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.

Step-by-step guide to clearing out your self storage container

Step 1 of 2

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Have you finally reached the point where you are ready to get rid of some of the items you have lying around your storage unit? It doesn’t matter whether you don’t feel like storing your items any longer or are just looking to make space for more items. Clearing out your self storage container is a process that you will have to tackle at some point or another. We know that people oftentimes need to visit their self storage units Lynnwood WA and take out some items while adding others. PortaBox Storage wants to make this process easy, quick, and stress-free. That is why we offer a complete guide to clearing out your storage container.

#1: Create an inventory before clearing out your self storage container

It’s a rule of thumb to create an inventory when moving or storing any of your possessions. So, if you followed all the rules when storing items in secure storage units North Seattle, then you are free to skip this step. However, if you skipped this step the first time around or have inherited the unit, then the first thing you do should be creating a detailed inventory.

An empty notepad.
Take a piece of paper and make a detailed inventory.

We know that this might be easier said than done – especially if you are dealing with a crowded unit. So take your time and jot down what you see first and foremost. Write down what the eye sees, and count the boxes that you will have to go through. You can rummage through the boxes when you find enough free time. Of course, you can ask some of your friends for help. It will definitely be a lot faster to clear out your self storage container when you have someone to lend a helping hand.

Step 2. – Sort out your belongings

Now that you have a detailed inventory right in front of you, it shouldn’t be too difficult to decide what goes and what stays. But that doesn’t make it easy to declutter some of the most spacious storage pods Seattle has to offer. The four-box declutter method has been recognized as one of the fastest and easiest ways to sort through your belongings and empty out your unit in the optimal time.

  • The keep box – this is a box that you ought to fill with those items you plan to take home with you.
  • The store box – fill up this box with the belongings that you intend to keep in your unit.
  • The sell or donate box – the name is self-explanatory. This is where you should keep the items that you want to sell or donate.
  • The toss box – in case any of your items are beyond repair, you should place them in the toss box.
Three cardboard boxes to use for clearing out your self storage container.
You can use boxes of all sizes in order to declutter your storage container.

One of the worst things you can do is underestimating the time it will take you to clear out your residential or business storage solution in Seattle. You might be renting a small unit with a couple of boxes which leads you to believe that you can get the job done in a matter of hours. It’s best to set aside an entire weekend for clearing out your self storage container than suddenly running out of time. Of course, how much time it will take in order to clear out the unit depends on many variables, including the available space and the number of items.

Step 3. – Make sure you don’t lack the space for the items you are removing

What good would you do to anyone if you take an item out of the unit only to realize that you don’t have enough space for it in your home? So your third step should be to think things through. If you have decided to take an armchair out of the unit, make sure it has its dedicated space in your life and home. Of course, you should also ensure that you don’t overburden your living space with everything you are taking out of the unit. You should be aiming to declutter your living space and not the other way around.

Step 4. – Remove the contents of your container

When it comes to the actual removal of your items out of the unit, there are a few ways in which you can approach the process. Which solution you opt for will mostly depend on what you plan to do after clearing out your self storage container.

  • If you plan to sell your items…

You might not need to remove all of the items out of the unit just yet. Instead, you could use popular online websites, such as Etsy or eBay where you can list individual items for sale. You could also check whether your storage provider organizes occasional flea markets. You’ll find that many companies do that for the purpose of clearing surplus items out of storage containers.

  • If you plan to donate your items…

Everything depends on the items you plan to donate. If we are talking about a few clothing items, then you can probably just drive by the charity and drop them off. However, if you plan on donating larger furniture pieces, then it would be best to contact your local charity in order to schedule the drop-off.

  • If you plan to throw away your items…

Obviously, you will need to get them out of the storage unit and take them to the nearest dumpster. In case you don’t have anyone who can help you lift your items, you can always opt for junk removal services. Having someone handle a difficult job instead of you is priceless.

A woman writing in her notebook.
Remind yourself to schedule the drop-off date at your local charity or to phone near-by junk removal service providers.

The bottom line

Clearing out your self storage container isn’t something that should take up weeks of your life. But it’s also not something to be accomplished in an hour. So make sure you plan in advance, pick up sufficient packing supplies in Seattle, and get down to work. Reogranize your storage container and make the best use of the space you have at your disposal.

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