May is National Moving Month in the U.S. As the peak moving season (which occurs from May to August) begins, millions of Americans across the country will move residences and businesses, and in the process, will consider everything from office furniture rental to moving insurance. In honor of National Moving Month, CORT brings you some tips for relocating your business with ease. Beware of Scammers Unfortunately, there are moving companies that will attempt to scam customers out of more money during what is already a complicated and expensive process. (Note that the Better Business Bureau received more than 555,000 moving-related inquiries from individuals in the U.S. and Canada in 2012.) Research your moving company thoroughly and receive a quote in-person before committing. Obtain copies of all documents you sign so that you can hold the moving company accountable for any changes that are made. Time Your Move Well Try to schedule your move mid-month or midweek, when movers will be less busy and prices may be lower. If you are able, wait until moving season slows down, and move between September and April; again, prices will probably be lower, and movers may prove to be more flexible and accommodating to …
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Please indicate below the emails to which you want to send this article: How to Move Your Office: Furniture Rental, Choosing Movers, and More
This week at CORT we’re thinking of ways to help you make the most of your office furniture rental. Office furniture rental doesn’t just benefit those in the boardroom! A home office can also transform for the better with the help of office furniture rental. And working from home, while a lot easier than enduring a long commute in early-morning workday traffic, also means a different set of productivity problems. It can be much harder to start your day if the only commute you have to undertake is from your bed to your desk chair. Here are a few tips to help take you from a ho-hum home office to a productive paradise. Optimize Your Space We asked our Twitter followers for tips on getting organized in a home office, and @PkgConcierge gave this great piece of advice: “When working from my home office, it is important to have a well-organized space that is separate from the family area.” So even if this means converting a closet to a desk area, it is immensely helpful to have a space that is dedicated solely to working. That way, when you sit down to work for the day, you associate that space …
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Are you starting up a new office or is your existing office starting to feel a little stifling? Boost everyone’s productivity by setting up comfortable, inspiring workspaces with suitable technology and office furniture. Rental office spaces can be incredibly productive places when set up properly. Collaborative Space There is an increasing emphasis on collaborative spaces in the office these days. Open spaces that can be configured with plenty of chairs and table space are almost a must. They allow flexibility so you and your team, no matter the size, can work together on any project. Be sure to choose well-crafted office furniture. Rental is a good option because it allows you to grow and change your collaborative spaces to best suit your evolving workforce, but still have access to high-quality pieces. In addition to furniture, these spaces should have conference call connections, a television or projection screen for presentations, and white boards for scribbling down ideas during brainstorming sessions. Private Space Sometimes collaborative spaces are not the best for helping workers think, focus, and get down to business. Even with an open floor plan, every office needs at least some private space where employees can work in peace or where …
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Getting a startup off the ground is an exciting process, but keeping costs low while setting up functional office space can be a challenge that requires creativity and flexibility. Below we cover some tips for startups on a limited budget, from finding alternative workspaces and office furniture rental to designing a space that encourages collaboration. Keep It Flexible Your startup likely has little cash to cover all of the overhead expenses of setting up an office. And with the possibility of quick growth, your company might need to expand in just a few months time. That means it’s best to be flexible with all of your assets – from furniture to office space. Consider office furniture rental to leave cash open for investment in other essentials like top-of-the-line technology. An added benefit of furniture rental is being able to add more desks when new employees sign on. Also, be open to non-traditional office spaces. Co-working communities and executive suites are both excellent options. With these you get access to workspace, conference rooms, telecommunications services, and possibly even support staff, all without an expensive traditional commercial lease. Make a Good First Impression Set the scene for funder, clients, and employees with …
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You’re adjusting to your new environment, with a new office space and new systems and procedures to deal with or create. Relocating to a temporary office space and arranging office furniture rental can be very challenging, especially if it also means moving to a new city. Even if you have had support like destination services, the adjustment can be unsettling. Chances are, you were hired or brought in because of your specific skills and unique perspective. But finding your footing in your new location can limit creativity and productivity. So how do you set up your temporary office to maximize your creativity and productivity? Here are some tips on organizing for success. For maximum creativity, you may want to carefully plan your office furniture rental placement. Whether it’s a view out a window or a view of an inspiring poster, arrange your office furniture rental pieces so that you can take a mental break every once in a while. Balance the familiar with the unfamiliar. Display a few objects or photos that inspire you and remind you of who you are and what you bring. Balance these with new objects or plants. Also, when organizing, consider making your movement efficient. …
