Organizing – TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®

November 2, 2020 Movers Who Blog Organizing

Get organized with these 5 overlooked moving essentials

We’ve said it before, when it comes to home moving, organization is key to a successful moving day!

If you stay organized before, during, and after the move, you will find it to be a much more seamless – and less stressful – transition into your new home With more than 8 million moves under our belts, we’ve seen the good and the bad on moving day. Those with who are more organized tend to be the ones who have the best moving experiences..

Like anything, however, this is much easier said than done. Everything from finding a new home to taking care of your utilities, bills, packing up your old home, cleaning, hiring professional movers, and more – there is quite a bit to think about as you get ready to move. These are often the high-level priority items in a home move, but what about the overlooked areas of moving?

We call these “overlooked moving essentials”, and they are just that – essential. These are things you’ll want with you before moving day and when you arrive at your new home.

Moving checklist

Nothing says “organization” like a moving checklist, and we can’t stress the importance of these enough. This is an organized plan on how you’re going to attack your move, starting from a few weeks before your move all the way through moving day and into your new home.

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.

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.

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.

Plastic bags

Plastic bags are a cheap, versatile, and easy tool on moving day. Everything from carrying loose items that didn’t make it in the packing process to quickly disposing of trash can be handled with plastic bags, so have a stash of them ready.

Batteries and chargers

We can’t live without technology anymore, right? Well, that makes chargers and batteries essential. You want to make sure that when you’re moving into your new home, you still can access phones, tablets, laptops, remotes, clocks, and various home appliances.

These are just a few important and often overlooked moving essentials you’ll want to keep in mind as you’re getting ready for moving day. To find more helpful moving tips to make your moving day a success, search through our company blog or visit our website!

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.

April 20, 2020May 11, 2020 Movers Who Blog Organizing, Uncategorized

Using a moving check list to stay organized during your next home move

If we’ve learned a thing or two about moving over the last 35 years, there’s two things that stands out above the rest when it comes to making a home move easier: preparation and planning.

Preparation and planning will lead to organization in every aspect of your home move running a little bit smoother.

One of our best recommendations to limiting some of the stresses involved with home moving is developing a moving checklist! A moving checklist will give you a point of reference to follow along with as you navigate through the hurdles that come with moving.

From figuring out what belongings are going with you to your next home to packing, hiring movers, and other tasks around the house – a moving checklist is something you can follow to help you get the job done.

We’ve come up with a moving checklist so you can get a head start on preparing for your upcoming move!

One Month Before Move

Contact, schedule, and hire a mover as soon as you know you’re moving to ensure you’re scheduled for the day and time you prefer.
Begin the cleaning of various areas of your house – closets, attics, garage, etc.
Begin changing your local address where necessary in areas like mailing, insurance, school records, and so on.
Purchase moving boxes and packing supplies to help get things rolling on your move – local TWO MEN AND A TRUCK franchise locations offer a wide-variety of moving and packing supplies to fit all of your moving needs.

1-2 Weeks Before Move

Start canceling anything that is tied to what will soon be your past home address – Internet, cable, newspapers, or any labor services you receive around your home.
Call your local utility companies and be sure they know the exact day to stop charging your old home address for services.
Start the packing process and go room by room so you don’t overwhelm yourself. Be sure to properly label and organize boxes so you know where everything is on moving day.

Week Of The Move

Finish any last-minute cleaning around your home and make sure everything looks nice for when you officially move out.
Continue packing all of your belongings, aiming to finish before moving day arrives. For items you no longer need, donate them to a charitable cause or sell them, if possible.
Make transportation plans for the day of the move so you know how you’re getting to your new place. If you have kids or pets, develop a plan that fits their needs, too, and figure out where they will be while your move is taking place.
Mail in any change of address forms so your new place is ready to go with your information.

