After months of delays and postponements my big move to a new apartment is almost here. As I work from my home this means my personal and business move will occur at the same time. This isn’t all that uncommon of course, and anyone who has transferred to a new city knows what it is like to get settled in a new home.

But for those of us who work from home, just moving 46 blocks can be as stressful as if I had to move across the country. Up until the last few days everything hinged around getting my buyer, my sellers and everyone else on the same page. The last thing I’ve been thinking about, unfortunately, is the home office because trying to cross the “Ts” and dot the “Is” has been enough trouble. (As a side note, Shakespeare may have coined the phrase “First we kill the lawyers” in his play Henry IV, but personally I’d change “lawyers” to “co-op” boards because they’ve been the bane of my existence for the past six months).

Now that we have dates scheduled to close on the apartments, and made things final I have to think about the move. Of course the usual stuff that a regular move entails comes into play. I need to schedule movers, confirm that I can move in and out of the buildings (even home owners need to confirm what community boards allow these days) and set aside time to unpack.

But for a small office, there are many other points. Here is a checklist I’ve started, and feel free to weigh in… just in case I forgot something!

*Phone company – I need to confirm that I can get the business line set up for the day I move. And while I’ll forego a second line for fax, this is something you should consider when arranging the phone.

*Internet hosting – I’m keeping my ISP (Internet Service Provider) but only for the hosting of my Web site and e-mail. The rate isn’t the best and I’ve had friends tell me to make the jump to a cheaper solution, but I can’t deal with moving my Web site at the same time I’m physically moving. I’m not locked in for any set amount of time with my current ISP either, so when I have time in a few months I can shop around for cheaper hosting options.

*Internet broadband – I’m not keeping my ISP for the actual connection. I’ve had DSL for nearly a decade and frankly in New York City I’m finding that cable is faster. I can get a better deal, and this is hassle free because all I need is the cable guy to show up once and I’m good to go. I did look at the options with the phone company’s service, and while about the same price the speed was slower and it meant I had to get a modem mailed to me. Waiting wasn’t an option, so I’ll go with cable.

*Office hardware – I am keeping my current PC, printer, fax machine and other office hardware. I’m not adding anything to the mix, and in the case of my office I’m retaining the same computer desk and chairs. I took the added step of having custom book cabinets built, which will be installed when we move. I’ve even preplanned how things will be set up, and I’ve considered if I need any new devices or furniture. I would add that a lot of people would probably want to “get settled” before making the jump and purchasing somthing. I’m the opposite and would prefer it to be “done” as quickly as possible.

*Change of address – Once you have the new address be sure to let your colleagues and business contacts know you’re moving. I’ll be sending out reminders via e-mail, and I’m considering a follow-up mailing after I am settled. As much of my communication is done by e-mail I’m not sure the latter is even required. I’ll see how much mail is forwarded and determine later. Of course don’t forget that if you work from home you might need new business cards. I have been considering getting a P.O. Box, but unfortunately the new post office is nearly twice as far as the current one, so that won’t be happening.

*Other services – I’m already making sure that I know where the closest FedEx/Kinkos, UPS Store, the aforementioned U.S. Post Office, and other important businesses are located. I will continue to frequent the same Staples or Best Buy should the need arise. However, one point that nearly slipped through the cracks was to find restaurants. I do occasionally have business colleagues come to my home office, and I will take the time to “know” where to grab a bite for lunch.

*Stockpile supplies – Because I’m a bit more off the beaten path with the new apartment and because FedEx and Staples won’t be as close for me, I’m planning on stocking up on a few supplies. There is no need to buy things I’ll have to move, but nothing is worse than realizing as you set up an office that you don’t have paper for the printer or fax!

Moves can be stressful. I’ve never enjoyed the process much in the past, but I’ve learned that moving a home office can be even more stressful. Plan ahead, set aside some extra time to devote to getting the office up and running and whether it is a move of blocks or cities things won’t go smoothly, but at least it should be a bit smoother!