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 find storage units in a new city

Step 1 of 2

MM slash DD slash YYYY

Finding appropriate storage units to safeguard your excess belongings is not an easy task. Many storage facilities that advertise a high quality service offer nothing more than simple storage space and a lock on your unit door.  However, a simple lock and an empty space are not enough to keep your items safe in the long run. For this, you will want to find a secure and maintained storage facility or a portable storage solution much like the one PortaBox Storage offers. In this article, we look at the ways in which you can find storage units in a new city, to help make the entire process simpler for you.

Storage facility
Finding the right storage facility takes time and research.

It is not easy to find storage units in a new city

Finding storage units in a new town can be a complicated task that mostly depends on the effort. Some places have many great storage facilities while others cannot swagger about this. If you are moving to Lynnwood WA, for example, you will have a decent offering of storage facilities to choose from. However, you need to be careful anyway. That is why before you choose a storage facility, you need to do a lot of research and read a lot of reviews. Unfortunately, when it comes to choosing an appropriate storage facility, online research is not usually enough to give you a clear look at what they have to offer. That is why your only solution is to find a few places that look decent enough and give them a visit in person.

Stretch your legs to find storage units in a new city

A personal visit to a storage facility is the only way to make sure that your items will be kept in a suitable environment. If you are moving, for example, it is good to know that many moving companies Seattle offer storage services as well. So it would be good to think about this before you choose your movers. When you visit a place, however, there will be a few things that you need to watch out for.

First, take notice of the exterior. A storage facility that looks poorly maintained from the outside probably has the same issues on the inside as well. Next, pay attention to hygiene.  If the facility looks clean, the chances are that their units are in the same condition. See if the walls are clean and painted. If you see chipped off paint or crumbled parts of the wall, most likely they have moisture issues.

Also, while you are visiting, see if they have rat bait stations scattered around the facility.  If you cannot find any it means that they are probably not taking care of pests. Finally, pay attention to security. A storage facility needs to have some kind of security system that will ensure the safety of your belongings. No matter whether it is in a form of security guards, surveillance, or alarm system, your storage facility needs to be safe.

Pay attention to moisture and avoid places with such issues

Moisture is your biggest enemy inside a storage unit. Moisture can destroy your items in a matter of days. Especially if they are not packed properly. Therefore, it is the first thing that you need to watch out for when you are trying to locate good storage in a new place. And avoid storage facility with such issues. But how to know whether a storage facility has moisture issues?

Well, you need to visit a place in person. When you are there first to take a look at the exterior of the object. Chipped off paint, crumbled walls, wet stains, molded areas are all signs that a facility has moisture issues. Once you are inside pay attention to the same things plus you can use your nose to detect moisture as it leaves a distinctive smell.

Make sure that your facility takes care of hygiene

Three men cleaning a warehouse.
Finding a clean storage solution in a new city is important.

Proper hygiene is also one of the things that you are looking for when looking for a proper Lynnwood self storage facility. Hygiene can tell you a lot about your storage facility and how they like to run their business. If you find that a storage facility is dirty and not sanitized properly, it means that hey probably has other more important issues as well. So the advice is to avoid storage companies that do not like to keep their hygiene properly.

How to find pest-free storage units in a new city

Many storage facilities have pest issues. Rats, mice, termites, and other forms of invasive insects can be a big threat to your precious items. That is why it is crucial to find a storage facility that deals with their pests properly. Regular pest control, rodent bait stations, well-maintained facility are some of the best prevention methods.

So, before you decide to rent a storage unit to your facility’s management and see what they are doing to prevent pest damage. If, however, you really like a storage facility, it is in a good place, and affordable but you do not like how they handle this issue, you can do pest control in your storage unit as well.

Make sure that your facility has some sort of security system

Security camera
If you are looking to find storage units in a new city, make sure they are secure.

Finally, security is also one of the things that you need to watch out for when you are trying to locate a storage facility in a new city. Of course, your excess household items are not the prime target of thieves. But storage facilities with poor security could easily attract opportunistic visitors. Therefore, make sure that your on-demand storage Seattle has at least one of these security systems:

  • Security guards
  • Surveillance system
  • Alarm system
  • Safety locks

Finding a proper storage unit is a tiring work

If you pay attention to these details you will find storage units in a new city. Of course, it can be a time-consuming task. Still, if you want to make sure that your items will be kept in a safe place those are the steps that you will need to go through.

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