Day Before The Move

Be in contact with your moving company and double-check everything is set in stone for the ensuing moving day. If you’re moving with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, we will send a pre-move email solidifying all important details of your home move.
Ensure all breakable items have been removed from dresser drawers and packed away.
Take out some cash to hold you over during the moving process. This might come in handy if you need to get pizza or snacks to feed everyone!
Perform one final cleaning of your home and appliances.

Moving Day

Pack an essentials bag for items you can access immediately when arriving at your new home. This can include anything from chargers to toothbrushes, quick snacks, etc.
Make sure there is a clear moving path inside and outside of your home for movers to operate.
Be sure you are at the home when your moving team arrives so you are accessible should they have any questions and concerns.
Once the movers have loaded everything onto the moving truck, do one final walkthrough of the home and make sure nothing was left behind. Last but not least – go say goodbye to your neighbors!

We hope this checklist gives you a good starting point for planning your next move! If you are in need of moving services, be sure to visit our website to learn how TWO MEN AND A TRUCK can help move you forward.

If you’re looking to create a personalized moving checklist specific to your moving needs, we’ve got the solution – movetrac! With movetrac, you create a custom moving checklist which you complete at your own pace. You can also learn a few moving hacks along the way with our many resources available.

March 2, 2020February 28, 2020 Movers Who Blog Organizing, Tips and Tricks

Keep your move organized and on track with these 6 overlooked moving essentials

Above all things that are important when moving to a new home, arguably none rank higher than organization. If you are organized before, during, and after your move – there’s a good chance your move will go even smoother.

We’ve completed more than 7.5 million moves over our 35 years as movers, and time and time again, we’ve seen that organization is the key to moving. However, this is much easier said than done. From taking care of all your bills and utilities at your old home to packing, cleaning, hiring movers, and so on – there is a lot to think about. These all generally are at the top of mind when preparing to move, but what about some of those overlooked essentials you might be forgetting?

Generally, these “overlooked moving essentials” are things you’ll want with you on moving day when you arrive at your new home. They are all of varying degrees of importance, but all things you don’t want to go without!

Moving Checklist

Seems simple enough, right? It’s sometimes so simple that customers forget to do it! Create a plan for how you want to attack your upcoming move so you have something to follow throughout the process.

If you don’t feel like creating your own, no worries – we’ve created one for you.

Plastic Bags

Plastic bags are cheap, easy, and versatile on moving day. Whether you need them for carrying new items that didn’t end up getting packed away or they’re just filling in for some quick trash duty, there is always a use for plastic bags. Keep a stash ready so you can quickly access one if needed.

Batteries/Chargers

What doesn’t use some type of battery or charger these days? While chargers are still needed for items like phones, laptops, or tablets, there are still a large number of items that run on batteries: remotes, clocks, and varying home appliances.

Have a supply of batteries handy should you need them.

Cleaning Supplies

It’s no secret that moving in or out of a home can create a bit of a mess. That’s why it’s not a bad idea to have some cleaning supplies close and ready should there be a mess that occurs during the moving process. Items like rags and sponges, Clorox wipes, toilet cleaner, cleaning spray, laundry soap, and more are all good items to have on moving day.

Toilet paper/Paper Towels

Without getting into too much detail, we’ll just say that these fall under the category of “you’d rather have it and not need it.” Buy both in advance.

Tool Kit

Ideally, you could move into your home without any issues. However, that is unlikely to happen, so get a tool kit together that you can have handy so you’re able to make any quick fixes that might be needed once you are moved in.

November 4, 2019November 25, 2019 Movers Who Blog Organizing, Uncategorized

Keep your move on track with these overlooked moving essentials

The most important factor to completing a successful home move is staying organized. While it can be incredibly difficult to remain organized, it’s crucial for eliminating some of the stress that comes with the entire moving process.

From making sure bills and utilities are taken care of, to cleaning, packing, and scheduling a move with professional movers – there is a lot to think about. Hiring movers and getting packing supplies are usually top of mind when beginning the moving process, but what about some of the overlooked items necessary to completing a move?

