Moving to a new office space is an exciting experience, because it typically means a fresh start and offers lots of new opportunities to take advantage of. But, it's important to make a checklist of preparation steps that need to be taken during the weeks leading up to the big move. This will ensure that nothing important is overlooked, so there aren't any ugly surprises to deal with once you're settled in your new space. Here are four steps that deserve serious consideration when creating your checklist:

Invest in On-site Shredding Services

Some privacy laws, such as the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act, may hold your business responsible for the safety of customer information that you've acquired. And even if you aren't holding onto sensitive customer information, you certainly don't want your personal business documents floating into the wrong hands.

To ensure that no valuable paperwork is lost in the shuffle of your move and doesn't end up being abused in some way, it's important to invest in on-site shredding services right before your move.

Have the shredding company you hire come to your place of business to destroy all the documents that you don't absolutely need in your presence. Not only will this protect the integrity of your business practices, but it should noticeably lighten the load of stuff that needs to be moved to your new office space.

Color Code and Mark Moving Boxes

Color coding and marking your moving boxes is a surefire way to minimize wasted time and keep your stress levels low while unpacking in your new office space. Start by packing similar items in each box based on the rooms, closets, or file drawers that they come from.

Then use colored masking tape to code the boxes so you can quickly identify the types of items that are inside each box without having to open them up. You can further simplify the unpacking process by using a permanent marker to write keywords on each box that will remind you of specific items that can be found within them.

Promote Your New Location In Advance

If you rely on face-to-face meetings with customers and clients to conduct business, it's a good idea to promote your new location well before your actual move date. Use your office front, community billboards, local radio stations, newspapers, and online social media to get the word out.

If you have a newsletter that goes out to customers, include a small map of the new location in the couple of newsletters leading up to your move. This will give current and potential customers plenty of time to scout the new location out so they aren't inconvenienced when they are ready to visit you.

Have the Phone and Internet Lines Installed Early

One of the most important things you can do to make sure that your move goes smoothly is to have the phone and Internet lines installed early so you have time to test them before moving into the space. It is extremely hard to coordinate all of the specific tasks that need to be done after the move, or to effectively communicate with customers so profits don't suffer, when you don't have a properly working phone and internet line right away.

Give yourself two or three days for testing and troubleshooting before you officially make the move. You may even want to try working in the new space for an entire day to make sure that your connection to the outside world is seamless during long periods of use.

With the help of these tips and tricks, you are sure to spend less time getting settled into your new office space so you can spend more time making profits.