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 storing work tools long-term

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If you’re someone who uses a lot of tools at work, one thing is certain; you’ll need a proper place for storing them. And that’s particularly true if you’re moving to a new home; after all, you’ll probably need some sort of safe place to keep your tools long-term, regardless of where you’re living. Plus, if there’s a lot of them, they’re probably taking up way too much space in your home. But don’t worry – storing work tools long-term isn’t as difficult as it seems; you just need to prepare for the process properly. After you find the best portable storage containers Seattle has, you’ll need some tips on properly preparing your tools – and that’s why we’re here! 

Getting ready for storing work tools long term

So, you’ve decided  – you’re going to keep your work tools in your storage unit. And you intend on storing work tools long-term, which means that you’ll probably need to make some adjustments, right? As you’re probably thinking about right now – you’re going to need to set your priorities straight if you want to ensure that nothing bad happens to your tools. Is there anything that you need to do in order to keep those tools in proper condition? Certainly. And it starts with renting proper Bainbridge Island self storage.

Pens, scalpels, and rulers on a wooden surface.
The metal parts of your tools will require thorough lubrication, cleaning, and drying!

The last thing you want is to keep your tools in subpar storage; that’s a surefire way to quickly degrade them and leave them exposed to the elements. Instead, you need to be certain that you’re dealing with the very best facilities that you can find, such as those provided by PortaBox Storage. Of course, a quality storage unit will only get you so far. Apart from that, there are certain preparations that you need to make for the tools themselves. 

Cleaning and drying thoroughly

Before you begin packing your stuff for storing work tools long term, there’s one thing you’ll need to do first; and that’s cleaning them thoroughly. And this is something you absolutely must not forget to do. If you disregard the cleaning and leave any plaster or dirt on the tools, it won’t be long before the metal parts of the tools become rusty and useless. Also, after the cleaning process is done, you need to completely dry the tools before proceeding to store them. And this is true even if you’re only using Seattle mini storage temporarily; if you don’t dry out your tools completely before storage, rust can be an issue even after a couple of days. 

Sure, there are tools made from materials impervious to rust. But even those should be cleaned before storage; do you really want to have to go through thorough cleaning after taking them out? If you store work tools long-term without removing dirt, it will only harden over time. Soon enough, that job will be far harder than it has to be. And you don’t need any special chemicals to do this either. For starters, a damp rag will be enough to wipe off any surface dirt. And if there’s already hardened dirt on the tools, find some vinegar and rub it in; it’ll do a great job of breaking it up. Finally, absorb leftover moisture with a clean, dry cloth. 

Provide thorough lubrication

Once you’re done cleaning, you’re not ready for storing work tools long-term just yet. There are a couple of other things you need to do first. If you want to maintain your tools for a long time, you should separate all of the tools that have metal parts (which is basically all of them) and apply a small layer of lubricant to them. There are plenty of (quite literal) bumps in the road to storage. You don’t want your tools to be scratched or damaged. Interestingly enough, a small amount of lubricant will help a lot in that regard. And when it comes to the actual storage process, the lubricant will shield your tools from any pesky moisture, if it finds its way into your storage unit.

Screws and bolts organized in a plastic box.
It’s easy for stuff to become disorganized if you don’t store your tools properly!

Find some spray lubricant or good old-fashioned machine oil, and apply them to a soft cloth. Then, start wiping down your tools generously until you create a layer on all of the metal parts. Finally, lay the tools on clean rags once you’re done; you don’t want any dirt sticking itself to the lubricant.

Use clean cloths

Okay, so your tools have been lubricated, cleaned, and dried – all that’s left is to actually pack them. But storing your work tools long-term means that you need to provide them with ample protection; even if they’re going in a secure storage unit. Sure, you could just leave them on the floor of your storage unit; but we probably don’t have to tell you that this is a bad idea. Heck, even a cardboard box isn’t sufficient protection when we consider longer time spans.

DIY tools on plastic wrapping next to a 'home project' sign, representing storing your work tools long-term.
Make sure that you’ve provided your tools with the proper wrapping before storing them!

If you just put them in a random box, some moisture is likely to be an issue after a while; leading to long-term damage. So, to do this, we recommend wrapping every single one of your tools in cotton clothing. That way, you won’t have to worry about random scratches even if you move the tools around over time. Plus, cotton is a great material for keeping any potential moisture away from your stuff. So, wrap them and then place them inside a toolbox or a sealed plastic container. The latter would be just as good, seeing as no air will get inside.

Wrapping Up

Once you’ve prepared yourself for storing work tools long-term, make sure to check up on them from time to time; especially the tools that you don’t often use for work. Even in perfect storage conditions, there might be something that you’ve missed.

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