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.

Self-packing vs. professional packing

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Packing on your own or asking for help – that seems to be the number one concern of people going through relocation or the process of storing their items. The battle between self-packing vs. professional packing is one every person faces, whether they are looking to relocate, renovate, declutter, or store away belongings. It comes down to you to weigh the upsides and downsides of either option before making your decision. Whether you are thinking about packing for Issaquah self-storage or for your upcoming relocation to Seattle, we are here to help you make the best choice when it comes to the packing process.

Pros and cons of self-packing

We often see people opting for self-packing of their belongings. Besides, our portable self-storage Seattle was designed with self-packing in mind. As with everything else, self-packing does come with its fair share of pros and cons. Only by getting familiarized with them can you decide whether a non-assisted packing spree will be the right move for you.

The benefits of self-packing

  • You get to save money.

Nobody can deny that packing services are always a super useful assistance option. However, the main and, quite possibly, the only reason why people decide to forgo assisted packing is the steep price of this service. Should you opt for self-packing against professional packing, you would definitely get to save a lot of money. You can decide later on how to put that extra money to good use.

A pink piggy bank.
One can always use the extra money that can be saved by forgoing professional packing services.
  • You have control over the process.

Paying for packing services means giving someone else the entire control over the packing of your belongings. That’s kind of the whole point of packing services. But if you are a person that rarely lets someone else take the reins, then self-packing will be the better of the two options. So whether you are packing for Mill Creek self-storage or for your impending relocation, we suggest you take this into consideration.

The drawbacks of self-packing

  • You lose your time and energy.

Packing is difficult, time-consuming, and challenging on so many different levels. As a person with a regular, 9 to 5 job, the amount of time and energy that self-packing will take could be too much. It’s really just the matter of whether or not you have enough time to tackle this task on your own.

  • You risk the safety of your items.

No matter how much experience you have with packing, your knowledge will most likely not be comparable to the professional’s that do this for a living. Professional packers know how to wrap sensitive items, which packing materials to use, and how to place items in cardboard boxes. That leads to the conclusion that, unfortunately, you won’t be able to do the job as well as they can. You might be able to safely pack the majority of your items, but you have to ask yourself what will happen with your fragile items.

Pros and cons of professional packing

Packing has become one of the most used moving services. If you have ever been in the situation to have professional packers pack up your home, then we are certain you know why people love it. Although, we do have to admit that not everything is as amazing as it seems since packing does have its cons. Let’s see what they are, shall we?

A notebook to write down pros and cons of self-packing vs. professional packing.
Make your own list of pros and cons if you think of some other important points.

The benefits of professional packing

  • Everything will be easier with professional packers.

One of the main reasons why professional packing wins over self-packing is the ease of using this service. Professional packers can make every packing project far easier and more successful. Whether you are moving and shipping your belongings, packing for storage, or something else entirely, packers will make the process quick, simple, and easy.

  • Packers keep you and your items safe.

Do you know how many people injure themselves during the moving process? And many of these injuries arise during the packing part. So besides keeping your fragile, robust, and bulky items safe, packers will also keep your safety in check. So if you don’t want to worry about injuring yourself or another family member, you know what to do.

The drawbacks of professional packing

  • Hiring professional packers is pricey.

The most obvious drawback of professional packing services is the price. A professional packing team can cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars – depending on the volume of items that need to be packed. So for most people, whether or not they opt for packing services really depends on whether or not they can afford them. As simple as that.

  • It can be impersonal.

After all, can you think of anything more impersonal than having strangers go through all of your belongings? The truth is that hiring professional packers can strip you of all of your privacy. Not everyone will be comfortable with a packer going through their personal belongings, such as photo albums, clothing, and personal documents. In that case, you might want to consider the other viable option – packing your items on your own, step by step.

A typewriter.
Would you feel comfortable with another person handling your precious possessions?

Self-packing vs. professional packing – what should you do?

After everything is said and done, only you can decide whether to opt for self-packing vs. professional packing. What usually happens is people weigh out all the pros and cons of both of these options and decide what to do. And, more often than not, the price ends up being the deciding factor. If you have enough money to finance professional packers, and you want to save your time, it’s quite obvious what you will do. On the other hand, if you don’t mind putting in your time and effort and keeping your privacy, then you will most likely opt for self-packing. In the end, all we can do is wish you good luck, no matter which one of these you end up choosing. This is an important project that needs to be approached with care and caution.

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