Customer using tablet in front of mover with mask on
Movers Who Blog Uncategorized

These overlooked moving essentials will keep your moving process on track and stress-free

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK mover greeting a customer

Packing, address changes, hiring professional movers, protecting your belongings – these are just some of the main things people think about when they start considering a home move, and deservedly so.

Each are extremely important pieces in the puzzle of moving from one home to the next, and all require your full focus and attention as you begin the process. However, what about the other parts of the moving process you aren’t thinking of? We like to call these “overlooked moving essentials”, and while they might not appear important on the surface, they are simple thoughts and ideas that will come in handy on moving day to help keep the stress levels down.

We always tell our customers – and really anyone who will listen – that organization is the most important factor in the moving process and paying attention to these overlooked moving essentials is a huge piece of staying organized.

Follow along and get ready for moving day!

Moving checklist

The most organized thing you can do leading up to a move is creating a moving checklist. We believe this is one of the most important pieces to a successful move and encourage all of our customers to make one. It’s an organized plan of how you’re going to attack the move, starting from about a month out and leading right up to moving day.

If you’re asking yourself how you’re supposed to come up with a moving checklist, don’t worry – we’ve made one for you.

Batteries and chargers

There’s no deny technology runs the world and plays a big role in our day-to-day life. That’s why chargers and batteries are extremely important on moving day – so you can stay connected where needed!

Your cable/internet might not be in immediately at your new home, so keeping those phones, tablets, chargers, remotes, clocks, and everything in between charge is crucial.

Plastic bags

Simple, right? Plastic bags are a cheap, easy, and versatile tool to have on moving day and they make carrying around loose items which didn’t get packed away easy. Keep a stash handy and be ready if needed.

Cleaning supplies

It’s not much of a secret that the moving process can be a little messy. This makes having cleaning supplies readily available an important part of moving so that if a mess happens, you’re able to clean it up right away.

Clorox wipes, toilet cleaner, laundry soap, cleaning spray, and more are all good ideas to have purchased prior to moving day.

Tool kit

In a perfect world, you can move into your new home with zero issues. But that is a perfect world, and this is the real one.

Having a tool kit handy as you start transitioning into your new home will be extremely handy for making any quick fixes that are needed around the house.

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the first and largest franchised moving company in the United States. Let us help move you forward! For more helpful tips and information on moving services subscribe to our blog and like us on Facebook.

Movers Who Blog DIY Projects

In need of a last-minute DIY costume? Check out these “Boxtume” classics for quick and budget-friendly options!

If you’ve been following our blog content this month or during the month of October in the past, then you know it’s “boxtume” season here at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK.

Boxtumes are the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK take on DIY Halloween costume ideas and are costumes that can be put together using supplies around the house along with our moving boxes! If you’ve missed the new editions to the boxtume collection from 2021, be sure to check out our X-Ray Machine, Robot, and iPod costume ideas.

However, if those don’t fit what you’re looking for and you need some more inspiration or ideas, we decided to run back a few of the classics for those who are still searching as we build up to Halloween this weekend. Take a look below at some of our favorite ideas from the past and see if you like an idea to make on your own!

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Halloween Boxtume Classic: Tractor

Is your child fascinated with all kinds of trucks, planes, and tractors? Make their dreams a reality by giving them one of their very own!

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Halloween Boxtume Classic: Dinosaur

Everyone loves dinosaurs, right? Of course they do, especially kids! Bring that “dino” spirit to Halloween this year with a fun, easy dinosaur boxtume.

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Boxtume Classic: Frankenstein

Want to make a spooky Halloween costume? This super easy Frankenstein boxtume should do the trick! Follow the steps below to make your very own!

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Boxtume Classic: Fish Mask

Are you going for an “under the sea” look this Halloween? This simple and sweet fish mask is sure to give your costume that finishing touch you need.

For more boxtume ideas, click here!

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the first and largest franchised moving company in the United States. Let us help move you forward! For more helpful tips and information on moving services subscribe to our blog and like us on Facebook.

