If you've got a long distance move coming up, you may be pondering the options of just how you're going to ship a car to another state. If you're doing a DIY move, you're probably going to be the one driving the rental truck and if for whatever reason you're not towing your car, there are other options available to you. Having your car shipped to another state is actually a pretty straightforward process and not overly complex.

Why Ship A Car To Another State Instead Of Driving It

A big long-distance move can be a very exciting time of your life while at the same time be very stressful. There are certainly a lot of details, logistics, and stress to deal with just when it comes to packing and loading all your belongings on a truck. But now there is one more mini project to take care of… how to ship a car to another state. So why do this?

Shipping Your Vehicle To Another State Can Be Cost Effective

As opposed to driving your car yourself, shipping your car to another state can offer more convenience (especially if you're going to fly), be safer, and perhaps even cost you less than driving across country. Think it over. Take the time to crunch the numbers. If you drive your car instead of shipping your car to another state, you should calculate what your out of pocket expenses will be for gas, food, hotels, and the extra miles you'll be putting on your car. Not only this, but if you would happen to incur any damages to your car along the way, you or your insurance company would be on the hook. Conversely, if you use a reputable shipper, they will carry the insurance to cover any damages during transport.

Your Stress Levels

Let's face it, the whole process of orchestrating a move is a stressful undertaking. The planning, the packing, the loading, the logistics. If you have kids, pets, and plants the whole process just amped up your stress even more. If you have more than one vehicle, maybe you're even planning on driving one and shipping the other car. Once you find a reputable car shipping company that you're comfortable with, you'll realize that shipping your car to another state is a good option and you'll save the miles and wear and tear on your car.

Finding A Reliable Auto Shipper

Once you begin your research on how to ship a car to another state, you'll find that there is no shortage of companies that are in the auto transporting business. There are reliable and trustworthy vehicle transport companies out there so your decision will be probably ultimately come down to price, timing, and availability. Here are a few tips and criteria to look for in an automobile transport company:

• Licensed & Insured - this should be a given for any company that you may be considering. To verify this, you can go to the web and look up their DOT number on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website.
• BBB - always a good place to check to see if they have a solid business rating.
• Online Research - these days the web is an invaluable tool to use when it comes to checking out companies and services. Take a look at the reviews for the company and see what other people are saying that have actually used their services.
• Experience - can set apart a good company from the rest. Not to say that going with a newer company is out of the question, but experience over time means that this is a company that has an established track record that you can easily check out.
• Professionalism - not unlike experience but certainly related. You want to feel comfortable about the level of professionalism, processes, and organization the company that you're talking with maintains and not just go with the lowest price.

During the process of reaching your final selection, make sure that you have taken the time to get multiple quotes. After receiving quotes from different companies, you should go with the one that is the most suitable to your situation and the timing that you need. Hint… and in most cases this probably won't be the one with the cheapest bid.

Cost Of Shipping A Car To Another State

There are a number of factors and variables that come into determining the cost of shipping your car to another state so there isn't really a general or universal answer but here is the criteria that will largely determine your cost to ship a car to another state:

• The distance from your current place of residence to your new home. This may also include how far off the interstate and accessible your current and new residence are located.
• The distance from your current place of residence to your new home. This may also include how far off the interstate and accessible your current and new residence are located.
• The size, make, model, and weight of car. It stands to reason that the more your care weighs the more it will cost to ship. Also, expect to pay more for high end or exotic vehicles.
• The shipping method you prefer. Whether you choose the open or enclosed method of transporting your vehicle.
• The cost of insurance. This is an important factor to consider. All legit auto transport companies are required to provide a level of insurance for your car. However, depending upon your situation it may not be adequate to fill you needs. Particularly if your car is of higher value. Check with your insurance company as to the best way to make sure you truly have adequate or full coverage insurance on your car before you transport it. You may even be able to purchase a supplemental policy to meet your needs.

Scheduling The Shipping Of Your Car

When you ship a car to another state there will be several other cars on the transport as well as yours. So, when your making your plans to ship your car make sure to have plenty of leeway in your scheduling. Even though the route your car will be taking may be straightforward that may not be the case when it comes to the other cars on the truck. During the course of making their delivery run, a transport driver may have to zig and zag all over the place making the deliveries and even picking up other cars to transport. It really can be a pretty size-able logistical puzzle that is involved. This is why it is crucial to make sure to plan far enough in advance.