We’ve been around the block once or twice with home moving and have been able to point out some items we like to call “overlooked moving essentials”. Generally, these items are things you’ll want on the day of your move when you arrive at your new home, but items that might not come to mind in the chaos of planning and relocating.

Batteries/Chargers

It seems like everything in the world these days comes with a charger, right? Make sure you have those with you, but don’t forget about batteries, either.

Objects like remotes, clocks, and other important appliances throughout homes still run on battery power, and having a good supply of fresh batteries handy will have you ready to go as you get your new home up and running.

Plastic Bags

The versatility of plastic bags on moving day is an absolute must. Whether it’s just for storing or carrying items from your old home to your new home, or handling quick trash duty – there is always a use for plastic bags.

Keep a stash of bags handy as you get ready for moving day so that you can quickly access one if needed.

Food and Drinks

Even if you hire professional movers, there is still some physical strain required in moving from one home to the next with all of the back and forth, moving throughout your house, and more. You’ll want to be both hydrated during this process and also well-fed to make sure you have the proper energy to last.

Tool Kit

Although it would be nice to imagine a world where you move into a new home and there’s zero issues, that usually isn’t the case. Get a tool kit handy so that you can make any quick fixes around the home if needed.

Toilet paper/Paper Towels

File both of these items under the category of “you’d rather have it and not need it”. Buy both in advance so that everything is good to go.

Cleaning Supplies

It goes without saying that moving in or out of a home can create a bit of a mess with all of the people coming in and out and boxes being moved everywhere. It’s generally a good idea to have a good amount of cleaning supplies ready and available so you can limit some of this mess. Items like rag and sponges, Clorox wipes, toilet cleaning, cleaning spray, laundry soap and more should all be considered.

Moving Checklist

Like we mentioned above, being organized can make a big difference in how much stress is involved with your move. It’s a good idea to create a detailed plan of how you want to tackle your move, and thankfully for you, we’ve made a comprehensive moving checklist to help you do just that!

These are just a few important and often overlooked moving essentials that you’ll want to keep in mind as you’re getting ready for moving day. To find more helpful moving tips to make your moving day a success, search through our company blog or visit our website!

May 20, 2019June 10, 2019 Movers Who Blog Organizing, Uncategorized

Home safety guide for new homeowners

Few things are as exciting as becoming a new homeowner. After working hard to set up the home purchase, closing on the home, as well as going through a move and getting settled in, there’s a sense of responsibility that comes over you as you prepare to take care of your new place.

With that responsibility creates a new list of things you need to think about, and one of the most important areas to consider is home safety. This is a broad term, but it’s important to examine all areas of your home, develop safety precautions, and have emergency plans in place should anything go wrong.

This safety checklist is a good place to start!

Water and pipes

It’s a good idea to look around your home and find out where the water shut off is located. This will come in handy in the unfortunate situation where you would need to quickly shut it off, such as flooding or a broken pipe.

Be sure to go around the home and check for leakage, corrosion, and rust on pipes in your home so you can get a jump on the problem and fix it before anything serious happens.

Smoke alarms and detectors

Make sure each area of the home is equipped with smoke alarms, and most importantly, test them to ensure they work properly!

If they are not working, install new, fresh batteries that will last for a while. It’s a good idea to test smoke alarms every month or so to provide peace of mind that you’ll be alerted should a fire happen. For added safety, also consider purchasing a fire extinguisher for your home.

Another detector that should be checked into is a carbon monoxide alarm, which should be located on each level of your new home.

Electrical

The best rule to follow when it comes to all things electrical in your home is that if something doesn’t look right, it’s best to get it checked out and fixed. This could be anything from a cord or wire that is frayed or eroded, an outlet that is damaged, and so on. These issues could become potential fire hazards if something goes wrong. Feel all of the outlets in your home to see if they are warm, and if they are, have an electrician take a look.

