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 make more space in your garage?

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There are two types of households in the USA. The first type is made up of all those households that use the garage as a place to park their cars. The second (more common one) includes all people who use the garage as a place for storing their extra belongings. And sooner or later, you are going to run out of space for storing your items. But by that point, your garage will be too messy and certainly overly cluttered. That’s when you will realize that some major cleaning is in order. Trying to make more space in your garage can resemble a nightmare – but it doesn’t have to be that way.

Chaos and order written on a blackboard.
Could your garage use some order? If so, then take notice of what we are about to mention.

PortaBox Storage is here to assist you in freeing up your living area. We make it our goal to help you have a more functional home, be it through offering useful guidelines or providing you with premier storage pods Seattle. We are here to be of use to you.

A few ways to make more space in your garage

It goes without saying that there are many different ways to clear out your garage. One of the better ways is to rent a self storage Bothell unit that will be the place where you can migrate all of the extra items from your garage. Then again, not every household will have enough funds for such an endeavor. That doesn’t mean that you have to make your peace with a messy garage. It just means that you will have to be creative – or use some of our ideas that will help you free up more space like a pro.

Divide your garage into zones

A man working on a car.
You can park your car in a garage and still use the space around it.

Even though the main purpose of a garage is to serve as a place that houses your car, it can certainly be used for many different purposes. And there is no reason why one of those purposes can’t be to store some of the surplus items from your home. However, you have to be very careful if you intend to use your garage for a couple of different reasons. In case your garage is going to serve as your workshop, storage unit, and a place for your car, you need to divide your room into distinctive zones.

The problematic part could be dividing the room if you already have too many items in it. PortaBox Storage will provide you with a simple yet effective solution – renting the most convenient temporary storage Seattle has to offer. You can store your items in professional storage for one month, which should give you more than enough time to get your garage in order.

Use cabinets to make more space in your garage

Cabinets are items you will most likely associate with the kitchen and quite possibly the bathroom. But not many people think of cabinets as something that belongs in a garage. Not only does it belong in it but it also helps you create more storage space. You can either buy or build your own garage cabinets, depending on your budget, as well as your skills. Either way, they will be the perfect addition to your room as they will allow you to place all those items that are currently sitting in boxes on the floor into a beautiful cabinet. Bear in mind that they can come in different styles and designs, so you can even have fun remodeling and decorating your room.

Utilize the walls

Shelves that help you make more space in your garage.
Shelves are quite possibly the single best way to gain more storage space in your home.

Think of your garage as a place that is full of potential. Every inch of the room could be put to better use – only if you know how to do it. And when it comes to better utilization of your garage, the walls are the ones you want to pay attention to. The list of what you can do with your walls in order to make more space is a long one, but we’ll only mention the three most commonly used ones:

  • Install shelves where you can put all of your miscellaneous items. 
  • Use hooks to hang your tools.
  • Use magnetic boards for keeping nuts and bolts.

Why are we such fans of using the walls in general, as that’s something we advise all of our customers who are in pursuit of a residential or business storage solution? It’s because walls are the perfect place for storing many small items without overcrowding the space. Take into account the fact that there are many different ways to make more storage space on your walls and you get a win-win situation that’s hard to beat.

Take care of your power tools

Power tools are items that you will use very rarely – yet they are an essential part of almost every garage. However, these items take up a lot of space in your room as they are very large in size. Don’t worry – there is a suitable solution. All you have to do is store them in the least accessible place in your garage. The items that you do use every day should be within your reach. But belongings such as power tools belong to the back of the garage – or in a Bellevue self storage unit if you do have one.

How long will it take you to create more space in your garage?

That depends on the size of the garage, how many items you have in it, as well as how quick and organized you are. The best thing would be to dedicate an entire weekend to this task. You can make more space in your garage in two days (maybe even one), but you will have to be 100% dedicated to the task. Do you think you will be able to handle it? It will certainly be worth it.

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