Getting Your Car Ready To Ship

To help make sure your car's transport journey is a good one there are a few things you'll want to do to prep your car for its ride. The company that you choose for the job will most likely go over with you what their requirements are but here are some general tasks that you should take care of:

• Reduce the gas to no more than 1/4 a tank. For the transport company this helps significantly reduce the overall weight of the entire load the have to pull. Plus, this leaves enough gas in the car, so you'll have plenty of time to get somewhere to fill it up after you've taken delivery at your new location.
• Take out all your personal items from the car and trunk. The interior of your car isn't doubling as a shipping box. And besides, any personal items left in the care won't be covered by the transport company's insurance.
• Wash your car and do a complete inspection (with pictures) of your car. Be sure to note any current imperfections and/or damages to your car.
• Check the air pressure of your tires.
• Your battery should be well charged.
• Emergency brake should be in good working order.
• Leave only the standard equipment on the outside of the car. Remove any non-permanent accessories such as a roof rack or bike rack.
• Remove or deactivate any alarm devices or system.
• If it's a convertible, make sure the top is securely locked down.

Taking Delivery Of Your Car

Once you have your car unloaded from the transport there are a few things to take care of before you head out.

Thoroughly inspect your car for any damages. If everything checks out, then you should sign the Bill of Lading and the condition report. If you find there are damages, take photographs and report them on a damage form where you will then contact the shipping company.

To ship a car to another state, hiring a vehicle shipping service is definitely an option worth considering. Your car will get to its new home safely and transporting it rather than driving it yourself will keep the miles off and keep it in good shape. So, once you have everything set to go, pack your suitcase, grab your tickets, and enjoy your flight to your new home.

Let's face it - moving isn't cheap. The costs to move of course vary greatly depending upon a variety of variables. Mostly distance and how much stuff you have to move. Then there's all the other expenses such as packing supplies and moving boxes.

When it comes to cutting the cost of moving boxes, with a bit of creative thinking and leg work on where to get free moving boxes you can score all kinds of free moving boxes from a variety of different places. Not only will free moving boxes save you some bucks, but you'll also be helping the environment by reusing boxes instead buying new ones.

But before we get into where to get free moving boxes, there a couple of important notes to take into consideration before you go out and hit the motherlode of free moving boxes.

First of all, how far are you moving? As a general rule these free moving boxes will work well for the shorter hauls and local moves. But if you're talking about a long distance move, you'll want to be much more discriminating when it comes scarfing up those free moving boxes.

Loose packing and weak boxes is the number one reason for damaged or broken items during a move. If your free moving boxes are made of thin weak material, you may get the boxes for free, but you'll pay a lot more to replace or fix your broken belongings.

Size matters… You shouldn’t go out and grab all the boxes you can or think you need just because they happen to be free. Be consistent with the sizes of boxes that you choose. Usually this means some small, medium, and large boxes. Right? Well sort of. It's true you want these sizes, but you want consistent dimensions for each group. If you end up with a litany of boxes of different sizes, you may suddenly find that this presents stacking and packing challenges and ultimately doesn't use your available moving space very efficiently. So, now that you're ready to go, let's have a look.

Where To Get Moving Free Boxes

Although not necessarily the definitive list of places to get free moving boxes, the following ideas should give you a good start… and maybe all you need… or at least wake up a few more of your creative brain cells.

Craigslist

This online marketplace can be a great place to find free moving boxes. Take a look in the free section of Craigslist for those getting rid of their boxes. You'll probably have better luck if you check just before or just after the weekend since that's when a lot of moving is or has occurred.

Freecycle

Is a nonprofit online group (not unlike Craigslist) that connects individuals in neighborhoods to help facilitate the giving and getting of all kinds of items for free. The membership is free and depending upon the community can be fairly active.

FaceBook

Has a Marketplace section in which towns and communities have groups that work as helpful resources. You could post that you are looking for free moving boxes and then check for replies to your post every couple of days. You never know. You may find someone directly that wants to get rid of their boxes or you may find someone who knows someone who is about to unpack.

Find Someone Who Just Moved

People are moving all the time. And for the people who are just moving in, they are thinking about the unenviable task of breaking down all their moving boxes and somehow getting them into the recycle bins. Check out your neighborhood or apartment complex. Do some reconnaissance driving around your neighborhood. Don't be shy because the people who are just moving in probably can't wait to get rid of their moving boxes.

