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 office furniture

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Whether you are moving your headquarter or simply looking to maximize the space in your office, storing office furniture can be a great idea for your business. But when it’s not done properly, it can also be a disaster. So if you want to make sure your furniture comes out of Seattle self storage in good condition, you need to know how to store it properly. These tips about preparing, packing, and organizing your office furniture before and during storage will help you do just that.

Why might you consider storing office furniture?

Office space before storing office furniture.
If you need to update the look of your workspace, storing office furniture can help make the remodeling and renovation process easier.

There are several reasons why you might need Bellevue self storage as a business owner. Probably the most common one is moving your office to a new location. In order to minimize downtime, most businesses go through this process in stages, moving one section of the business at a time while the others continue operating as usual. This is easier when you have storage available and can put away furniture until you’re ready to move it. Other reasons include renovating office space, restructuring or downsizing the business, temporarily moving to working from home, or just wanting to free up some space.

The challenges of storing office furniture

Much like commercial relocation, using business storage Seattle comes with a unique set of challenges. Some of the things you may be worried about include:

  • the value of the furniture: office furniture is typically high-quality and can, therefore, be quite expensive
  • the number of pieces being stored: depending on the size of your business, you may need to store large amounts of things
  • potential damage: if you want to use your furniture again, you’ll need to make sure it’s still in good condition after storage

A guide to storing office furniture

Modern office with white furniture.
If you know what you’re doing, you can safely store even the most expensive office furniture.

Despite some challenges, hundreds of businesses successfully store their furniture without issues every year. You can be one of them. All you need to do is follow these tips:

Choose the right type of storage

The type of storage you choose will greatly affect your experience with storing furniture. So it’s important to make the right choice. First, you’ll need to find a reliable storage provider. Then, you’ll need to calculate how much space you need – it may be necessary to rent several containers or units if you have a lot of furniture. For valuable wooden furniture, you may consider temperature-controlled storage. However, in most cases, this isn’t necessary and will just be an additional expense. If you’re only using short term storage Seattle, your furniture should be safe even without temperature control as long as it’s well packed and protected.

Disassemble what you can

Furniture is tricky to pack, move, and store because it comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes. This doesn’t lend itself well to the game of Tetris you must play during transportation and storage. One good solution is to disassemble your furniture so it’s easier to pack, carry, and organize. You can usually break down most desks, chairs, and shelves pretty easily. These smaller parts are then much easier to handle. However, be careful not to lose pieces. Carefully pack all screws and connectors into resealable bags and then transport them along with the other parts of the same furniture piece. If you have any instructions for disassembly and reassembly, keep those handy as well.

Thoroughly clean and dry everything before packing it

Close up of a leather chair.
Different materials require different care.

Before storing furniture for any amount of time, you should clean it properly. This will help prevent stains and scratches. Different materials require different types of cleaning:

  • wood: wipe down wood furniture with a soft cloth; use water or a cleaner specially designed for the type of wood finish in question; use wood polish for extra protection
  • upholstery: start by removing cushions and vacuuming the frame; use a steam cleaner on the cushions and fabric or wipe them down with a mixture of water and detergent; do not use bleach
  • leather: use a mixture of dish soap and water or vinegar and water to wipe down the leather with a soft cloth; apply a leather conditioner to protect the fabric

Always allow your furniture to dry properly before packing it. If you trap moisture in with the furniture, you could cause serious damage.

Wrap and cover everything using quality materials

Even the best storage units will have some dust and debris gathering over time. These can cause staining and scratches on furniture. Furthermore, potential exposure to direct sunlight can fade fabrics. To avoid all that you’ll want to cover all your furniture while it is in storage.

If possible, you should avoid plastic wrap for this as it can trap moisture and cause mold. For short-term storage, plastic wrap can be a quick and cheap solution though. Your best option, however, would be blankets, sheets, and padded covers. Wrap them around your furniture pieces (or parts) and secure them with string. If you’re moving tables and cabinets with class, tape an X over the glass surface and wrap it in bubble wrap.

Properly organize your storage space

Preparing your furniture properly will go a long way in protecting it from damage. But it’s only half of the puzzle. You still need to actually put your furniture in storage. How you organize this part is also important. First, the only stack on top of durable pieces – don’t put anything on top of soft cushions or glass. Secondly, think about unpacking – put the pieces you’ll need first toward the exit so they’re easier to get to. Finally, if you end up storing your furniture for an extended period of time, remember to visit the storage every month or so just to ensure everything is in order.

Are you storing more than just office furniture?

If you’re storing office furniture, odds are you also need to store other things like IT equipment and documents. Both of these require special care when packing. Make sure to include them in your plans – calculate how much space they all take up so you rent enough storage containers and get high-quality packing supplies so you can protect sensitive equipment.

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