After 74 years in the same location, the decision to move Strickland’s across town felt monumental. Moving is about so much more than changing locations; for us, it represented change in almost every area of our business – including a new website and a new phone system. It took months of planning, but it resulted in inviting, comfortable, functional showrooms and offices. Come see for yourself!
 
Now that we’re officially settled in at 5422 Oleander Drive (next to K38), we thought we’d share the five biggest lessons we learned while relocating Strickland’s Blinds, Shades & Shutters and Strickland’s Closets & Home Organization. They just might apply to your next big home or office move:

1. Expect the Unexpected: No matter how fully you prepare for a move, you can’t anticipate every contingency. Be flexible, and pad both your budget and your timeline to account for unforeseen delays and expenses.
    
2. De-Clutter, De-Stress and De-Tangle: Pack or toss? File or throw? Save or discard? Where will this go? Emptying and relocating the entire contents of your space is a rare opportunity to take inventory and decide what you really need. Set up systems in your new space from the start. Bring in the pros to help you create organized spaces for everything from clothes to Christmas decorations. You won’t regret it.
    
3. Let the Professionals Handle It: We are the experts when it comes to installing window treatments and designing organizational systems, but we’re not commercial contractors or retail showroom designers. We turned to pros with specific areas of expertise to help us achieve our goals, and the investment was well worth it. As the adage goes: “Stick to what you do best; hire out the rest.” Some things just aren’t worth doing yourself.
    
4. Plan and Prioritize: You’re going to start living and working in your new home or office, long before it’s completely set up the way you want. We started working out of our new location in July, but we’re holding our grand opening now, in September. Allow ample time to settle in and get everything just right.
    
5. Take Time to Celebrate: Company culture or family traditions are too important to leave behind. While moving is an undeniably chaotic time, don’t forget to celebrate. We enjoyed breakfast and mimosas on our first morning in our new showroom. On your first night in a new home, nothing tastes better than eating delivery pizza while using moving boxes for chairs. Clink your drink cans and smile – you did it!