Liquor Stores

Liquor stores can be a great place to find free moving boxes. These retailers get slews of incoming orders every month. These boxes tend to be sturdy and well reinforced and standard sizes. Many months liquor stores have more boxes than they know what to do with. So, don't be shy… just ask the owner or manager. They are usually more than happy to have you stop by and take the boxes off their hands.

Bars and Restaurants

These businesses are not unlike the aforementioned liquor stores. Bars and Restaurants receive multiple deliveries per week and would be more than happy if they didn't have to spend their time breaking down all the boxes which could mean free moving boxes for you. Your best bet would be to have a look at the liquor boxes first. The food delivery boxes for the same reason as grocery stores, may not be your best option.

U-Haul Box Exchange

U-Haul is used for millions of moves. This means they have a whole bunch of customers that have moving boxes that they no longer need. To this end, U-Haul has created a customer connect message board as way for people to exchange boxes and reduce waste. This is an easy way to check to see if someone in your area has some free moving boxes that you could connect with. And while you're at it you may be able to score some other much needed moving supplies such as bubble and packing tape that others are wanting to part with.

Community Groups

One of the most notable online community groups is Nextdoor.com. This is a free private social network for neighborhoods and the surrounding area. The site has a classified section in which folks always post stuff they are looking to get rid of… including free moving boxes. Chances are pretty good someone has just moved in and is looking for someone who could come get their stack of moving boxes.

Retailers In General

This is a general category for you to consider. No matter where you live, you're probably not far from some type of retailer. These businesses have shipments for inventory coming in all the time. And just like anyone else, they would probably be more than happy to have you stop by and take them off their hands. With a little bit of thought you can target the type of retailer that would most likely have the types and sizes of moving boxes that you are looking for.

Bookstores

If you have a local bookstore or Barnes & Noble nearby these stores can be a great place for free moving boxes. These boxes tend to be smaller but very sturdy… because books are heavy. Stop by and ask your local bookstore when or what days of the week they get their deliveries. Don't forget to check with any of your local college and university bookstores as well.

Grocery Stores

Grocery stores clearly get a ton of shipments throughout the week. The challenge with grocery stores is finding boxes that are sturdy enough for your move. Also keep in mind that many grocery store boxes get wet which weakens the cardboard, if they have had food in them there is a possibility of pests, and grocery store boxes can vary greatly in size and dimensions making them not very space efficient and potentially hard to stack. Grocery stores for free moving boxes probably isn't going to be your top option. But, nonetheless, check with your store manager and you'll probably find that you'll be welcome to come have a look.

Schools

Work well particularly if you have a child that attends the school so that they are familiar with you. Get in touch with the office personnel and ask if they can help you out. Late summer is best time to check since supplies will be coming in and teachers will be unpacking in their classrooms.

Big Box & Bigger Retailers

These stores may be a little tougher to score free moving boxes from. Especially retailers like Costco and Walmart because they may have stricter policies in place as to how they dispose of or recycle their boxes. That being said, you should definitely check out places like Lowes and Home Depot. These types of home improvement stores can be a great place especially if you need a couple of larger or even super-sized boxes.

At the end of the day, think about checking with just about any types of businesses. If they are in business and sell products, then they'll have inventory that comes to them packed in boxes. Don't be shy… it never hurts to ask. Besides, your desire to get free moving boxes may just fit well with their desire to not have to break them down and get them to the recycle bins.

Just want to press the easy button. Give us a call at Muscular Moving Men and let us know what you need. Or, stop by our Packing Supply Store to make sure you get high quality boxes designed for the right job.

If you've decided it's time to move to a new house or perhaps your job or career has decided for you, that means you'll be putting your house on the market. Of course, you'll want to get top dollar for your home, and you'll want it to sell as quickly as possible. Potential home buyers will be looking at several homes to consider, so to get them to see themselves in your home you're going to have to do more than just run the vacuum and fluff the pillows. You have to do some home staging.

The vast majority of real estate agents agree that a good job of home staging enhances the chances of actually adding monetary value to your home as well as increasing the chances of a much quick sale. So, set your stage for your success with these home staging tips for sellers that we've put together for you.

