When we decided to move our office from the East to the West Shore earlier this year, we knew we’d be in for some big changes. What we didn’t realize was how much we’d also learn from the experience.
Packing up more than a decade of paperwork, belongings and those memories that don’t exactly fit in a box teaches you a lot. Here are 10 lessons we took away from our move — that may be able to help you, too.
1. How Long to Save Certain Paperwork for Tax Purposes
We came across so many long-filed scraps of paper that had us scrambling for our phones to Google, “how long to save business records for taxes?” Turns out the IRS recommends keeping most information for three to four years—though in some cases, up to seven is appropriate. Boy did it feel good to shred some of those old papers!
2. Get Everyone on the Same Page
We can’t stress enough the importance of planning in advance and having everyone know when certain things are happening. Moving is stressful. It could have been more so if we weren’t all in sync about timing and responsibilities for each person in the process.
3. Time Your Commute Right During Rush Hour
Susan lived close to our old office … so close the “fasten your seatbelt” chime wouldn’t even get a chance to go off during her commute! Now, coming to Camp Hill from Hershey, she’s had to learn to time her commute so she doesn’t get stuck in rush hour craziness. (For those of you who have never gotten caught on Route 15 in Camp Hill between 8 a.m.-10 a.m. or 4 p.m.-6 p.m.: it’s BAD!)
5. You Have to Be Flexible
Not everything worked out as we planned. Often, that was OK. Different doesn’t mean worse. Rolling with the changes kept our tension levels down.
6. Trying New Things Is Fun
Whether that meant new ways to decorate the office or new ways to organize our space, we tried to enjoy every new thing.
7. Windows Make a Lovely Space for Office Plants
Not every room in our old office was plant-friendly. Now Molly has a space in her office where our greenery thrives. It’s a nice pick-me-up on days when it’s chilly outside to see that green space.
8. Old Memories Won’t Move With You, But They Do Live On
Susan had a spot on the wall at the old office where she recorded the heights of SGC employees’ kids. It was fun to see how they grew during our many years at that location. And we definitely felt a twinge of sadness when we had to leave that portion of the wall there (we didn’t want the ceiling to cave in on the new owner if we took it with us!).
But we talk about that memory, and we treasure it, and it’s OK that it’s not here with us now. We’re going to make new ones at the new office, like looking out in the parking lot where we held our first SGC Yappy Hour this summer.
9. We Have a Whole Lot of New Restaurants to Explore
After more than 10 years in Hershey, we figured out our favorite lunch and dinner spots and where we loved to meet clients. Now we have a chance to try a bunch of new places on the West Shore. It’s a tough job, but we’re prepared to do it.
10. People Are Friendly No Matter Where You Go
We certainly miss our old neighbors (including Susan’s wonderful parents!) but we’ve also met many nice people in our new space. And that affirms one of the tenets of SGC, why we give back: Because everyone is worth caring for, and everyone deserves a chance.
