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.

How to choose storage packing supplies

Step 1 of 2

MM slash DD slash YYYY

Storage is something that is intended to keep your items safe. However, you also need to protect your items from storage. Of course, the finest storage facilities offer near-perfect conditions for long-term safekeeping. Still, even the best spaces cannot keep your items from dust, for example. That is why your items need to be properly packed regardless of whether you are renting long-term or using temporary storage Seattle. Besides keeping your items safe, though, packaging has another purpose. Properly packed items take up less space, which means that you can rent a smaller storage unit and incur fewer costs in the process. Therefore, in this article, we will take a look at how to choose storage packing supplies properly.

First, get rid of the items that will only take up storage space unnecessarily

We already mentioned that packing your items for storage has two purposes – keeping your items safe and allowing you to store your items in a smaller space. However, if you want to rent modern and easy-to-rent self storage Bothell, you first need to declutter your inventory. Let’s face it, the large number of items that people keep in storage is unnecessary. Those items are only taking up your space and forcing you to pay more as you need to rent a larger unit that can accommodate all those items. Therefore, your first task should be to get rid of the junk.

a pile of items and boxes
First, you should get rid of the junk.

Of course, you are the only person who can determine what items you can remove. But concentrate on items that you haven’t used for a while, items that are outdated like old magazines and instruction manuals, deteriorated furniture, etc. We understand that sometimes it is hard to say goodbye to your collection of old magazines, for example. But if you think about it, everything that is in those papers is something that you can find online today. And this is just one example.

Things to consider when choosing storage packing materials

Once you get rid of the unwanted items, you need to sort your actual storage inventory. Your goal here is to determine the number and size of packing supplies that you will need for keeping your items in Kirkland self storage. Also, you will need to consider the type of packing supplies that you need to acquire. Let’s take a look at what exactly we are talking about.

The volume of packing materials

a woman in front of box pile
Choosing the right number of boxes can be tricky.

When it comes to the number of packing supplies, it can be difficult to determine. Especially if you are doing this for the first time and you do not have any prior experience with packing. So you have three options. You can try to determine it by yourself, you can use one of the available online moving box calculators, or you can contact your moving and storage company to consult with skilled professionals on how much packing materials to get.

The size of boxes

The next thing that you need to consider is the size of the boxes. Most commonly you can find small, medium, and large boxes. Smaller boxes are more suitable for heavier items like books, for example, while you can use large boxes for light and bulky items like beddings. Also, there are many specialized boxes that are designed for packing particular items. Therefore, you can find dish boxes, wardrobe boxes, boxes for mattresses, mirrors, floor lamps, light bulbs, flat screens, and more. Of course, some of those boxes are not so easy to find. So might need to be creative if you are packing a fragile item that you cannot find a specialized box for.

The type of boxes

Finally, you also need to think about the type of packing materials. Will you use cardboard boxes or plastic bins? Are you going to pack your clothes in a wardrobe box or you plan to use vacuum bags? Of course, there are other things to consider as well. When it comes to cardboard or plastic dilemma, plastic provides much better protection but it is much more expensive. Therefore, we suggest that you use plastic bins only with those items that you think need a higher level of protection.

  • For example, plastic boxes are better for keeping electronic devices as they can protect your items from moisture too, and they are sturdier than the cardboard options. Those are the most important things that you need to think about when you want to choose storage packing supplies.

Consider in-storage conditions

Finally, one of the things that can be very important when you are trying to choose storage packing supplies is the conditions in the storage facility that you are using. Some storage facilities offer climate-controlled storage units that offer near-perfect conditions for many types of items. On the other hand, there are many companies that are not maintaining their facilities properly so you can have problems with moisture, pests, temperature fluctuations, etc.

boxes in storage
You also need to consider storing conditions when trying to choose storage packing supplies

Of course, the poorer conditions mean that you will have to use better packing materials. Of course, we always suggest that you do your research well and try to find a storage company that cares about its customers and rent a storage unit there. Still, it all depends on how important your items are to you and whether you are willing to spend a few dollars more in order to provide your items with proper conditions.

Take time to make your choice, even if you are using short term storage

As you can see, there are many things that you need to think about when you want to choose storage packing supplies. Remember that by not doing this the right way you are jeopardizing your items even when you are storing short term. That is why we suggest that you go through all these steps before you make a final decision.

Latest Posts

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