Before You Home Stage The Interior Boost Curb Appeal

The old saying "you don't get a second chance to make a first impression" holds true when it comes to home staging. So, before you shift your focus to all the interior home staging tips, don't overlook your opportunity to improve your curb appeal. Many people even before making a decision to make an appointment to see your home will do a drive by first just to see if the home will pass the first look test. Make sure your home is enticing them to the make that showing appointment.

• Power wash your sidewalks and driveway
• Make sure your house numbers are in good repair
• Add some blooming plants or strategically place flowerpots
• Make sure your windows are squeaky clean
• Keep your lawn mowed and edged and re-seed or sod where needed
• If you have a front porch be sure to repaint, touch up, or re-stain as needed

Home staging your entryway is a great way to make your inviting. Little things like a clean doormat and a few fresh plants will go a long way. If you have room add a couple of nice chairs so potential buyers can see themselves sitting at their new home. Where possible, consider adding some solar lighting to your walkway. You never know… potential buyers may do their initial drive by in the evening time.

Home Staging The Outdoors

Before we enter the house for the inside home staging, let's not forget about the outside in general. Make sure that all the lawn and plants are mowed and trimmed. Even if you have very little outside space or even a lawn, think about making your tiny outside charming like a secret garden and not just small.

Do Your Home Staging Where It Counts The Most

In the world of home staging, not all rooms carry the same weight from a potential buyer's perspective. So, you want focus your efforts and up game in the rooms that really pull the most weight and attention. Not surprisingly these rooms are:

• The kitchen
• The living room
• The master suite

These are the rooms that you want to achieve the wow factor. Don't spend as much time in the less influential rooms such as the secondary bedrooms and baths.

It's Not About Your Stuff

The primary objective of staging your home is to get potential buys to "see" themselves living in your home. The best way to do this is to present a tastefully staged blank canvas to them. You don't want them constantly seeing and talking about your stuff. It's about the buyer. So, you want to depersonalize your home and present a home that has style and charm, not a home that still belongs to you. Remember your personal style doesn’t matter to a buyer, so reign it in.

• Remove personal photos from rooms and on the walls (including anything stuck on your fridge)
• Keep your clothes stored away and out of sight
• Remove any personal items that you normally keep on your bathroom counter
• Remove anything religious or political or attempts at humor

Depersonalizing your home is going to make it seem a bit odd to live in during the home staging phase of the selling process. It does, however, make it much easier for buyers to establish a connection to your home. Which will mean you won't have to live in your staged home for as long before getting that offer.

Clutter Be Gone

Clutter uses up space. Space is what sells. So, clutter gets in the way of you selling your house. Getting rid of the clutter will make your home spaces look bigger and more inviting. You don't have to get rid of your things forever… although you should take a hard look… but you should certainly be packing up seasonal items and getting them out of the house; and items you won't be needing during your home staging process.

Potential buyers are going to be opening up your closets and checking out how much extra room and storage potential you have in your house. Less clutter means your house looks more spacious which equals more appealing to potential buyers.

Use Your Extra Rooms With Purpose

Have you been using a spare bedroom or bedrooms and just kind of "catch all" rooms? If so, it's time to get them back into the game. Each room should have clarity of purpose. Would it make a nice office space? Should it be a guest room? How about a kid's room? These answers will vary depending upon the home. But the key is to think like a potential buyer would think. Regardless, giving the room purpose by making it a real room and a part of the team will payoff.

Clean Your Home Like It's An Olympic Event

The cleaning you'll do for home staging purposes should go way beyond what you might normally do for your annual spring cleaning. Get after every square inch of your home between the baseboards and the ceilings. No buyer wants to walk through a home and get the feeling that the home has been lived in hard and not taken care of. This is a huge turn off. So, you want to make sure that every inch of your home shines like a new penny. So, if you've put off or neglected certain cleaning tasks, now is the time to shape them up.

Be Vary Aware Of Pet Odors

This can be a real deal killer. We all love our pets, and the potential buyer may even have their own. But we don't want them lingering anywhere during the home staging process. Get your rugs and carpets professionally cleaned and sanitized. Ask some friends to stop by after you've cleaned and give your home the sniff test. And make sure you don't have any of your pet's favorite toys anywhere in sight when you have a showing.

Patching And Repairing

If you really get down to the brass tacks with your home staging cleaning initiative, you'll probably run across spots that need to be touched up, patched, or repaired. Keep an eye out for these areas in your home that could you use a bit of TLC. Some touch paint, spackle, and caulk will go along way in showing the potential buyers that you have take pride and care of your home.

