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.

Guidelines for storing linen clothing and bedding

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Linen and bedding is something we all use and have in our homes. It is also something that spends quite a bit of time out of use – you’re never really using all of your sheets at the same time, after all. So storing linen clothing and bedding is actually something you should know more about. Whether you’re putting your extra bedding in self storage Seattle for the winter or simply using the extra space in your attic to keep things out of the way, there are certain steps you should take to keep your linen and bedding in good condition during storage.

Prepare for storing linen clothing and bedding

While your things are in storage, they are not being used. So they’re not being given the care they would get while in your home – you’re not dusting them, cleaning them, checking them for damage, repairing them. For this reason, before you put anything in Issaquah self storage, you need to prepare it for the time it’ll spend out of commission. Making sure that your belongings are in the best possible condition before going into storage ensures that they come out of storage still useable. And fabrics, whether they are clothing or sheets or canvases, are no exception to this rule. You must first prepare them for storage and only then put them away.

Sheets drying in preparation for storing linen clothing and bedding
Only clean and dry linen should go in storage.

Do the laundry

Before you store any clothing or bedding, you should wash everything first. Even if you’re not using Shoreline self storage for your seasonal clothes and sheets and are simply planning on leaving them in the back of the closet or in the attic during winter, you always want to store fabric clean. If you put away your fabrics when they’re dirty, any stains on them can easily become permanent, debris might cause tears, and bad odors will seep into the textile until you can never remove them again. So it’s very important to make sure that any clothing or linen you’re storing is freshly washed and clean.

After you’ve done the laundry but before you start packing for storage, make sure everything is completely dry. Moisture is not an uncommon problem in storage and it can be absolutely devastating when storing textiles. Mold, mildew, and rot are big problems for fabric that’s left wet for a long time. And even if your clothes and bedding dry off in storage, the wet fabric will stain more easily as well as attract dust and debris. If at all possible, air-dry your linen outside, letting in breathe in the sun and fresh air for extra freshness. If not, use a dryer. But run it until you’re positive everything is completely dry.

Choose the right place for storage

When it comes to storage, especially long-term storage, where you put your belongings is going to make a huge difference. If you’re relying on Seattle mini storage, you will have the choice of climate-controlled and non-climate controlled units. Climate controlled storage is recommended for all sensitive items and especially if you live in an area with a humid climate. It allows you to control the conditions within the unit and maintain optimal temperature and air dryness.

If you choose a non-climate controlled unit or plan on storing your linen in your own home, find a dry and dark spot out of direct sunlight. This will best protect the fabric from the elements. You might even want to use a dehumidifier if you live in a humid climate.

Pack before storing linen clothing and bedding

Packing is a big part of preparing your clothes and sheets for storage. It’s the next step after you’ve washed, dried and when applicable, ironed them. But simply folding your bedding into a regular old moving box won’t do. Fabric requires a bit more care during packing.

Folded towels.
Folding and packing your linen before storage is a must.

Choose the right packing materials

It is very important to allow your fabric to breathe. For this reason, you want to avoid storing linen in plastic. This includes both plastic bags, plastic wrapping, and plastic containers. Storing fabric in plastic packaging can cause serious damage. If you trap even the tiniest bit of moisture in a plastic container, it’ll have nowhere to go. This can easily end with moldy sheets and clothes.

Avoid cardboard as well – it can turn your bedding yellow. Use breathable containers of natural materials instead. Special fabric storage bags exist specifically for this purpose. If you don’t want to spend money on those, canvas bags and large pillowcases are both good alternatives.

Maximize space

Even if you are renting a storage unit, you’ll still only have limited space to put all your belongings away. This can be a problem if you have a lot of linen and bedding to store or if that’s not the only thing you’re storing. So it’s best to pack your clothes and sheets in a way that minimizes the amount of space they take up.

Tightly folding the bedding and compressing it as much as possible will help. Rolling your bedding and tying it up with a ribbon is another idea. But if you’re really tight on space, you can also use vacuum bags. This is the only exception to the “no plastic” rule: because no air at all should be left in vacuum bags, there’s no risk of moisture. But because fabric should breathe, you should avoid vacuum bags if you’re storing clothes and sheets long term.

Hanging and rolled clothes.
Fold or roll your linen for storage.

Maintain safety and freshness when storing linen clothing and bedding

No home or storage unit, no matter how clean, is entirely safe from dust. Dust attracts insects. And insects, especially moths, just love to live in and feed off of linen. So when you’re storing linen clothing and bedding, it is imperative that you do everything you can to ward from pests.

There are many moth repellents that you can buy in stores. Some are specifically intended to be used for linen. But lavender is an excellent natural way to get rid of moths that also happens to smell great. So it’ll maintain the freshness of your fabrics as well! You should also try storing your clothing and bedding off the ground. Not only is this cleaner, but it’ll also protect your linen in case of disasters like flooding.

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Locations Served

LYNNWOOD PORTABOX

2902B Lincoln Way Lynnwood, WA, 98087

SEATTLE PORTABOX

10750 Aurora Ave N Suite B Seattle, WA 98133

NEWCASTLE PORTABOX

6868 Coal Creek Pkwy SE Newcastle, WA 98059

BOISE PORTABOX

103 N Curtis Road Boise, ID, 83706