Office moves in the UAE are common: a growing team leaves a serviced office for its own floor, a company consolidates two sites, or a lease ends and the business follows the market to Business Bay, Dubai Marina or Abu Dhabi's islands. The move plan covers IT, furniture and access cards. The pantry usually gets one line, and the first morning in the new office has no coffee, no milk and nowhere to put the fruit.
This checklist fixes that. Work through it in the six weeks before the move.
Six to four weeks before: plan
- Confirm the new pantry layout. Check where the water point, power sockets, drainage and fridge space are. A coffee machine needs a socket close to water and, for plumbed machines, a water line. The pantry design guide lists what to check.
- Decide what moves and what is replaced. Fridges, coffee machines and dispensers are often rented or included in a service. Check the contract before you pack anything. The rental vs buying guide explains the usual terms.
- Tell your suppliers the date. Every supplier needs the new address, delivery access rules and a new receiving contact. If you use several suppliers, the move is a good moment to consolidate; see the supplier consolidation guide.
- Check building rules. Many towers have fixed delivery windows, loading bay bookings and service lift rules. Get them in writing from the new building.
Three to two weeks before: run down stock
- Stop ordering long-life items. Use up what you have: tea, sugar, snacks, cleaning supplies.
- Reduce fresh orders to what the team will eat before the move day.
- Do a final count. The inventory management guide has a simple method. Whatever is left gets packed in labelled boxes, with chilled items planned separately.
- Donate rather than bin. Unopened food close to its date can go to a staff giveaway or a food bank.
Moving week: keep people fed
During the move people pack, unpack and work from boxes. Plan a lighter, portable pantry:
- Water first. Moving is physical work, even in winter. Bottled water or a dispenser on both sites. See juices and waters.
- Easy snacks that need no fridge: nuts and seeds, dried fruits and bars.
- One team meal on the move day itself. It costs little and people remember it.
- Coffee on both sites until the new machine is installed and tested.
The day before and day one: the new pantry
- Install and test equipment the day before: coffee machine, water dispenser, fridge, boiling water tap. The equipment maintenance guide has the first checks.
- Clean the new pantry before anything goes in. Builders' dust gets everywhere. The cleaning schedule and cleaning supplies cover what you need.
- Schedule a first delivery for the morning of day one: milk, fruit, coffee, tea, water and a basic snack range. The new office pantry setup checklist lists a starter order.
- Stock the supplies cupboard. Stationery, printer paper, kitchen roll and washroom consumables are often forgotten. See stationery and office furniture and the stationery guide.
- Put up the pantry rules from day one, so new habits start right. The pantry etiquette guide has a template.
After the move: reset the order
The first month in a new office is a good time to reset what you order. Team size, layout and habits change after a move:
- Watch what runs out and what stays on the shelf for four weeks.
- Ask the team what they miss; the employee survey guide has questions.
- Then set a new regular order.
Notes by area
- Moving into Business Bay or Dubai World Trade Centre? Tower delivery windows are strict; book them early. See the Business Bay, Downtown and DWTC guide.
- Moving to Dubai Marina, JLT or Dubai Media City? See the Marina, JLT and Media City guide.
- Moving to Yas Island, Saadiyat Island or Masdar City? See the Abu Dhabi districts guide.
The short version
- Six weeks out: check the new pantry layout, contracts and building rules, and tell suppliers.
- Three weeks out: stop ordering long-life items and run stock down.
- Moving week: water, easy snacks, one team meal and coffee on both sites.
- Day one: equipment tested, pantry cleaned, first delivery booked, supplies cupboard stocked.
- After a month: reset the regular order.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should we tell our pantry supplier about an office move? Four to six weeks before the move, with the new address, the move date, building delivery rules and the new receiving contact.
Can we move a rented coffee machine ourselves? Check the rental or service contract first. Many suppliers require their own technician to disconnect, move and reinstall the machine, especially plumbed machines.
What should we order for the first day in a new office? Milk, fresh fruit, coffee, tea, water and a basic snack range, plus cleaning supplies, kitchen roll and washroom consumables.
What do we do with leftover pantry stock before a move? Stop ordering long-life items three weeks before, use up what you have, pack the rest in labelled boxes and donate unopened food that will expire before you are settled.
Can My Healthy Office deliver to our new office from day one? Yes. Share the new address and building rules in advance and we will schedule the first delivery for the morning of your first day.