Find the electrical box in your home and familiarize yourself with it, and also check to make sure nothing looks unusual. Figure out the best way to shut off the electricity in your home in case of emergency.

Home Protection System

Not so much a checklist item as it is something to consider, but a home protection alarm system might be worth looking into. Unfortunately, home burglaries happen, and installing a new alarm system on your home could be the difference in protecting your items.

It’s also important to make sure you have working locks and bolts on all doors around your home, and keep things such as cars, garage doors, sheds, and gates locked.

Emergency plan

It’s better to be safe than sorry, and the first step to following this rule is having an emergency evacuation plan for your home and your family. Talk it over and figure out what the best escape area is in each part of your home and make sure everyone is on the same page, with a designated meeting place for when everyone is outside.

Another important emergency plan to discuss is what to do in case of a weather emergency like a tornado.

Miscellaneous emergency checklist items

-Have a first-aid kit readily available in your home.

-Develop an emergency kit that can be easily accessible in case of an emergency. Use this comprehensive guide to building one from the American Red Cross.

-If there are senior citizens living at the home, consider the possibility of a medical alert system.

-Report anything that is broken, damaged, or not working when moving into your home so it can be fixed.

February 18, 2019July 22, 2019 Movers Who Blog Hiring Professional Movers, Moving, Organizing, Preparing to Move, Uncategorized

Top 4 tips for ensuring your move day is a success

It’s no secret moving is one of the top stressors in life, just behind death and divorce, and with a move comes endless details to think about as you pack one home and move to the next.

There are plenty of tips and articles walking you through how to eliminate stress and prepare prior to your move – the packing tips, staying organized, moving tips, etc. – but what about in the midst of your move? Despite all of the planning and preparation you might put into a home move, when it comes down to the actual move taking place, there is still a lot that can happen during move day.

We’ve seen a few moves in our day and based off this experience, we’ve come up with a few essential tips to ensure the day of your move goes off without a hitch.

Check out this informative guide on selling your home from Integrity Home Realty.

Have snacks and cash handy to hold you over

As things are getting moved from your house, the ability to enjoy a snack out of the kitchen quickly goes out the window. Have a snack bag ready to hold you or your family over during the move. We also recommend carrying extra cash on you in case you want to order a pizza for everyone.

Keep your house protected

Even though you’re leaving your house and heading to a new one, you still don’t want to cause any unnecessary damages. Use floor runners to protect any floors where movers might be moving in and out, and use padding to protect walls and door frames as furniture goes through. Ask your local office ahead of time if the movers will supply these materials and prepare your home prior to the move taking place.

If you have kids, get them involved

Often an overlooked aspect of home moving, if you have kids, this can be a tough day for them, too. Make sure to get them involved and keep them engaged by giving them tasks to boost their spirits and help them stay out of the way of the movers. For more tips on moving with kids, click here.

Keep a bag of essentials ready for your new home

With all of your items being packed away in boxes, there’s a chance that after a long day of moving, you won’t want to go through everything at your new home. Put together an essentials bag that features things like toothbrushes, chargers, batteries, and anything else you might need to hold you over until you start unpacking. You might also want to get a bag prepared with toilet paper, paper towels, paper plates, etc., before the fun of unpacking begins!

We hope your next move goes smoothly and safely! Using these tips along with proper planning and packing ahead of time can work wonders in eliminating unnecessary chaos on the day of your move.

January 14, 2019February 4, 2019 Movers Who Blog Giving Back, Leadership, News, Organizing, Our People, Tips and Tricks, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, Uncategorized

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK locations continue their mission of giving back year-round

–Written by Erik Sargent

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is focused on giving back in any and every way possible, and that doesn’t stop with our moving services.

As our company has evolved over the years, so have the ways we’ve been able to deliver to our communities and make an impact as our teams and resources grow. This is especially true with our charitable efforts, which took a big step when we developed four of our own charitable programs during the fall months.

