Moving to a new location can be an overwhelming task, especially when you have to deal with the clearance of archived documents. This was the situation a new client found themselves in when they approached Ardington Archives for assistance in clearing their documents from their building before moving to a smaller site.
The client had several concerns. Firstly, they had over 700 boxes of documents, all located throughout various rooms on the first floor with no lift access to transport the boxes to the exit. Secondly, the client had stored all archive documents in regular boxes, with minimal details listed on the side of the boxes. This made it difficult to identify the contents of each box, and there was a risk of damage to the documents during transit.
To address these concerns, Ardington Archives sent in a team to clear the archive boxes over the course of two days. The boxes were loaded onto vans and transported to Ardington Archives storage facilities, allowing the client to exit the building within their allotted timeframe.
Due to the weak construction of many of the boxes and the contents placed inside them, Ardington Archives replaced them with their FileBox3 boxes, providing more robust and secure protection of the contents. Alongside this, a catalogue of the box contents was created for the client. Each box was assigned a unique Ardington Archives box barcode, which was listed against the box contents, and a review date was added for when the box contents meet the end of their retention period.
During conversations with the client, it became apparent that they preferred to keep some of the boxes on-site as they regularly accessed some information. In this instance, Ardington Archives scanning services were utilised to digitise the frequently used documents. This provided a cost-effective overall solution meeting all the client’s archiving needs.
This case study highlights the importance of proper document management during a move, especially when it comes to archived documents. Ardington Archives expertise in this field allowed the client to successfully clear their documents from their building and securely store them, ensuring that the documents remain protected and easily accessible when needed.
