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.

Guide to optimizing your work-from-home space

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Working remotely is certainly not a new concept. It has always been on a slow rise, but in the past few years, it really saw rapid growth. And, working from home is very appealing as well, for many reasons. First, it offers more flexibility and saves you time in terms of your daily commute. And then there’s the fact that you can feel more comfortable in your own surroundings. This, in turn, was shown to largely boost productivity at work. This is one of the main reasons why most employers agree with allowing their employees to work remotely. However, productivity is only possible after fully optimizing your work-from-home space. PortaBox Storage is here to help you out. With a good mindset and surroundings, it is very easy to get those creative juices flowing. So, let’s see what you can do to set yourself on the path to success!

Optimizing your work-from-home space begins with understanding your needs

person sitting in his home office
A good home office should be bright, clean, and with no distractions

When it comes to working from home, everyone has different wants and needs. The main question you have to answer is what is it that inspires you? What really gets you going on a creative marathon? The answer lies in your surroundings. The first thing to do is to set up a dedicated office space in your home. Even if it is just a corner of your room, it is a good start. This space needs to reflect who you are. It needs to be a place where you feel at peace and a place where you want to go daily. Now, everyone has their own idea of a perfect office, but these are some general things to keep in mind:

  • Always keep everything neat and organized
  • Try making different “workstations” for different types of work
  • Let in plenty of natural light
  • Decorate your space with items that inspire and relax you

You should also make sure that you aren’t limited in your home. It’s important to have all the essentials of your office at hand. This includes things such as a reliable computer, a stable internet connection, and a functional desk. If you don’t have room in your home for these items, you can leave some of your household goods in the safe hands of Mill Creek self storage. The good thing about creating your own space is that you have full freedom to decide exactly how it looks like. Optimizing your work-from-home space to its full potential is a great way of staying inspired and creative.

Limiting distractions improves focus and boosts productivity

One of the biggest problems of working from home is all of the distractions that may catch your attention. Even though comfort is very important, getting too comfortable can have a negative effect on your productivity. Household chores, family members, and personal emails are all things that can easily divert your attention from work. Even though optimizing your work-from-home space away from all these distractions can be a good idea, you still need to go further and limit their chance of sidetracking you. Together with a minimalist office design, you can set yourself with specific working hours. Dedicating a certain amount of time exclusively to work leaves you with plenty of free time later. This way, you can focus on your work with enough flexibility and determination, and make sure that nothing makes you go off course.

unhappy woman working on her laptop
A cluttered office can easily cause you to lose focus and stagnate

Now let’s look at what you can do to limit distractions in the workspace itself. The first step is to maintain a clean and organized work area. Although it is good to surround yourself with a few personal items that calm you and bring happiness, don’t fill your workspace with too many trinkets. Having various non-work items may lead you to often reach for them, causing distractions and damaging your productivity. To limit your access to these items, consider moving them to another part of the home, or better yet, into a Newcastle self storage unit where they will be safe.

Lastly, add natural colors to your home to boost creativity. Bright colors such as teal, light blue, gray, or blue-gray are good for motivation. Paint your home with them, or add them to your office as decor.

Use nature and scents as a source of valuable inspiration

Unless you find ways to always stay inspired, comfortable, and relaxed, working remotely can quickly become quite stagnant. Especially if you’re trying to isolate yourself from family members or roommates, or if you are easily distracted. The best way to reignite your creativity and de-stress is to draw inspiration from the nature around you. There are plenty of ways to do this, and having a few live plants in your workspace to make you more energized and calm is one of them. Not only is having plants in your home good for the air quality, but it also provides you with a surprisingly calming effect. With plants surrounding you, you can easily boost your productivity by up to 15%, according to performed studies. With a bit of calming greenery, your mood will greatly improve, and with it, your performance.

home office in a brightly lit room
Natural light, bright colors, and scents can do wonders for your productivity

Another great way to calm yourself and maintain focus is the aid of various scents and smells. If you chose to enrich your office space with plants and flowers, you can boost this with various oil diffusers, incense burners, scented candles, and wax melters. Your sense of smell can play a big role in optimizing your work-from-home space. Naturally, you may have to experiment with scents in order to find the ones that work the best for you. Vanilla and lavender, for example, can provide a calming effect. Citrus scents such as orange and lemon can be a great energy boost. Alternatively, you can simply wear cologne or perfume you like. Your favorite scent can have a very positive impact on your mood, which will in turn boost your creativity and productivity immensely.

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