Founded in 1890, Hansen Bros. Moving & Storage the parent company of Portabox has successfully weathered many history-changing events including the Great Seattle Fire, WWI, the Spanish Flu of 1918, the Great Depression, WWII, the 2008 recession, and 9/11 among many other public crises. We are taking the current COVID-19 threat very seriously and will promptly adhere to any and all directives from local, state and federal government officials. Hansen Bros. and Portabox have been categorized as an essential industry business (moving & relocation) within the current mandate established by Washington State Governor Jay Inslee.

As essential services, we will maintain normal operations until such time as either company management determines we must close our offices or we are directed to do so by a governmental authority. We are taking extensive precautionary measures including the adoption of all CDC guidelines and the establishment of our own policies intended to minimize health risks for all customers, employees, contractors, vendors, and community stakeholders. We are proud to be able to support the needs of our customers during this crucial time but are prepared to quickly change course as required.

Stay safe together with Hansen Bros. and Portabox

The COVID-19 crisis is fluid and there are many uncertainties and factors outside of our control that may, with little or no advance notice, impact our delivery of moving & storage services. Please be aware the current crisis could potentially result in small inconveniences such as a delayed project start time or significant inconveniences such as the complete rescheduling of services.

Although there are many unknowns to be navigated, you can be certain that Hansen Bros. and Portabox will be timely and transparent in our communications regarding servicing your moving & storage needs, and our professional relocation consultants will work diligently to offer creative solutions in the event your project is impacted by the current health crisis.

Steps We're Taking:

  • Company-wide Implementation of all precautionary measures recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
  • Office staff and crews are being monitored daily for symptoms and/or known exposure by management and asked to go home, contact their healthcare provider, and self-quarantine as directed. Staff that experience symptoms and/or aware of exposure when not at work have been directed to stay home and notify their supervisor.
  • Office staff and crews are receiving daily briefings on precautionary measures and have been directed to follow them on and off the job.
  • Office staff and crews are being instructed to maintain appropriate “social distance” of 6 feet minimum between one another, customers, and all other people.
  • Office staff and crews are being provided with appropriate hand sanitizer and surface disinfecting supplies. They have been directed to disinfect truck cabs and moving equipment between each move to the best of their ability. These supplies will continue to be replenished as we are able, based on availability from retailers.
  • We are limiting visitation to our branch offices. If you wish to purchase moving boxes or supplies, please simply call in your order and we will happily deliver to your vehicle outside.

We are all in this together.  The team at Hansen Bros. and Portabox is proud to continue offering our services in accordance with the necessary precautions outlined above. We are here to make the process of storing belongings seamless & safe for you.

6 tips for storing items safely during summer

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It’s important to pay attention to the seasons when deciding to change things up in your household. You won’t be doing the windows while there’s a raging blizzard outside. Likewise, you will need to be extra careful when putting things to storage during hot summer days. You need to declutter every once in a while, that’s a given. However, if you choose to do it during summer, you will need to be vigilant. Humidity and high temperature can damage your belongings beyond repair. Therefore, you should do all you can to prevent that. Renting storage and committing to self storage Seattle residents rely on is always a smart thing to do. That way, you’ll be in charge of everything and you won’t have to worry about your items. However, it is also good idea to learn some tips for storing items safely during summer.

Step one – make good use of all your options

The first rule for storing items during summer would be that you need to take advantage of the space you have at your disposal. Preferably, it would be a place that’s out of the way. Of course, not many people have that much room in their homes. Therefore, storing items in a storage facility is a great alternative. If you want to make sure everything is packed just the way you want, then you should contact Woodinville self storage services and rent the containers. Of course, summers in Woodinville don’t tend to be particularly hot, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. You don’t want to take any chances and risk damaging your belongings in your own home.

a couple storing items safely during summer
The summer is not exactly just around the corner. However, if you’re planning on storing items safely during summer, then you need to start making plans soon. There’s no time like today.

The type of item you’re storing is the most important part of storing items safely during summer

Another important tip would be to do your research thoroughly. You need to know about things you should never put in storage. During the summer, perishable items are in constant danger. The same is true for delicate materials. Therefore, if you’re storing designer clothes, leather items or hand-painted art, you need to ensure that they are in a cool environment. What you store is just as important as where you store it. Therefore, doing some research about ideal conditions for storing whatever it is that you’re storing, is a must. If you live in a place where the summer highs are not particularly high, that leaves much more room for improvisation when it comes to self storage. However, it is better to have your perishable items in a room where the temperature is a couple of degrees lower.

Communicate with your service provider

Furthermore, your service provider can help you with some advice, and Mill Creek self storage service providers are always willing to help. Tell your service provider what it is that you’re planning to store and don’t ignore their advice. They are the ones who will provide the necessary supplies. Good communication is the key here. You need to explain exactly what it is that you’re planning to store so that they can provide suitable containers. Of course, you should be able to count on their advice should you need it.

a couple packing their stuff
Depending on the type of item you need to store, you might need to use different methods when preparing your belongings. Protective covers are always a plus.

Storing items safely during summer is easier when you have a plan

Preparing your items for storage, be it even self storage, could require some creativity on your part. Whatever you’re storing, it’s important to keep your items in top shape at all times. A bit of light dusting is definitely in order when you’re storing items like books, decorations, records, or exercise equipment. On the other hand, if you’re storing important documentation, you should sort all the papers and create a system that ensures you know where everything is. Storing clothes would require washing and drying them first. Of course, no matter what you’re storing, you can’t go wrong if you decide to use some protective cover. Bubble wrap for fragile items, folders for papers, and bags for your clothes. How you prepare your items depends mostly on what kind of item we’re talking about. However, you should always make the point of:

  • storing only clean items
  • placing items in protective covers carefully
  • having a system that ensures you know where everything is 
  • closing containers firmly
  • leaving some extra room in a storage container – don’t try to fit as many items as you can into one container
  • not stacking fragile items one atop the other without using bubble wrap

Don’t forget to take your items out of storage on time

An important thing to keep in mind is that you need a far-reaching plan when storing items. You need to know exactly for how long your items will remain in storage. Will you be taking them out of storage at the end of the summer? If you’re not planning to keep your belongings in storage for a long amount of time, then you could also consider the short term storage Seattle relies on. That way, you’re putting your belongings in the hands of the professionals and you won’t have anything to worry about.

a man making plans
Have a plan! If you’re not planning on keeping your belongings in storage for a long time, then short term storage solutions might be worth looking into.

Store your items with care and attention to detail

Now that you have a clear idea of how it works, you can start storing items safely during summer. The most important tip would be to make a plan for your items and how long you want to keep them in storage. If we’re talking a few weeks during the summer, there is an alternative for self storage you can take advantage of. On the other hand, if you need to rent storage containers for more than a month, then make sure you pack everything right!

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