If you are relocating from an office you have been using for a long time, it's likely that you have a collection of physical (paper files) to move. If that is the case, use the following tips to pack and move your paper files efficiently and safely.
Remove the Files From the Filing Cabinets
It may seem convenient to transport your documents in their filing cabinets, but nothing can be further from the truth. Transporting documents in filing cabinets is dangerous because such cabinets tend to be heavy and cumbersome to move. The weight also increases the risk of damage to the cabinets, for example, some may topple over and damage the files.
Shred Unnecessary Documents
The first step, which should always be one of the first steps when moving, is to decide which documents should go and which ones are superfluous. This is because the weight of your moving boxes is one of the factors that determines your cost of moving. Many people keep documents well past their useful life, and you may only realize you have such files when packing up for a move. Take such documents to the shredder to lighten your load.
Scan the Documents for a Backup
If you haven't done so already, then you should scan your documents and store their digitized versions in the cloud. This is particularly true with important, one-of-a-kind or difficult-to-replace documents. Despite your best precautions, something may go wrong during the move, and your documents may be damaged. In some cases, even monetary compensation from movers or insurance companies may not be able to compensate for the loss of documents. Therefore, storing copies elsewhere is a good way to protect your documents.
Create an Inventory
You should also create an inventory of your documents before moving them. This is particularly necessary if you have various documents or if you have various forms of documents or if you are not relocating all of them. You need to know which document is in which box, how many copies there are, and which documents are remaining. The inventory will come in handy during unpacking and reorganization.
Use Custom-Made Packing Boxes
Lastly, you should use custom-made packing boxes if you want to protect your fields during the move. There are even boxes with built-in inserts for hanging files so that each document can stay in its folder during the move. Custom-made boxes will also be sturdy enough to prevent the documents from getting crushed or torn during relocation.
Contact a company like Road Runner Move today to learn more.
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