If your home office provides too many distractions or you have simply outgrown the space, it might be time for a corporate relocation . Commercial movers serving NYC can help you transport your furniture and equipment to a new office. U.M.C. Moving Co., Inc. offers moving services for those who need them.

Moving to a new office can be stressful, which is why you need to work with a company that you can trust. Professional movers can create a plan to help you move out of your home office and execute it in a timely fashion. With the help of a professional team on your side, you can focus on the growth of your company as your needs evolve. Transitioning your office from your home can have a number of benefits—including a more professional appeal, greater customer accessibility, and the potential for further future expansion.

One of the keys to running a successful business is record retention. You will want to be sure that you keep the records that you might need on hand at all times. Knowing what to keep and what to discard can be confusing, though, so you may need some assistance with record retention in NYC. Utilizing a professional record retention and storage service will let you maintain more complete records without compromising valuable office space, should an audit ever arise. Here are some helpful tips as far as what you should keep:

Keep business income tax return records for at least seven years.

If you have the room to do it, you should try to keep income tax returns for as long as possible. Not only will they help you should the IRS ever audit your business, but they will also make it easier to complete future returns. If you are trying to save space, retain files for the past seven years, as this is as far back as the IRS may file an audit.

Keep employment tax records for at least four years.

When you have employees, you will need to provide them with tax records at the end of each year. These records will include names, social security numbers, wages, pension payments, and more. The IRS recommends file retention for four years after the date on which the taxes were due to be paid.

Keep all business ledgers, journal entries, and other documents for at least seven years.

This category is trickier than the other categories listed here because there are many different documents that could fall into “other.” For example, annual reports, Board of Director information, and even supportive tax records are included. In general, seven years is the guideline for record retention, but your accountant may advise you to hang on to these items for as long as possible in certain situations.

Keep human resource files for former employees for at least seven years.

Regardless of an employee’s reason for leaving your company, you should keep their information on file. You should also keep the information of any job applicants who were not hired at your company for three years for more complete record keeping.

As a business owner, you need to practice record retention in order to keep all of your important files in order. But that doesn’t mean that you have to clutter your office with unsightly filing cabinets. You can use regular bookshelves for your records retention in NYC . Watch this video to see how it can be done.

The great thing about using shelves to store your important files is that it will force you to put them into categories that make them much easier to find. This method also has the advantage of putting all of your files at your fingertips, which will make file retention more convenient. Additionally, you will have the option of buying any bookshelf you want as opposed to the limited options that come along with filing cabinets. Look for one that is functional for record retention and that enhances the look and feel of your entire office.

Working out of your home can be very convenient and beneficial, but at some point, you may outgrow your home office and need to relocate. Commercial movers can help make this process easy. You can start your office move near NYC today and find a bigger space for your company by starting with the help of local, professional movers. Here are a few signs that you need to move out of your home office.

You are meeting with clients at your home office more often.

If you only have to invite clients to your home occasionally, a home office may suffice. If you are inviting clients to your home a few times a week or more, however, you may not feel as comfortable working from home. A more professional office will leave a better impression on people and help you retain the privacy of your household.

You have more equipment than your home office can handle.

When you first put your home office together, chances are you have a computer, a printer, a desk, and a few other small pieces of equipment. As your business grows, you will need to acquire more equipment and, eventually, it simply will not fit in your home office anymore.

You recently hired new employees to work alongside of you.

Unless you have a home office that occupies an entire basement or floor of your home, you probably won’t be able to accommodate many additional employees comfortably. Once you hire a team, you will want the comforts that come along with a bigger office.

You are having trouble concentrating because of distractions.

No matter how big or small your company is, working at home can be very distracting. From the mailman stopping to your home phone ringing constantly to your kids asking you questions, there are plenty of potential distractions at home. When the home environment just will not cut it anymore, a dedicated office is exactly what you need. Call commercial movers to help you with an office relocation.

As your business grows, sometimes it is important to expand into bigger offices . If you’re starting to feel a bit cramped, it might be time to make the move. Although it may be tempting to simply make the most of the space you have, chances are that you’ll need more room in order to get more done. With that in mind, here are a few signs that you should be considering office relocation in NYC.

Shared Desk Space

Are your employees currently sharing desk space in order to maximize the potential of your office? This isn’t necessarily a bad idea, but it can also lead to distractions that will make it more difficult for employees to get their work done. Sharing desk space can also result in poorly organized files, which can become a costly headache if you’re not careful.

Cramped Quarters

Even if your employees aren’t sharing desk space yet, there could still be an issue with distractions if they are tightly packed together. When an employee can’t hear a client over the phone because their co-workers are louder, that can be a problem. Don’t let your customer service suffer due to a problem that could be solved by corporate relocation.

