Office decommissioning: give every decision an owner
Pick one project lead. IT signs off on devices with data. The records owner signs off on document destruction. Facilities handles access and the landlord.
Check who owns the furniture, copiers, phones and fixtures. Some belong to a leasing company, service provider or the landlord. Put every item into one of four groups: keep or move, return to owner, let go, or not yet decided. Undecided items stay out of the collection area.
Do things in the right order
Steps can overlap, but the decision to let something go always comes before it is removed. Collection day is too late to find out whether a device holds sensitive data.
List what is leaving, by material
| Material | What to note | Who decides |
|---|---|---|
| Furniture and fit-out | Count, condition, who owns it | Move, return or clear |
| Computers and laptops | Asset numbers and drives | IT signs off on data |
| Servers and network gear | Drives and live connections | IT shutdown plan |
| Printers and copiers | Lease, internal storage, toner | Owner return and data |
| Documents | Record types and how long to keep them | Records owner |
| UPS batteries | Type, count and weights | Technician |
| Packaging | Cardboard, EPS and film kept apart | What each receiver takes |
| Branded stock and uniforms | What the product is | Who signs off on destruction |
| Mixed equipment or metal | What it is made of, access | Checked one by one |
Furniture, fit-out and the general clear-out
Sort out furniture that is moving or going back to its owner first. The rest can usually go in the same job as the IT, batteries, cable and metal.
Check every drawer and cupboard first. Furniture often hides documents, drives and keys.
IT and devices that hold data
Ask IT to find every storage device, including those inside printers, meeting-room screens and network gear. Keep devices that are leaving apart from working machines, and flag any that are locked or damaged.
A general e waste recycling receipt does not mean every drive was wiped. Agree how data is handled before anything leaves.
Documents and archive boxes
The records owner should approve what gets destroyed before you book a paper collection. Check how long records must be kept and whether any are on legal hold. The OAIC's APP 11 guidance explains the rules for destroying personal information.
Keep approved boxes locked away from records you are keeping. Do not show confidential pages in collection photos.
Secure document destruction is a separate service from cardboard recycling. See the document guide for bins and one-off archive jobs.
Batteries and equipment that needs a specialist
Find UPS and backup batteries early. Have a technician disconnect them, and give the collector the type, count, weights and condition. Do not leave a battery cabinet as a vague line in a quote.
Keep batteries out of general electronics bins. The battery directory shows where each type can go.
Hardwired equipment, cooling systems and other installed services need a qualified trade. A collector turning up does not make them safe to disconnect.
Building access and loading bookings
Walk the route from each room to the truck. Measure doors and lifts for large items, and book the loading dock. Ask the building manager about inductions, parking and working hours.
Keep staff, exits and fire equipment clear of the route.
Sort before the final day
Mark separate areas for items going, items staying and undecided items. Use proper signs, not sticky notes.
Keep cardboard and EPS apart, and keep batteries, cartridges and confidential documents out of mixed bins. Photograph the packed load. If more items turn up, tell the collector before the day.
Council and return options
A small number of computers may suit the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme. Suppliers may take back leased equipment or packaging. Charities may take some furniture, if they need it.
Check each option directly. A free household service is rarely right for a whole office. Use council sites only for the items and quantities they take, and check hours first.
Compare quotes on the same list
Give every provider the same list, photos and access details. Ask what loading, packing or dismantling is included. A furniture removal quote may leave out IT, batteries or documents, so list them clearly.
Do not compare on the headline price alone.
Collection day
Have the person who signs off on site or on call. Check each batch against your list. If an item needs checking, keep it on site and agree the next step. Do not let a deadline push an item out the door without approval.
Before you hand back the keys, check what left, what stayed and what is still open.
What Crex does
Crex runs whole-floor commercial defits and takes retired equipment, IT, batteries, packaging and other materials. Tell us about furniture and the general clear-out at the same time, as most of it can be quoted together.
See computers and laptops, hard drives and lead-acid batteries. Email the list, photos and access details to enquiries@crexgroup.com.au, or tell us what you've got.
Batteries in devices
Laptops, phones and tablets can come as they are, with their batteries in. Loose, swollen or damaged lithium batteries are not taken. Tell us if any device is swollen, cracked or has been in water. Ask a qualified person to remove them, and do not include the removed batteries in the equipment load.