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.

Professional guidelines for packing porcelain figurines

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We all have our hobbies. Some of us watch a lot of movies, some of us go hiking, and some of us collect things. One of the most beautiful things you can collect is porcelain figurines. Delicate and colorful, they will make any shelf or mantle in your home look better. But they have one huge downside: they’re very, very fragile. So when you need to use self storage Seattle or move to a new home, you need to be careful with them. Otherwise, they won’t survive the trip. And that is precisely why packing porcelain figurines properly is important – it is the only way to protect them from damage during transport.

The ultimate guide for packing porcelain figurines

If you’re a collector, then you’ve probably broken a couple of figurines before. It’s incredibly easy to do – all it takes is a moment of inattention and they slip through your fingers or you knock them off their shelf and that’s all it takes. And this happens all the time in your own home where your collection is well cared for. Now imagine what would happen in even the safest Bellevue self storage or during transportation! To prevent disaster, you’ll need to protect your figurines by packing them well.

Maneki neko figurine.
When moving or storing precious figurines, it’s important to properly protect them.

Step 1: Clean the figurines and identify trouble spots as you go

The first thing you need to do before packing your figurines is to make sure they’re in good condition. So take the time to clean your figurines of any dust or stains. This will also give you an opportunity to examine them for cracks and other vulnerable spots. If your figurines are already damaged, they’re more likely to shatter during transportation. And even if they’re in perfect condition, you’ll probably find places where they can easily break – protruding pieces and spots where the ceramic is very thin. Keep track of those because you’ll need to pay extra attention to them when wrapping the figurines.

Step 2: Wrap figurines in packing paper

The first layer of protection for your figurines will be packing paper. Cut sheets to size, then wrap each figurine individually. Pay special attention to areas you identified as most fragile and pad them with the extra paper if necessary. Only use soft packing paper with no print. If you use alternatives, like newspapers, the porcelain might get stained or scratched.

Step 3: Use bubble wrap

Paper alone is not enough to protect fragile and expensive things like porcelain figurines. So you’ll want to add another layer of protection – bubble wrap. Wrap it carefully around your figurines, once again paying special attention to vulnerable spots. Then tape the bubble wrap in place. Make sure that every part of the figurine is covered in paper and bubble pack before you use tape – tape should never come into contact with the figurine itself.

Person packing porcelain figurines in bubble pack.
Bubble wrap is a good way to protect your figurines.

Step 4: Pack in suitable boxes

Once your figurines are properly wrapped and protected, you can transfer them into boxes. You want to pack each figurine separately. This will minimize the chance of damage. But it also means you’ll need as many boxes as you have figurines. Ideally, the box should be lined with bubble pack or paper and the same size as the figurine. If the box is too big, fill it with cushioning materials like shredded or crumpled paper, bubble pack, or fabric. Finally, transfer the smaller boxes into a medium-size box to make transportation and storage easier.

Step 5: Label the boxes

Whenever you’re storing or moving items, you should always label the boxes you pack. It’s just easier to find the right box in storage and easier to unpack after a move that way. But it also serves another purpose: it lets others who handle those boxes know what’s inside. In the case of door to door storage Seattle, where movers and packers pack, transfer, and store your belongings, multiple people might need to move your boxes. You can’t just hope they’ll all know that your boxes contain very fragile items. So write FRAGILE in capital print on every box, preferably on multiple sides. You should also mark which side of the box goes up so the figurines inside don’t get jostled too much.

Additional tips for packing porcelain figurines

If you follow these steps, you can pack any porcelain figurine properly. But there are other things you can do as well, things which will make packing fragile items easier.

Take inventory before packing

There’s no point wasting time and supplies on figurines you don’t really like. So go through your collection before packing. Is there anything you might be willing to part with? Something you can sell for a bit of extra cash? An item you want to gift to someone who will appreciate it more? The fewer figurines you have, the easier it’ll be to pack. Taking inventory will also help with the unpacking – it’ll be easier to see if there are any figurines missing or broken.

Porcelain figurines.
Taking inventory will help you organize and keep track of all your figurines.

Use high-quality packing materials

When packing something as fragile as porcelain, it is imperative to use good packing materials. Soft and clean paper, dense bubble pack, and sturdy boxes are a must. You can also buy pre-lined boxes that offer extra protection. Second-hand boxes, free boxes you find lying around, and alternatives are not a good idea because most of them won’t be as sturdy as new moving boxes. If you want to save money, look for deals with your movers or storage providers and supermarkets.

When packing porcelain figurines goes wrong

Sometimes, all the preparation you do is not enough. Even when you do everything right, packing porcelain figurines carefully and doing everything you can to protect them, things can go wrong. It is simply an option you’ll have to make peace with whenever moving your figurines somewhere. And while it can be very upsetting to see some of your favorites broken, especially if they have a lot of monetary or sentimental value, don’t despair if you find one of your figurines in pieces.

There are ways to salvage this: the Japanese art of kintsugi is a way to repair broken ceramics using gold. This creates an entirely new and completely unique pieces of art. It might be worth looking into if some of your broken figurines were very important to you.

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