Poorly Organized Inventory

Depending on the purpose and size of your office, it may be necessary to combine inventory. Unless your inventory is well organized, this could make it more difficult to find the products you are trying to sell. Corporate relocation can help by providing more space and making inventory organization much easier.

Lack of Storage Space

In addition to running out of space for your inventory, if you don’t even have enough room for standard office supplies and other equipment, there’s probably a problem. The harder it is to find more ink or paper for your printer, the more difficult the day-to-day operations of your office will be. If storage space is becoming an issue, it may be time to consider office relocation.

Getting ready for office relocation in NYC can be somewhat difficult, but if you keep track of the move, you shouldn’t lose anything important. Of course, keeping everything organized isn’t always as easy as it sounds, which is why it is important to have a checklist.

With the help of an office move checklist, you can make sure that nothing gets lost or left behind. This type of list can also be used to keep track of the time frame for completing each step of the move, which allows you to focus on every aspect of a corporate relocation at exactly the right time.

For instance, before you get involved with moving files, it will probably be important to ensure that the files have somewhere to go in the new office. With that in mind, you’ll want to make sure that office furniture installation is taken care of early on in the new location. With the help of an office move checklist, corporate relocation should be much easier and less stressful.

Record retention policies can be important for a variety of reasons. Not only are minimum retention periods required by law, but they can also be helpful for resolving legal disputes should the need arise. Unfortunately, retaining too many records for too long can actually be somewhat detrimental, as storing them will require a lot of space that you might not have. The longer you stay in business, the more records you will be required to store, making record retention in NYC somewhat difficult. If you’re trying to find a good balance for your record retention policy, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Group Your Records Into Categories
One of the easiest ways to take control of your record retention is by grouping them into different categories. There are three basic categories that you can use to keep everything organized: Those you need, those you want, and those that are no longer important. By separating records in this manner, you can ensure that files you no longer need to store do not cause storage problems for your office.

Legal Requirements For Record Retention

Depending on the business your organization conducts, you will may have unique legal requirements when it comes to record retention. That being said, there are general legal requirements that pretty much every organization must follow. The two most common records that require retention are tax and employment records. The length of time that is required for retaining these records will depend on the industry you are in, so if you aren’t sure about the legal requirements for your industry, be sure to study them further.

Implementing the Policy

As you may have guessed, it will be important to make sure that everyone in your office is informed about your file retention policy. If even one employee isn’t aware of the policy, you may end up with misplaced or poorly organized records. With that in mind, you’ll want to make education about any record retention policy a high priority.

Is it becoming difficult to find documents in your office? If so, you might want to think about a new approach to organization. A cluttered office can make it more difficult to find the documents and tools that you need to complete your work. Whether at home or elsewhere, record retention in NYC is incredibly important, and you’ll want to keep track of your files.

Thankfully, you can avoid losing important employment or tax information by simply rearranging your office. In this video, you will learn some helpful tips for organizing your work area more efficiently. An organized office should have room for file retention, and this video offers some useful ideas for file systems that can make it easier to keep track of important documents. Make record retention easier by conveniently organizing your office.

If you work from home, then you need to be extra-careful with office moving near NYC. Though it’s important to pack all of your possessions securely and label every box, you need to be especially cautious with your home office for record retention purposes. Commercial movers can help ensure that your office records and all of your sensitive electronic equipment are treated with the utmost care, as they would be during corporate moving services. Computer relocation can be tricky, so make sure that you back up all of your files before you begin to move. For more tips on clearing out your home office for a move , watch this video.

If you are moving your small business to a new location, you should hire a commercial moving company in NYC. You will usually have a very tight window of time in which to move all the furniture, computers, and physical records from your old location to your new location, so the help of a professional corporate moving company is indispensable. The organization is key to smooth office relocation. The tips below will help you stay organized during your move.

Relocate Essential Personnel First

The staff who are most essential to smooth operation of your business should be the first ones out your old office and the first ones to set up their workstations in the new space. This helps you minimize downtown in answering phones and emails so that your customers experience as little lag time as possible when you transition to a new space.

Box and Label All Hardcopy Materials

If you keep physical records of any kind, whether they are for customers, patients, vendors, or employees, make sure you clearly label the boxes when you pack them. Record retention is essential to the continuity of operations for small businesses as well as large ones. Use color-coded markers and labels to make sure that everything arrives, and number your boxes so you will know if anything gets mislaid. This also helps you keep all the papers organized as you move them out of boxes and into new file cabinets.

Leave the Heavy Lifting to the Movers

As tempting as it may be to have your employees help with the move, especially if they volunteer, leave everything to your commercial movers. Not only because moving companies have extensive experience transporting even the heaviest and most delicate office equipment, but also because they have special insurance to protect their workers. If one of your employees injures him or herself by lifting office furniture or heavy boxes, even if said employee freely volunteered to do so, you are vulnerable to legal action. You can let your employees help with packing and organization, but not with lifting and carrying heavy items.