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.

The risks of DIY storage alternatives

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These days, there are numerous suggestions about DIY storage solutions. However, before you decide to follow any piece of advice, think thoroughly first. It can easily happen that not everything goes as planned. In order to completely avoid this from happening, you can simply rent a storage unit. Before you take this step, we will let you know what are the risks of DIY storage alternatives. Just read the article and you will know what can happen, that is, what you can expect.

You may store something that should not be stored

One of the scenarios that occur most often is that people usually store items that are not allowed in rented storage units. For example, these can be chemistry sets, gasoline, car batteries, paints, charcoal, bleach, etc. These are quite flammable items which is the main reason why they should not be found in any kind of storage.

Chemicals
Some items you own are considered to be very dangerous which is why it is not allowed to store them

Unfortunately, it happens sometimes that one of them catches fire and all the other items in a storage unit get destroyed. So, if you are thinking about making storage space on your own, this is something to bear in mind. It can easily happen that you are not aware of the fact that a certain item is dangerous and you store it. This can be even a simple nail polish or nail polish remover. They do not seem dangerous but they can cause great damage.

Another of the risks of DIY storage alternatives is that you can forget what is inside

The second common situation to which a large number of people can relate is forgetting items inside storage. In case you have a large space at your disposal, you will keep putting things inside. Of course, you will rarely get something from your storage. In this way, you will forget that you own a great number of items.

You will stop using them and even when you need them you will think that you do not have something like that and you will end up buying it. In order to avoid this from happening, it is better to rent storage. Redmond self-storage is always at your disposal. You will get used to checking your items regularly and forgetting certain things will not be an option. Plus, the storage will always be nearby and you will get to check it whenever you want.

Something you never expect is mold

Mold is your number one enemy when storing your items is in question. It is likely to appear in the least likely places. Since you need some dark place for storing your items, it is possible that you will not see it at first. It will come into the foreground once it is in an advanced stage. At this point, you will not have many options. You will have to move everything from there and do several interventions in order for mold to disappear.

Mold
Yet another one of the risks of DIY storage alternatives is having mold in your storage space

During that time, you will have to find a suitable place for the stored items. Since it is possible that you do not have so large a room at your disposal, you will have to put several items in each room. This is quite inconvenient and it is a good reason to think about renting a storage unit. Get in touch with PortaBox Storage and you will not have a problem of this kind.

Making storage space is quite time-consuming

In case you are thinking about going through this endeavor, you should know that you are going to need quite a lot of time. Even though it seems easy on all those videos, it surely is not. This is especially the case if you have never done something similar before. When having a project of this kind, your calculations should be extremely precise.

For example, you should know the exact length and width of all the shelves. Even if you make a tiny mistake, you will have to remodel everything. So, rent Newcastle self-storage and you will have nothing to worry about. Everything will be in its place and your part will be only to put your items inside.

It is not a good idea to put sensitive items in all places

Another one of the risks of DIY storage alternatives is not taking good care of your items. Your attic or your basement may be a good place for some belongings, but not for all of them. For example, if you have to store some sensitive items, it is not advisable to put them in rooms like these. They can get deformed and will no longer be in perfect condition.

Antique furniture
Make sure you disassemble your furniture before you store the items- in this way, you will preserve its condition

What you should do instead is to rent storage and pack your belongings properly. If it happens that you are storing furniture, make sure you disassemble everything first. Wrap all of the items with packing paper or bubble pack and nothing is going to be wrong with them.

As you have had a chance to see, these are some of the risks of DIY storage alternatives. Basically, you should not waste your time on making storage space when you can rent a portable storage container. It will always be secure and easy to access so you will have a chance to get whatever you need in no time. Avoid stressing yourself and going through some unpleasant situations. A great solution is right in front of you- all you should do is simply to make a call and you will get a storage unit!

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I shopped around and could not beat the price. But, what really impressed me was the driver's concern and attention for my things - that was the icing on the cake. I'll recommend you to my friends.

Mary G

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