Neutralize The Colors

This home staging tip for sellers is a bit more time consuming and expensive. So, this will depend each individual case. But color choice can make a big impact on the ultimate selling price and the time your home spends of the market. Brightly painted walls may be your jam, but they are more often than not a big turn off for buyers. So, why limit your pool of potential buyers, you want to generate lots of interest and be a specialty property. A potential buyer may ultimately want to do brighter colors, and neutral colors give them the opportunity to do just that if they want.

Keep It Fresh

Don't go overboard in your home staging by adding too many plants and flowers… this then just becomes clutter. But a few well-placed plants can give your home an air of freshness, color and a sense of life to your home.

The other side of fresh is odor and you want to make sure you don't have any. Your deep cleaning that you did will probably take care of any odor problems, but you want to make sure you don't have something in the trash brewing up an odor especially before a showing. And please don't overdo any air freshener plugins and things like this. If your house is clean and you have a few plants, you should be just fine.

Light The Way

Dark is sad and depressing. Especially if it describes any of the rooms in your home. So, open up the blinds and let the light in. Lighting up a room will also make the room feel bigger… remember space is a biggie. When you have a showing, make sure you turn on all the lights in your house including your closets and lamps. This makes your house more welcoming and the buyers can focus on your beautifully staged home rather than looking for switches.

Rearrange For Visual Space & Walkability

You want your home to inviting and open with as much walkable space as possible. If you have extra furniture now is the time to get it into storage. If you have bulky oversized pieces, pieces that are damaged you should think about selling, donating, or getting rid of them. You want your rooms to a that spacious feel and you want buyers to be able to visualize where they'll be putting their furniture. And besides, it may cost you more to move your bulky furniture to your new home that it is actually worth.

Most all of the home staging tips for sellers don't require a big budget. It's really about giving your home a balance between being completely staged but to look very charming and livable. Use your agent for home staging tips and ideas. Not only are they the professional, but they also hear all the comments and feedback that clients give them. So, they know what works as well as potential pitfalls and deal breakers. The goal for home staging for sellers should be to entice buyers to see the value of your home and to "see" themselves living there.

The CDC recommends a mixture of 1 cup bleach per 5 gallons of water for use on non-porous surfaces to disinfect household surfaces. Suitable surfaces include countertops and other surfaces that could be contaminated through human contact.

A recent study suggests that Covid-19 can live on some surfaces for days. With that in mind, it has never been more important to thoroughly disinfect surfaces to prevent the spread of dangerous or deadly germs.

Muscular Moving Men uses bleach based cleaning products on all door handles, electronics, truck interiors, dolleys and other moving tools before and after each move to do our part to reduce the spread of this dangerous disease.

We also recommend that homeowners complete their own thorough cleaning of all surfaces that other people may have come into contact with throughout the move. Thank you for your continued support. Our community will get through these difficult times together.

Original Article: https://www.cdc.gov/hygiene/cleaning-disinfecting/index.html

Muscular Moving Men will be practicing social distancing on site. No shaking hands and we will keep our distance. If you are feeling ill, please let a team member know so that we can reschedule your move.

In the last year, Muscular Moving Men has improved the speed and accuracy of their bills with tablet-based Bills of Lading, e-signing and live estimate revisions. These, along with other technological advancements help streamline the customer experience to provide exactly what the customer expects, before they even have the chance to ask.

While it is fantastic to be recognized by the Phoenix Business Journal, Muscular Moving Men's commitment to continual improvement is because their core values all revolve around being "Customer Experience Obsessed."

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2019/09/19/small-business-awards-2019-innovation-muscular.amp.html

After Justin Hodge, the president of Muscular Moving Men, heard the story, he jumped into action. "I never like to see families get uprooted," Hodge said. "This is not a move that was in the cards for the Rosales family. ...We felt strongly we needed to get involved and help them land on their feet. We subscribe to the theory (that) the givers gain," Hodge said. Muscular Moving Men sent a truck and two employees to bring the family's living room furniture, mattresses and other items to their new home. The Rosales family had found a place a mile away at Country Villa Apartments just a few days before their move-out deadline. "We can't thank them (the moving company) enough," said Freddy Rosales, who previously had hurt his back moving boxes. "We couldn't have done it all by ourselves. ... This restores your faith." His wife, Susie Rosales, broke into tears as she recounted the stress over moving and the relief when the moving company and others stepped up.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/gilbert/2018/10/29/company-donates-moving-truck-gilbert-family-muscular-moving-men-phoenix-affordable-housing-rent/1809059002/

Two years after graduating, Hodge teamed up with his longtime friend Josh Jurhill and started moving families across town with just their muscles and a pickup trailer. Fast-forward a decade later and the guys turned their startup into Muscular Moving Men, a company that now employs nearly 100 people and moves nearly 400 families every year.