These four programs – Movers for Meals®, Movers for Mutts, Movers for Military®, and Truckload of Warmth – have become a staple at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK franchises all across the country, with each having the ability to choose the one that fits their franchise the best. Fall 2018 was another big year in giving back through these four programs, and the team members at our franchise locations were more than happy to help out in their communities!

“This year was our first annual Movers for Mutts campaign, and we feel that it went really well,” said Stephanie Mills, marketing and communications director for the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Huntsville, Ala., location. “We worked with pet food and supplies stores, storage units, apartment complexes, skate parks, hardware stores, banks, juice bars, veterinarians, local hospital departments, and more. Many of the businesses we worked with were already established contacts of our beneficiary or our company who were more than happy to be a drop off location for Movers for Mutts.”

Working with such a large number of collection partners, Mills and the Huntsville location were able to help spread the word of Movers for Mutts throughout the area, and it showed in the amount of items they collected.

“We feel it went extremely well overall,” Mills said. “It got the word out in our community about animals who don’t have homes yet. We had a large number of people wanting to be involved in the campaign, whether that meant getting the word out via social media, being a collection site, or donating. Just this year alone, we were able to collect more than 1,300 items for the local animal rescue center, A New Leash On Life. It was a huge success in our books.”

For our TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Southeast locations, they chose to run Movers for Military this fall, as they felt it was important to give back to the veterans in their community and show appreciation for all of the hard work done by the brave men and women in our military.

With a number of employees having their own military background, it was a natural fit for their teams.

“It was a good fit because we employ veterans at each of our locations,” said Charlene Bush, marketing manager for the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Ann Arbor, Brighton, Brownstown, and Oakland Southwest locations. “Some of our longest tenured full-time movers and drivers are veterans, and we wanted to be able to give back and show our appreciation.”

Three of the four TWO MEN AND A TRUCK campaigns were able to put up big numbers for the fall of 2018. Movers for Meals had 7,100 items collected and an astounding $20,636 in food donations and vouchers. Movers for Mutts had 8,000 items collected across the country, and Movers for Military collected 5,000 items that were able to be distributed to veterans in need.

It’s an effective and easy way for us to give back to the people who have made this company possible, and for each of our franchise locations, it will continue to be a priority moving forward in 2019.

“I am passionate about giving back to and supporting the people in our communities because it embodies our core values and our mission,” Bush said. “We are the ‘Movers Who Care®’. We need to live that out, and it needs to be a part of our culture. I believe that it builds trust within an organization, as well as a community for people to see TWO MEN AND A TRUCK helping and lending that community support.”

January 7, 2019January 25, 2019 Movers Who Blog Downsizing, Hiring Professional Movers, Moving, Organizing, Our People, Packing, Preparing to Move, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK

10 key tips for your winter move

Although the summer season is the busiest time of year for home moving, sometimes a move needs to happen during the snowy, winter months.

Moving is already stressful enough, but adding in factors such as snow, salt, cold weather, and less daylight hours create new challenges that must be considered to ensure the move is done right.

At TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, we’ve handled winter moves for more than 30 years – our company started right here in Michigan, and we’re no strangers to the cold!

We’ve been able to assemble the best tips and tricks for winter moving over time, and we’ve created a helpful moving tips list video for you to follow as you get ready to move.

Enjoy!

December 17, 2018January 7, 2019 Movers Who Blog Giving Back, Hiring Professional Movers, Holiday Fun, Moving, News, Organizing, Our People, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, Uncategorized

Giving back to our communities in 2018

-Written by Erik Sargent

At TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, while we always focus on our goal of providing industry-leading moving services to our customers, we’re also focused on accomplishing one other important goal– giving back.

This covers a broad spectrum for our brand, and we don’t limit ourselves to how we give back to the communities in which we live and work. Whether it’s through a specific person going above and beyond with how they work – our “Move Heroes” – working with a partner organization to handle a crisis situation, or through our own efforts – we want to give back in as many ways as possible.

