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 your gaming equipment safely

Step 1 of 2

MM slash DD slash YYYY

Do you have to store your gaming equipment for a certain time period? If that’s the case, this is the guide you’d want to read in order to handle this task with ease. Many don’t realize that you can’t just place all of your gaming equipment in a box and store it away. There are some things you will need to keep in mind when storing your gaming equipment, no matter for how long you plan to keep it inside the storage unit. In this guide, we are going to mention all of them. So, if you want to learn more about this matter, make sure to keep reading.

Choose the best storage unit

Gaming equipment
Whether joypads, Wii controllers, or a mouse and keyboard, all electronics require similar storage conditions

A good storage unit is the first thing you should find when planning to store any item. It is especially important when you’re planning to store your electronics. Here are the most important things you should keep in mind.

  • Storage size – you’ll need a unit large enough to take all of your things and have some moving room left over.
  • Avoid natural light – Light is bad for storing your gaming equipment. Prolonged exposure to light can damage the plastic components of your joypads or gaming consoles. Not to mention that light will unnecessarily heat the storage unit. Gaming equipment likes it cold.
  • A dry unit is the best unit – for storing gaming gadgets and electronics you’ll need a completely dry unit. Even a little moisture can cause a world of problems for your electronics. This is especially true if you plan to keep them in storage for a long time.

These are the most important things you should think about when storing your gaming gear. Apart from these, you’ll need to consider whether you need short-term or long-term storage. In case you’re not planning to store your gear for a long time, you can get away with a brighter storage unit. But, if you plan to keep your gaming equipment locked up for a while, make sure the unit is pristine.

Pack your gaming equipment carefully before storing it

Apart from getting the best possible storage unit, you’ll want to pack your gaming gear as well as you can. The storage unit will protect your equipment from outside influences. But, you’ll need something to protect your gear while it’s inside the storage unit. Don’t underestimate the amount of protection you’ll need for your gaming gear. This is one of the top mistakes people make when using portable storage.

Choose the right boxes

The first thing you’ll need to do when storing your gaming equipment is to get good boxes. You’ll need to have enough of them for all of your gaming gear. Also, they’ll need to be durable and easy to carry. So, don’t use containers that are heavy by themselves.

Additionally, you’ll need to prepare the boxes for your fragile gaming gear. Here’s how you can do that:

  • Pad the boxes with whatever soft material you’ve got;
  • Reinforce the boxes with packing tape;
  • Mark them with “FRAGILE” on all sides;
  • Don’t stack the boxes on top of each other;

Double packing

Black PS4
Keep controllers with their respectful devices when storing gaming equipment

Protection is the name of the game when you’re storing your gaming equipment. You’ll definitely want to use it again when you take it out of storage. So, make sure it’s well insulated and protected when it goes into the storage unit. One of the easiest ways to protect your gear when using Seattle mini storage is double packing. This means that you pack your items before putting them in cardboard boxes.

Put your gaming gear in tupperware boxes or otherwise protect it before placing them in cardboard boxes, and finally in the storage unit. It would be ideal if you have the original packaging, but let’s be real – no one keeps the boxes for more than a month tops.

Remember to pad the plastic boxes with towels, cloth rags, or paper for extra protection. You can also use newspapers, but we don’t recommend it. They are printed with ink that can transfer to other surfaces in specific conditions. And you definitely don’t want these imprints on your joypads, headphones, or any other piece of your gear.

The burrito method

If you don’t have enough plastic boxes for double packing, it’s alright! There are other ways you can protect your gaming gear when storing it.
One of the most famous ones is called the burrito method. This manner is usually for packing overnight bags, but it can be really useful when it comes to protecting electronics. For it to work, you’ll need some cloth rags, socks, or towels.

Simply wrap each gaming component carefully before placing it in the cardboard box. This will protect your gear and pick up excess moisture as well.

Secure all the movable parts when storing your gaming equipment

Breaking your gear is the last thing you’ll want to happen. So, you’ll need to be extra careful when packing it for Issaquah self storage. Make sure you tape up all of the moving parts of your gaming equipment. Some gaming computers or consoles have gimmicky glass doors or they are modded to have movable parts. These are the things you should focus on protecting when storing your gaming equipment.

Be careful how you pack cables

Keep your cables organized when storing your gaming equipment
No matter how much you pay attention to cables, they somehow still get lost, damaged, or forgotten

Cable packing is another challenge you’ll need to overcome to safely pack your gaming gear into a storage unit. Here’s how you can be sure you won’t lose them and that you will hook them up correctly later on.

  • Color-code them. Colors are easy to remember and tell apart, but you can use any system to separate the cables and know which one goes where.
  • Take pictures before packing. Super important if you can’t remember which cable goes in which appliance. Actually, this is a good idea to do even if you can remember what goes where. Just in case.
  • Use a number system to match cables and devices. Assign each device with a number and mark all cables from that device with that specific number.
  • Always use original chargers for devices. Using non-original cables can damage your electronic devices. So, try to keep the original cables for each item in your gaming gear.

Use dehumidifiers when storing your gaming equipment

Whether you’re looking for temporary storage Seattle or a permanent storage facility for storing your gaming equipment dehumidifiers are your best friends. You should get a lot of different kinds of dehumidifiers before storing any electronics.

No matter how good your storage unit is, there will still be some moisture in it. There’s no stopping water, and it can get in the unit in a hundred different ways. From long periods of bad weather, leaking, and even your shoes or perspiration when you bring in the boxes. This is why it’s very important to have dehumidifiers in the storage unit as well. You don’t have to go overboard with them, but they’re still useful to have.

Latest Posts

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