“Back in 2008, it was a combination of things. Financially, we needed to start making money for his life, my life. I was starting a family, Josh was looking to free himself from his fulltime business of the insurance world,” Hodge says. “We just started moving people after-hours off of Craigslist and different types of services. We thought ‘Wow, we could literally make hundreds of dollars doing this.”’

Even though Hodge is not a journalist, he says the skills he learned at the Cronkite School helped him throughout his whole career at Muscular Moving Men.

“You know, it’s funny, when you start a moving company with your best friend and you’re like, ‘Why did I get a degree from the journalism, public relations and broadcasting school? What was I thinking?’ and you know, as time goes on, you start to realize that you do have to use those skills on a daily basis,” Hodge says.

“With public relations, we get to go out there and let everybody know about our business. We get the chance to sit down and do articles and be on TV. For awhile, I was responsible for all the content that went up on our websites. I would be writing who we are, what we do, why we’re different, and I’d be doing the marketing material that you have to put together to take out to the storages and apartments and all these places that refer you.”

Hodge seems to have efficiently put these skills in place as Muscular Moving Men continues to grow year after year at a rate of 30 to 40 percent. The company says that in the next seven years, they plan to expand up to 60 locations nationwide and put their name out in most major cities.

Through it all, Hodge gives thanks to his education.

“I’m grateful for the education I got from ASU, and being a Cronkite grad in particular is something that I’m definitely proud of.”

Written By: Hayden Weber, College Times.

The company has partnered with GreenSky Personal Loans to ease the financial pressure of moving. If approved for a loan, customers will enjoy interest-free financing if paid in full within six months. The loan has no early termination fees, fast approvals and affordable payment options.

“We understand that moving is stressful, and finances can play a huge part in that stress,” said Justin Hodge, president of Muscular Moving Men. “Whether you’re moving across the country or around the corner, we are thrilled to give our customers an option to experience a worry-free move with our expert movers, and pay for it on their schedule.”

Approved financing can be applied to moving fees, storage costs and packing supplies at Muscular Moving Men’s Phoenix and Detroit locations.

For more information about financing your move, and discuss financing options with a Muscular Moving Men customer service representative, call 602.923.6400.

About Muscular Moving Men
Founded in Phoenix in 2008, Muscular Moving Men is a full-service moving and storage company established by Justin Hodge and Josh Jurhill on one simple philosophy: provide amazing moving service and great customer care at a competitive price. The energetic young company quickly rose to prominence thanks to its team of fit, friendly and efficient movers that work hard to treat every customer like a VIP. For more information, visit muscularmovingmen.com.

But when Josh Jurhill helped best friend Justin Hodge move into his new apartment, it was a task they sought to repeat again. But not for free.

“We thought we could make extra money,” Jurhill recalled.

Ten years later, the Scottsdale natives’ once little side gig is projected to generate just over $5 million this year — a 40 percent growth from 2017, Jurhill said of his and Hodge’s moving company, Muscular Moving Men.

When Jurhill and Hodge started their Phoenix-based business in 2008, they comprised the entire staff and did all moving themselves. They had no office. A family friend let them park their truck at his Cave Creek ranch. While dodging horse droppings to and from their truck, they partnered with stores to get going and did short pick-up and drop-off routes.

“Back then, if we did 20 or 30 moves in a month, we thought it was pretty darn awesome,” Jurhill said.

In that first year, Muscular Moving Men generated $200,000, Jurhill said.

Today, they oversee a growing staff of 80 and are responsible for 20 trucks and trailers that do an average of 400 local and interstate moves every month.

Jurhill and Hodge’s company provides an in-demand service. According to an American Moving and Storage Association study of 3 million interstate moves, 650,000 were done by professional movers, more than moves done by non-professionals renting a large truck or getting friends to caravan multiple trips between homes.

