If available)
• Plastic tubs and containers
• Towels and blankets
• Bubble wrap, styrofoam, and saran wrap
• Packing paper
• Box cutters and scissors
• Packing tape

Start your packing by securing the smallest parts first

If you don’t pack the small parts first, you run the risk of losing them. In most cases, tiny components are usually vital, so it’s important to secure them first. This includes items such as cables, wires, USB drives, speakers, memory cards, and card readers. Keyboards and mouses can be placed together in a bigger plastic bag since they are not so small. Once you’re done there, move on to the bigger pieces, such as monitors, computers, and printers. These are the most important equipment pieces in your workplace, so take good care of them.  Wrap them in a few layers of bubble wrap. Place them in a box that is somewhat bigger than the item, and fill any gaps with packing peanuts. It is best to use their original boxes since they are made to size. If you didn’t save them, a regular moving box will do.

To make your inventory more manageable, label every box you pack. Try separating your equipment by type or size, whatever works best for you. Use stickers or markers to label every single box with a detailed description of what component is inside, which office they belong to, as well as how many pieces of it are in the box. This will help with unpacking later on as well. In case you need to temporarily place your IT equipment in storage, make sure you find an appropriate storage unit. Electronic devices are very sensitive to moisture and heat and can get damaged easily. As such, they need climate-controlled storage units. Packing and moving IT equipment is certainly no easy task. But with this helpful guide, we’re sure you’ll be able to pull off your next corporate relocation like a pro.