Movers Who Blog DIY Projects

2021 Halloween Boxtume Tutorial: : X-Ray Machine

At TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®, we love box costumes, or “boxtumes” as we call them. With Halloween right around the corner, we have an easy, last-minute costume anyone can make, the X-Ray Machine boxtume!

What you’ll need:

  • One TWO MEN AND A TRUCK small box
  • Black and white paint
  • Tape/Ribbon

Step 1: Cut the top and bottom pieces of the box off.

Step 2: Paint the entire box black.

Step 3: Once the black paint is dry, use the white paint to write “X-Ray” on the upper left corner of the box.

Step 4: Use the white paint to create the bones you would see through an X-Ray machine.

Step 5: Use black tape or ribbon in order to create straps that will hold the costume up. Pin each strap to the front and back of each side.

Once this costume is completed with a black t-shirt and pants, it’s ready for Halloween parties and trick-or-treating activities!

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the first and largest franchised moving company in the United States. Let us help move you forward! For more helpful tips and information on moving services subscribe to our blog and like us on Facebook.

Movers Who Blog Uncategorized

2021 Halloween Boxtume Tutorial : iPod

At TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®, we love box costumes, or “boxtumes” as we call them. With Halloween quickly approaching, you might be looking for a quick and easy DIY costume for your kids – we’ve got you covered! Follow along these steps to create an iPod boxtume.

What you’ll need:

  • One TWO MEN AND A TRUCK medium-size box
  • Red and grey paint
  • White poster or white construction paper
  • Duct tape
  • Glue

Step 1: Grab your TWO MEN AND A TRUCK box and cut the bottom and top pieces off to help close the box.

Step 2: Paint the box red (or any color you want your iPod to be!).

Step 3: Cut out a square from the white poster to create the screen. Then, cut out a circle to create the menu/volume options on your iPod.

Step 4: Draw an apple on the square (or print one you find online) with the grey paint and then draw the pause, volume, and menu buttons on the circle with the grey paint as well. Once all the paint is dry, glue the square above the circle on the red box.

Step 5: To make easy straps for the costume, fold the duct tape in half long ways (so there is no sticky side) and make the tape as long as you want your desired straps to be.

Step 6: Paint the straps red (or whatever color you chose for your box) and once they’re dry, glue them at the front and back of the box.

Complete this costume by wearing a red long sleeve shirt that matches the iPod. Once all the paint and glue is dry, you’ll have a fun and creative costume ready for trick-or-treating and Halloween festivities!

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the first and largest franchised moving company in the United States. Let us help move you forward! For more helpful tips and information on moving services subscribe to our blog and like us on Facebook.

Movers Who Blog DIY Projects, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK

2021 Halloween Boxtume Tutorial: Robot

-Written by Christina Baker

Looking for the perfect DIY Halloween costume? Look no further – this robot costume is easy to make and perfect for the kids this Halloween!

Follow along with these simple steps to create your one-of-a-kind robot costume and even encourage your kids to help with some of the painting so they can add their own creative twist to it!

What you’ll need:

  • One TWO MEN AND A TRUCK small box
  • Green, red, white, yellow, and black paint
  • White poster or thick construction paper
  • Glue
  • Black marker

Step 1: Cut both the top and the bottom pieces off of your TWO MEN AND A TRUCK box and paint the box grey.

Step 2: Cut 10-12 circles out of your poster board and paint them green, red, white, and yellow in order to make the buttons for the robot.

Step 3: Create a “robot power meter” by printing off a color wheel from Google and drawing an arrow on it.

Step 4: Once all the paint is dry, glue the power meter on the upper left side of the box. Then glue the buttons in the remaining space on the front of the box.

Step 5: To hold the costume up, create straps by using grey tape or ribbon and glue those to the front and back of the costume.

This costume is great for kids of all ages and is simple for anyone to make. It’s sure to get double the number of treats when trick-or-treating!

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the first and largest franchised moving company in the United States. Let us help move you forward! For more helpful tips and information on moving services subscribe to our blog and like us on Facebook.

