A practical checklist for what to do with workstations, cabling, furniture and IT equipment when an office moves, downsizes or closes.
Most office relocation planning focuses on the new space — the move-in date, the fit-out, the IT setup. What's left behind at the old space (workstations, cabins, cabling, old servers, furniture, AC units) often becomes an afterthought, dealt with in the final week before handover under real time pressure.
Furniture and fixtures: desks, chairs, cabins and partitions — some may have resale or reuse value, and a buyback assessment can offset part of the clearance cost.
IT equipment: old computers, servers, networking gear and drives all need data destruction handled before they leave, regardless of whether they're being recycled or refurbished.
Cabling and fixed installations: low-voltage cabling, false ceiling and electrical fittings usually need to come out as part of returning the space to its original condition for the landlord.
The most efficient approach is one team handling furniture buyback, IT asset dismantling, data destruction and certified recycling together, on a schedule tied to your actual move-out date — rather than coordinating separate vendors for each category under deadline pressure.
