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.

Tips for storing dishes and kitchenware

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There are many situations in our lives in which we can find ourselves in need of some extra space in our homes. In these situations, there are only two options – we can either get rid of the items (even though we are still using them) or we can rent a storage unit and simply store the stuff we don’t currently need. Well, we can all agree that the second option sounds way better than the first one. But, before you declutter your home and get a storage unit, you need to know that every item needs to be prepared for storage differently. And, in this guide, we have decided to talk a bit more about storing dishes and kitchenware.

So, what’s there to know? You simply pack everything in a box and take it to your storage unit, right? Well, it is not that simple. There are a couple of unwritten rules you will have to follow before renting self storage in West Seattle. Keep reading and you will learn how to store the right way.

The many advantages of storing household items

Before we proceed to some storing tips, let’s talk a bit more about storage units and why they suddenly became so popular. Renting storage units isn’t a new trend. People have been renting  Ballard self storage for decades! And, since there are so many benefits of storing, people are still doing it, now more than ever. Because of this, we simply have to mention some advantages of storing items away from your home. Trust us, as soon as you read them, you will ask yourself whether you too should get one storage for yourself.

  • Guaranteed safety
  • Increased living and working space
  • Getting rid of clutter
  • Convenience and flexibility

If you find a reliable storage company, you won’t have to worry about a single thing. You will get rid of the clutter in your home and/or office and you will place your items in a safe place. It’s a win-win situation!

White and brown kitchen
Store your items to get a clutter-free living space

How to store dishes and kitchenware properly?

Now that we have explained to you why storage units are so popular, let’s proceed to the main reason why you came here in the first place. In the following text, we are going to guide you through storing dishes and kitchenware. Beware, these are only some of the things you need to know before renting a self storage. As we have already told you, every item is specific and you will need to learn how to prepare properly every item you want to store.

So, what are the steps to storing your kitchen items? How to do it the right way?

Declutter before deciding what to store

Whether you are in search of a storage unit because you are merging two homes into one or you are in the middle of a renovation project, you will need to deal with the first and probably most boring step – decluttering. There is no point in storing a damaged item or an item you don’t need anymore. Instead of keeping these items in your homes, offices, and storage units, you should get rid of them. Keep in mind that this doesn’t mean you should just throw away your unwanted items. In fact, this should be your last option! If you want to get rid of an item that can still be used, consider giving it to someone in need or try to sell it. 

Kitchenware and dishes
Keep only essentials in your home

Create an inventory list and come up with a plan

Once you get rid of the items you don’t need, you will be ready for the second step – making a plan. You should find the time to create an inventory list. Write down every item you want to store. You can even create an inventory list in Excel and print it if that’s simpler for you. By writing things down, it will be easier for you to calculate how many boxes and other packing materials you need to get. Also, in this step, you should start your search for a storage unit that meets all of your requirements for storing dishes and kitchenware.

Gather boxes and other packing supplies for storing kitchenware and dishes

Keep in mind that you will need more than a couple of cardboard boxes and plastic bins for packing the items you want to store. You need to get packing tape, wrapping and cushioning materials. Kitchenware and dishes are very delicate and can easily get damaged if you are not being careful. This is why when packing glass items for storage, you need to have a lot of wrapping materials. You can even use some alternatives to traditional packing materials, such as towels, old t-shirts, blankets.

Follow the most important packing rules

If you want to save time while packing, you will want to learn some simple and useful packing and storage tips. Here are a couple of them!

  • Items you want to store need to be clean and dry;
  • Breakables should be wrapped separately, before placing them in the box;
  • Avoid using newspaper as wrapping material since the ink could transfer to the surface of your belongings and ruin them;
  • Label those boxes that contain fragile items;
  • When stacking boxes with your items, make sure to stack lighter ones on top of heavier ones. 
  • Secure your boxes with a parking tape – seal all openings and check whether all of your boxes are sealed.
Couple packing and storing kitchenware and dishes
Provide breakables with extra protection by wrapping them in extra layers

Of course, there are many other packing tips regarding storing kitchenware, dishes, and other household belongings. However, these are the most important ones. If you want to learn more about storing, make sure to go through our blog. Right there, you will find all the information you need. And, if you have any questions, feel free to contact us at any time and we will answer all of them.

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