Movers Who Blog Uncategorized

Company core value “THE GRANDMA RULE” helps shape the mindset of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK teams

Many companies have a set of “core values” they talk about, where they might include them in mission statements or put them on a plaque somewhere around the building.

We have these at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK as well, but here, they are more than just a list of ideas to promote – they are a literal way of life for each team member with the company, from top to bottom. These core values are highlighted by one that stands out above the rest, and that is THE GRANDMA RULE®.

THE GRANDMA RULE means to treat everyone the way you would want your grandma to be treated. It is such simple, yet effective idea, and it resonates with everyone who hears it. Whether it’s our movers and drivers on a move helping a customer, a move consultant on the phone booking a move, or a marketing manager out in community: keeping THE GRANDMA RULE top of mind encourages us to treat everyone with care, compassion, and respect.

“I believe THE GRANDMA RULE is such an important core value because it truly represents the culture of this company,” said Lauren Trost, a former marketing and sales manager for the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® Chicago locations who now works at our Home Office location. “TWO MEN AND A TRUCK employees not only practice this core value while at work – it is deeply engrained in their everyday life. Before I started working at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, the Lansing franchise actually moved my grandma. I witnessed a wonderful display of compassion and strength. For several weeks after her move, my grandma could not stop talking about how impressed she was with the two young men who moved her.”

If you’ve followed our company at all or heard of THE GRANDMA RULE, you might have heard of Grandma Eb. The mother of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Founder Mary Ellen Sheets, she served as the inspiration for this core value due in large part to becoming a key figure in our brand’s inception.

She offered her home, backyard, garage, and whatever else was needed in the very early days of the company in Lansing, Mich., to help support and grow TWO MEN AND A TRUCK. Her support helped our company build its base, and THE GRANDMA RULE is a fitting tribute to her contributions.

Across all TWO MEN AND A TRUCK locations, you’ll find signs about THE GRANDMA RULE and hear our team members talk about what it means to them. At the same time, it helps put our customers at ease knowing it’s something we make a priority.

“THE GRANDMA RULE, to me, exemplifies everything we want and expect out of our employees and ourselves,” said Brian Stern, a TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® multi-unit franchisee with locations in New Jersey and Maine. “The idea is to treat each and every one of our customers as if they were our grandmothers. If we do that, every customer will be treated with respect, patience, and empathy during difficult moving situations.”

Taking it even further, it’s a great reminder to our seniors that they’ll be in great care if they decide to move with us. Nearly 52% of all moves we complete are for people over the age of 50, and these can generally be tough moves due to the emotional factors involved of people parting ways with a home that has meant so much throughout their lives.

Our teams are specifically trained on how to handle senior moves and understand the importance of making sure they are able to communicate with the customer and provide the highest levels of care in order to make them feel at ease as they complete their moves.

“Often times, a senior move involves downsizing from a long-term home, and it can be a complicated and emotional experience,” said Alexa Lanier, a multi-unit marketing director for the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton locations. “Our customer service representatives and in-home consultants work with the customers to account for the destination of all items, which can involve multiple stops or storage. Our movers then take the time to make sure every item gets to where it needs to go.”

It may seem like a small piece in big puzzle, but THE GRANDMA RULE is who we are at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, and we work each day to live up to this core value!

If you or someone that you know is looking to complete an upcoming senior move, be sure to contact your local TWO MEN AND A TRUCK franchise and see why we are known as the “Movers Who Care®”!

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the first and largest franchised moving company in the United States. Let us help move you forward! For more helpful tips and information on moving services subscribe to our blog and like us on Facebook.

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TWO MEN AND A TRUCK long-distance moving options for all move sizes and budgets

Customer talking with mover next to truck with mask on

People tend to think of local home moving when they think of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK – and rightfully so – but did you know we also specialize in long-distance moving, too?

It was only right for us to take our local home moving expertise and turn it into multiple service options for long-distance relocations, and we’ve done just that. Long-distance moving can be a challenge, but with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, you can trust your belongings are in good hands as we help you get to your new destination quickly and efficiently.

