Tips for office clean-ups and moves

Summer is often seen as an ideal time for offices to schedule a clean-up day or tackle projects to clear out old files. It’s also peak season for office relocations, which typically involve packing and moving records. Whether you're cleaning out or moving into a new space, the process can quickly become chaotic without proper planning. The following records management tips are designed to help minimize disruptions and ensure your project runs smoothly and efficiently.

Plan ahead

Be aware of K-State policies on retaining and disposing of records

  • K-State has official policies on how long you must keep different kinds of records and their disposition, known as the records retention schedules.
  • Identify the kinds of records in your office and follow the retention and disposition schedules.
  • If you are cleaning up your electronic files or your email, be aware that the records retention schedules apply to electronic records, too.
  • For help interpreting the records retention schedules, contact records management at dnhall@k-state.edu or 785-532-7466.

Create an inventory of your records

  • Records inventories are always useful to gain a better understanding of what records an office has, but they are especially useful in situations such as clean-up projects and office moves.
  • Creating an inventory will help to identify which records are ready for destruction, which records need to be kept in the office permanently and which are eligible for transfer to the University Archives.
  • Inventories can be used to document the records being packed in boxes. This will assist you in unpacking and organizing your records in the new office.
  • If you need help getting started with your inventory, use the records inventory list.

Destroying records

  • Before any record can be destroyed, it must have a correlating retention schedule.
  • Do not destroy any records pertaining to an investigation, litigation, audit or program review that is either in progress or about to be held. This is the case even if the retention period or disposition date specified for the records has already expired.
  • Do not destroy any records that have either “permanent” or “archives” as the disposition.

Archival records

  • Records that have historical value and may be appropriate for transfer to the University Archives are indicated in the Records Retention Schedules by the retention plans "archives" and/or “transfer to the university.”
  • For details about transferring records to the archives, please contact the university archivist at rleimkue@k-state.edu or 785-532-5013.

Moving your records

  • As you prepare the records that are going to be moved to your new location, it is important to document what records are being moved, where they are being moved to and who is responsible for the records. This will assist you in unpacking your records in the new office and ensuring records are not misplaced or abandoned.
  • Label the outside of each box with the owner's name, office name, name of records and total number of boxes of that kind of record (e.g., Box 1 of 2, Box 2 of 2).
  • Use your inventory form to document all boxes being moved. After relocating, refer to the form to verify all records have arrived at the new location.

Post clean-up assessment

If your clean-up or move highlights challenges with your current recordkeeping practices or motivates you to reorganize for better access and management, contact the records management office at dnhall@k-state.edu or 785-532-7466. We can help address your questions, suggest improvements and design effective recordkeeping solutions.