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An office relocation is a great opportunity to make the transition to a more sustainable office. Sustainability is not just a good idea, it can save money and promote innovative thinking. Here are a few tips for turning your office relocation into a green move. Think Green When Purchasing Packing and Office Supplies Relocation often means the need for restocking supplies. Since you will be updating your address for supply deliveries anyway, you may want to use your relocation as an opportunity to order supplies that are composed of recycled or compostable materials. With a little research, you can find recycled paper supplies and even compostable cups and plates. Go green with your move as well by using recycled boxes and compostable or low-plastic packing supplies. Think Green When Purchasing and Installing Equipment You can turn your relocation into a green re-design by rethinking the way you use your office equipment. Setting equipment to sleep mode after 5 minutes of reuse can save lots of wasted energy. And connected workstations to a central power strip can make it easy to turn off lights and equipment at the end of the day. With a little effort in planning and designing your …
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Whether you are moving in or moving out of a home, the issue of what to do about furniture can be stressful, to be sure. But what is the difference really, between purchasing furniture and furniture rental, and what’s the best choice for you? No Commitment When you are moving into a new home or office space, sometimes you don’t really know how long you’ll be there. No one wants to get stuck with a room full of furniture only to find that they need to move again 6 months down the road. And in the midst of all that change, having the option to change your mind later can bring valuable peace of mind. With furniture rental, you can plan your furniture use on your own terms, with a variety of contract lengths. Fewer Moving Headaches In our 40 years in the office and home furniture rental business, we’ve heard all of the horror stories of moves gone wrong. Broken furniture, lost items, and delivery delays can make moving extremely challenging, not to mention the cost. Furniture rental, on the other hand, can be as easy as browsing a few webpages, selecting your furniture rental pieces, and arranging for …
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One of the advantages of renting furnished housing includes the experience and expertise of a highly qualified staff to help you make design choices that best fit your budget and your space. Choosing the right furniture for the space can go a long way in making a living area feel open and inviting. But when it comes to controlling clutter, its up to the homeowner to make choices about how to utilize a space. This article begins a series of blogs on how to manage clutter. This week, we will be focusing on living areas. Home staging experts understand the importance of a living area that is free of clutter. That’s because people who are looking for a home want to imagine themselves living there. In a similar way, keeping your living area free of clutter will also free up sense of imagination and focus, and even your creative energy. So here’s a few tips you can borrow from the home staging experts. Create a place where each item belongs. This may seem like an obvious point, but it’s easy for objects in the home to float around from place to place, adding to clutter. Finding a place for each …
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Please indicate below the emails to which you want to send this article: Spring is Here! Tips for De-Cluttering Your Living Area
It’s not exactly breaking furniture news that moving an office costs money. In addition to the expense of cleaning crews, packing fees, and movers, the downtime experienced by your business can cost a company lots of money. It would seem that the faster and more efficient your move is, the less money a company loses. But a fast move can often cause a high level of confusion and disorganization that costs time and energy in the long run. Ultimately, the goal of any office move is to minimize company downtime while maximizing efficiency, effectiveness, and organization. All of this is possible when companies prepare well. For a truly smooth and seamless move, preparation can start months in advance. But how you prepare is equally as important as how early you start. In your old office, start by doing a thorough inventory of your office equipment, furniture, files, and other items. List these items according to their functional groupings. For example, office communications will include the fax machine, copier, and shipping supplies, while staff community areas may include a break table, water cooler, refrigerator, and pantry items. List the size of each piece of large furniture and equipment. Depending on the …
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From time to time on our furniture blog, we like to share the tips we’ve learned in the furniture rental business for keeping your furniture looking great. Last week we discussed how to clean fabric furniture. As promised, this week we will focus on how to maintain and clean your wood furniture. Keeping your wood furniture looking beautiful starts with making sure the environmental conditions don’t damage the wood. Keep wood furniture away from bright sunlight and locations near sources of excessive heat that may dry out, shrink and crack the wood. Keep temperatures and humidity levels somewhat moderate and consistent. In general 40% to 45% humidity works well for wood. High humidity can cause warping or the growth of mildew. Furniture in storage should likewise be kept in controlled conditions, and should also be kept covered. From time to time, wood furniture needs cleaning. Proper cleaning techniques depends on the surface of the wood. Most well-sealed clear-finished furniture (shellacked, varnished or lacquered furniture) can be cleaned effectively using the following steps: Remove any metal hardware before polishing them, as these solvents can damage a finish. Use a clean, dry cloth to remove any dust or dirt from the surface …
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