We have two long-distance options for our customers: Expedited, and Value Flex® crated.

Expedited

This is the traditional option of the three, and is exactly what you’d expect when thinking of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK and long-distance moving: our drivers will load up your belongings into one of our 26 ft. moving trucks and hit the road to your new home.

This option provides you with an exact date of delivery for your items, allowing you to plan ahead as you commute to the new destination yourself. Also, your items are the only belongings in the truck during transport, and we offer GPS tracking so you can stay up-to-date on the whereabouts of your items.

Value Flex – Crate 

This is a new service at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK and is ideal for those who just need to ship a few belongings long distance. Your items are loaded into a secured, cardboard crate that holds approximately 1,000 lbs. The crate is then loaded onto a third-party carry and delivered to the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK location closest to your new destination.

As always, your belongings are the only items in the containers and you are given the same 48-hour window of delivery you would get with Value Flex. Please note: This option is only available at select TWO MEN AND A TRUCK franchise locations.

To learn more about the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK long-distance options or to get a free quote, click here!

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the first and largest franchised moving company in the United States. Let us help move you forward! For more helpful tips and information on moving services subscribe to our blog and like us on Facebook.

Movers Who Blog Downsizing

Use these 4 simple tips for planning a downsize move  

Somehow, some way, the summer season has already passed us by and we’re working our way into the fall season.

This means football, back to school, the weather finally cooling off, and for some people – downsizing their home. If there was ever a time to downsize – whether it’s getting rid of some old belongings, or moving on from your home and transitioning to a new, smaller living space – it’s right before winter hits.

However, downsizing is much easier said than done, and can be a stressful task as it usually involves parting ways with certain items that might be meaningful to you and your family. Deciding what you still need and what you don’t have any use for is not easy, but it’s part of the downsizing process.

The best advice we can give is to build a plan on how you want to downsize and take it step by step to avoid getting overwhelmed. We’ve built out four helpful tips below to help you with the process!

Start early

This is especially important for those who have a downsizing plan that involves moving. You’ll want to get started a few months in advance of moving day so you’re ready when the movers show up at your door. Go day-by-day, room-by-room, and slowly chip away at your downsizing plan so you can manage everything without having too much on your plate.

Toss or donate items you no longer use

When figuring out what you’re going get rid of, one easy question to ask yourself is this: how much will I still use this?

If the first thought you have is “not very often”, then maybe it’s time to part ways. This is a helpful mindset to have during the process of downsizing and will help you feel better about moving on from certain things. You can also evaluate certain items by determining how recent you’ve used it. If it’s been sitting for more than a year, chances are it’s no longer of use to you.

If you have items that you need to get rid of but don’t want to take care of it yourself, we now offer junk removal services at select locations!

Try to be flexible

Moving is complicated, and so is downsizing. This is why staying flexible – and calm, if possible – is important. Plans can change, people can have different opinions, and you never know how you’re going to feel until you’re in the moment. Do your best to keep your downsizing and moving tasks simple and work patiently toward your goal.

Practice patience

A downsizing move and the process that it requires won’t in happen in a day – it takes time. Once you have an ideal move date in mind, work slowly, day-by-day, to chip away at the necessary tasks in order to eliminate as much stress as possible when moving day arrives.

If you’re looking for help on completing an upcoming downsizing move, we’re here to help! Whether it’s helping with the entire move or just assisting with packing, delivery, or loading and unloading – our professional moving teams are ready to help. To learn more about our moving services, click here.

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the first and largest franchised moving company in the United States. Let us help move you forward! For more helpful tips and information on moving services subscribe to our blog and like us on Facebook.

Movers Who Blog Giving Back, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK franchises give back through branded campaigns to their local communities during the fall season

It’s hard to believe, but somehow, September has already arrived. Summer is coming to a close, fall is right around the corner, and that signals a major movement for the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK brand: giving back to our communities over the next few months!