And what about the name of the company? Jurhill, a natural bodybuilder and former Mr. Natural Arizona, and Hodge have been athletic all their lives and took fitness seriously. The name played off of them having “better than average physiques,” Jurhill modestly explained.

“We’d wear black athletic shorts and sleeveless shirts that look professional. It was something to set ourselves apart,” he said.

Jurhill and Hodge’s company provides an in-demand service. According to an American Moving and Storage Association study of 3 million interstate moves, 650,000 were done by professional movers, more than moves done by non-professionals renting a large truck or getting friends to caravan multiple trips between homes.

And what about the name of the company? Jurhill, a natural bodybuilder and former Mr. Natural Arizona, and Hodge have been athletic all their lives and took fitness seriously. The name played off of them having “better than average physiques,” Jurhill modestly explained.

“We’d wear black athletic shorts and sleeveless shirts that look professional. It was something to set ourselves apart,” he said.

Jurhill admitted he gets some calls laced with tongue-in-cheek comments, and some expressing a desire to see truly muscular men lifting and maneuvering. But the job is no joke.

“It’s catchy and funny but at the end of the day, it’s one of the three most serious things people go through in their lives,” Jurhill said, referring to death and divorce as the other two. “People are stressed and the last thing they want on moving day are guys that are clowns or not taking care of their possessions.”

Personal calls from senior citizens thanking him for making their move a great experience and his staff making them feel comfortable are among Jurhill’s most striking memories.

Maintaining empathy in realizing how tough moving is, is key, he said.

Giving charities a helping hand

The company’s charitable component is something Jurhill and Hodge have implemented since the beginning.

“That’s what it’s all about, being able to give back,” Jurhill said. “I can’t think of a better cause than a domestic-violence situation where we can step in and make a tough situation a little more manageable.”

Gina Winn, the victims assistance caseworker at Glendale Police Department’s Victims Assistance Unit, can attest to this.

Nearly two years ago, Winn had a domestic-violence victim who didn’t have the funds to move to a new and safe residence. Winn called at least seven moving companies for assistance with no luck. Then she called Hodge, who did not hesitate to step in.

Ever since, Muscular Moving Men has regularly moved her department’s high-risk domestic-violence victims for free. Generally, there is a three-hour timeline and safety measures are put in place. They’ve accommodated every special request and wrap every possession carefully and treat it as their own, Winn said.

And every time, the job is done professionally, efficiently and with respect.

“They’ve always been compassionate and understanding. They understand it’s a quick move and sometimes there’s no time (for the victims) to pack all of their belongings,” Winn said. “It’s difficult to find those resources when the funds aren’t there … And we can’t give enough thanks to them. They’ve always been wonderful to us.”

There is no limit'

Jurhill and Hodge were both 8 when they met at the Boys and Girls Club Osborn Branch Scottsdale. The branch is no longer there — the Scottsdale Stadium sits in its former spot — but their friendship remained. They ran in the same athletic circles, went to high school together and remained best friends through their college years. Now 34, their birthdays are within nine days of each other.

Hodge worked part-time for a moving company while earning his journalism degree from Arizona State University. Jurhill also worked for the same company, and quit after a month.

But when they got together to brainstorm their business model, the idea of being his own boss and the having the opportunity to grow as far as their dedication and dreams would allow was much more appealing. Being business partners added to the attraction.

They took the plunge and bought their first truck.

“We maxed out the credit card and put all our chips down and into the moving industry,” Jurhill said.

Hodge left his paint and body repair job. Jurhill left his comfortable, salary-steady job as an insurance adjuster.

Word of mouth generated new business then and now. Jurhill estimates about 40 percent of each month's moves are generated by previous customers.

The goal is to generate $40 million a year with 60 nationwide locations by 2027, said Jurhill, speaking by phone from Detroit, where they opened a second location this summer in the suburb of Troy.

“We’re just never satisfied. It’s about getting back to where we were in the beginning. We were competitive then and we’re competitive now. There is no limit. The only limits are the ones we put on ourselves,” he said.

Muscular Moving Men

WHERE: 2950 E. Mohawk Lane, Phoenix

EMPLOYEES: 85

INTERESTING STAT: Roughly, 35.5 million Americans move each year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

MORE INFORMATION: 602-923-6400, muscularmovingmen.com

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