With each passing year, we find more and more ways to give back to the communities we operate, and 2018 was our best year yet. As the year comes to a close, we wanted to look back on some of ways we gave back and the “Move Heroes” in our family so we can reflect on the outstanding efforts from everyone involved with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK.

2018 Move Heroes

National Move Hero – Marcos Nabejar

National Move Hero Runner Up – DJ Cook

National Move Hero Runner Up – David Woods

Move Hero – Cameron Gaines steps up for customer in time of need during a home move

Lending a hand through corporate partnerships

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK partners with Cheeriodicals to provide care packages to local children’s hospitals.

09-06_Texas_3L2A6829 An alignment in core values led to a working relationship between Convoy of Hope and TWO MEN AND A TRUCK

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK partners with Project C.U.R.E. to distribute much-needed medical supplies worldwide

Making a difference for those in our communities

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK works to make Mother’s Day special for moms who are currently living in domestic abuse or homeless shelters with Movers for Moms®.

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK uses fall-cause campaigns to give back: The Movers for Mutts, Movers for Military, Movers for Meals, and Truckload of Warmth programs (Part 1 and Part 2)

Supporting veterans

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK provides a great opportunity for veterans looking for work after their service, and for veterans looking to get into business ownership.

December 10, 2018 Movers Who Blog DIY Projects, Holiday Fun, Home Decor, Home Sweet Home, Moving with kids, News, Organizing, Our People, Tips and Tricks, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, Uncategorized

Make your holidays even more festive with easy, DIY craft ideas

The holiday season is officially here and that means decorating your home and preparing for the festivities! Here at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, we love celebrating the holidays, and we’ve come up with several fun, easy-to-make crafts using supplies you probably already have around the house. Grab the kiddos and start crafting!

Be sure to check out past TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Holiday DIY crafts here and here

String Wrapped Ornaments

This homemade tree ornament can also be paired with a name tag to dress up wrapped gifts.

What supplies you’ll need:

Cardboard
Yarn or ribbon
Scissors
Hot glue gun

Step 1 – Using cardboard, cut out stars in a variety of sizes.

Step 2 – Secure the end of your yard on the back of the star using a hot glue gun.

Step 3 – Wrap the yarn or ribbon around your star in all directions until you’re happy with its look. Secure the end with hot glue.

Step 4 – Cut a 3-inch string of ribbon and loop it through a piece that is already around the star. Tie it at the top and hang from your Christmas tree.

Beaded Candy Canes

Possibly the easiest holiday DIY there is! If you’re feeling really creative, you can also shape your pipe cleaners into Christmas trees or stars and hang them as ornaments.

What supplies you’ll need:

Pipe cleaners
Beads

Step 1 – Bend the pipe cleaner to the shape of a candy cane, folding a small part at the end upward so beads don’t slide off.

Step 2 – Slide the beads on and fold up the other end to secure them in place.

Paper Chain Snowman

Remember making paper chains back in elementary school? Same classic craft with a fun update for Christmas decorations!

What supplies you’ll need:

White paper
Black and orange crayons
Tape

Step 1 – Cut strips of white printer paper at the same width.

Step 2 – Fold a strip of paper in a circle shape securing the back with tape. Loop another strip of paper through that, securing the back. Continue doing so until you’re happy with the length of your snowman chain.

Step 3 – Draw eyes, a mouth and a hat for your snowman. Use the orange marker to give him the traditional carrot nose.

Bonus: You can follow this same easy process to make other characters like reindeer or Santa!

Merry Christmas from all of us at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®. We hope you enjoyed our DIY tutorials. If you are in need of boxes for your next DIY, stop by your local TWO MEN AND A TRUCK franchise and choose from our wide variety of box sizes. Tag us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram if we inspired you to make a craft so we can see your final product!