While this is an ongoing effort throughout the year, the fall season is a particularly busy time for us as we give back to local organizations through our four, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK fall cause campaigns. These fall campaigns are great ways for our franchises to give back through different avenues which are important to them and their teams. Our founder, Mary Ellen Sheets, made it a point from day one that giving back in the areas we work and live would be a top priority for our franchises, and we’ve continued to live out this mission since the mid-1980s.

On top of our four fall campaigns, we’ve also developed meaningful and impactful relationships with organizations like Convoy of Hope and Cheeriodicals, who we work with year-round as we donate our resources to help with their individual missions.

Below, you can learn a little about each of our four call cause campaigns and what they stand for. If you want to get involved with these in your area, click here to use our franchise locator and find the location closest to you and contact them directly!

Movers for Meals®

Created to support families in the community facing hunger by partnering with schools, business, and other organizations to collect and deliver non-perishable food items to food pantries and local shelters that support the community.

Movers for Mutts®

Created to collect pet food or toy donations for local shelters or organizations who care for and foster stray animals.

Movers for Military®

A fall collection drive created to show support for the brave men and women who sacrificed to protect our freedoms. Essential care items are collected and delivered to veteran’s shelters to support veterans in need.

Truckload of Warmth®

A collection drive for new and gently used winter clothing, such as coats, hats, gloves, and scarves for local shelters or other organizations to distribute to those who need them most.

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the first and largest franchised moving company in the United States. Let us help move you forward! For more helpful tips and information on moving services subscribe to our blog and like us on Facebook.

Movers Who Blog TWO MEN AND A TRUCK

How TWO MEN AND A TRUCK load and unloading services can benefit you

Mover with hat and mask carrying box

Take it from us and our experience with more than 8.5 million moves: every move is unique, and each moving need requires different tailored services to get the job done right.

As moving professionals, we’ve adapted to this over time and it’s how our loading and unloading services have evolved. Sometimes you just need the moving help with lifting, but not the entire moving experience.

We’re thrilled to offer customers help with our professionally trained, background checked, and drug screened moving teams to complete the hardest part of a move – the lifting! This saves you the trouble of taking it on by yourself, and will also save you a great deal of money by not purchasing a full move.

How it works

If you’ve rented a moving truck or moving container on your own, we’re still able to offer our help. Once you have the rental ready to go, we can help with the loading or unloading, moving as little or as much as you need. You’ll get  peace of mind of knowing your personal belongings are in the hands of professionals, while knowing you don’t have to endure the physical labor of your move.

Our load and unload services are charged by the hour, allowing you to choose exactly what you need help loading or unloading for your move.

Please note: Load and unload services are only available at select TWO MEN AND A TRUCK locations. Click the following link to see if the franchise closest to you can assist with this moving need.

Our moving options don’t stop with loading and unloading, either! We offer a few more specialty service options for those needing help with moving their heavy items.

In-Home Moving

If you need furniture or other heavy items moved to a different room in your current home, up the stairs, or out to the garage, no problem! We’ll come out and move your belongings where they need to go. This is great for home staging to sell, holiday decorating, staging a party, or home renovations.

Junk removal

New to the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK service list, we can now help you with junk removal of items you no longer need.

If you’re cleaning out the garage or basement, renovating your home, decluttering, or just getting rid of belongings you don’t want anymore, this service can get the job done! Our professionally trained moving teams will remove as little or as much as you need, saving you the heavy lifting. We even offer curbside pickup!

Please note: With each TWO MEN AND A TRUCK location being independently owned and operated, specialty moving services can sometimes be limited to select franchises. Please use our franchise locator link to find the location closest to you and see if they offer these types of services.

Delivery Services

We’ve all been there before: you purchased a large piece of furniture or a new appliance, and after the excitement wears off, you realize you still need to get it to your home and inside where it belongs. No sweat – call us to deliver and move it!

We’ll pick up your item from the store, deliver it to your home, and move it into your house with ease, saving you the hassle and pain of trying transport it and move it in yourself.

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the first and largest franchised moving company in the United States. Let us help move you forward! For more helpful tips and information on moving services subscribe to our blog and like us on Facebook.