Everyone wants to work from home—until it's time to move residences. Then, you're working from home while packing up a house and moving offices at the same time. You have to decide which work equipment can go in boxes early and which needs to wait until the last minute.

And then there's the process of setting up your next workplace. You want to be up and running as quickly as possible, but you also want a home office setup that you'll look forward to working in, hopefully for years to come. It's an exciting and doable process, but it takes a bit of finesse. This guide will help you plan the home office part of your move so it goes as smoothly as possible.

More Than a Home: Packing Up Your Remote Office

If your work-from-home office setup is like most others’, it probably contains sensitive or proprietary materials and valuable equipment, some of which might belong to your company. Here's how to keep it safe without ruining your productivity:

Back up your files. Accidents can happen during a move, and you don't want to lose anything essential. Back up everything to an external hard drive, then store the hard drive in a safe place. Plan to carry it with you when you move, just as you would a wallet or a checkbook.
Mark your cables: Use tape or tags to mark each connector cable. If there's any doubt about which end goes with which device, or which port it connects to, mark that, too. Gently coil your cables and pack them in a waterproof box.
Pack by priority: Create a comprehensive list of your equipment, from the most frequently used to the least. Pack the less critical items first and the most urgent items last, keeping them separate in their respective boxes.
Protect fragile items: Pack your monitors, keyboards, printers, and other electronics with the same care as you'd pack your grandmother's good dishes. Wrap them in bubble wrap, and place them in boxes with cushioning. Ensure each piece lies flat, and clearly mark all sides of the box as 'fragile'.
Label everything: It's probably not a good idea to arrive at your new place with a box simply labeled "office stuff." Label each box with its contents, being as detailed as possible. If you don't have enough room on the boxes, create a packing spreadsheet and number each box.

Communication is also part of the process. Share your office moving date with your team and any affected clients, and let them know that you may be offline around that time. If appropriate, let them know how to contact you in an emergency.

5 Home Office Setup Tips

For remote workers, moving isn't only about finding the best places to live. It also gives you a blank slate to create the best home office setup.

1. Arrange Internet Connection

A few weeks before moving day, call your internet service provider to schedule a time for them to disconnect your current service and install service in your new home. If you can't make this happen before you start work in your new home office, call your employer's information technology (IT) department to discuss options.

2. Design Your Layout

You'll be spending a significant portion of your days (or nights) in your home office, so make it comfortable and functional. Start by placing your desk near a window for optimal light, and make sure there's a power outlet nearby. Comfortable work-from-home setups don't usually have labyrinthine tangles of extension cords.

3. Adjust for Comfort

Once you have the basics ready, sit in your desk chair and imagine you're about to start work. What do you need to feel comfortable and productive? Perhaps you need additional storage bins, a more stylish supply organizer, or more lighting for the winter months.

4. Set Up Electronics

Minimize downtime by unpacking your computer, monitors, keyboards, and any other essential work equipment first. Try to complete this task as soon as possible, ideally the day before your first scheduled workday.

5. Test Everything

As soon as you have the important things out of the boxes, turn them all on and make sure you're connected. Then, you'll have time to troubleshoot before you have to hit the ground running at work.

Making the Most of Your Move: How the Pros Can Help

At Mash Movers, we handle residential moves across the Austin area—one of the best places to move for remote workers, if you ask us. Whether you're one of the many remote workers paid to move by your employer or you're funding the whole thing yourself, we can help you make it happen smoothly and economically. Contact us today for a free quote or to learn more.