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.

What are the risks of moving by yourself?

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If you are about to relocate, you may be tempted to conduct a DIY move. However, performing a self-move isn’t as easy as it may seem at first. Moving is one of the most challenging events one can experience in life, and it brings a lot of stress, especially if moving on your own. There are a lot of risks you can face while trying to complete the relocation tasks. That’s why you should think twice before deciding to perform a self-move. Wonder what the risks of moving by yourself are? PortaBox Storage prepared the list of risks you may encounter when moving without professional help. Stay with us and find out more.

A family moving
DIY moves are pretty risky

Everything you should know about a DIY move

Performing a DIY move requires detailed planning since you never know what unpredictable situations you may face. This means you have to start preparing for the move a lot in advance. Here’s what you should pay attention to. First, you should gather all the necessary documents for the move. Don’t forget that obtaining those documents requires some time, especially if you don’t know which ones you need. Next, you should plan the packing. Usually, a DIY packing lasts at least three weeks before the moving day. Yes, it may sound like a long time, but with everything else you have to do, it would be impossible to manage everything in a short period of time. Once you’ve determined the date of your DIY move, you should set deadlines for your tasks day by day, week by week. While planning your moving timeline, consider the following things:

  • Consider the type of transportation: You can use a personal vehicle or rent a truck or trailer. In some cases, you may need a moving container.
  • Think about what kind of packing supplies you need: Plan what kind of packing equipment to buy and consider using the things you have at home, such as original boxes, suitcases, and other containers.
  • Check whether you need a moving permit
  • Think about what to do with your car: If it’s possible, drive it yourself, or if not, find a shipping company.
  • Think about whether you need storage: Find portable storage for rent near me to store your belongings.

There are more things to think of when moving by yourself. No matter how well you plan the move, you cannot avoid risks. That’s why you should hire professionals to help you with the relocation. If you still want to move by yourself, try to avoid the risks.

Common risks of moving by yourself

Moving by yourself seems to be the best way to be in control of the process. However, it is not as easy as it seems. There are a lot of risks that come with planning, packing, and moving without professional help. So, before you make this brave decision to move by yourself, make sure you’re very well acquainted with the potential risks and think twice about whether a DIY move is worth the risk. Here are the most common relocation risks you may face if you decide to relocate without professional assistance:

  1. Higher costs
  2. Damaged items
  3. Damaged property
  4. Not enough time
  5. Getting injured
  6. Wrong or excessive equipment

When moving by yourself you risk damaging your items and property

The first and the most common risk you may face is definitely the risk of damaging your items and property. This can happen anytime – when preparing your items for packing, while packing, when carrying the boxes from one floor to another, when loading the boxes into a moving truck, but also when unloading the truck. Most damages happen due to improper packing and wrong packing supplies. When things aren’t properly packed and loaded, they are likely to break during transportation. Besides, most relocations require some place for storing your items. DIY storage is definitely not a good idea since your belongings are prone to damage and theft. So, to avoid this risk you should consider finding adequate storage such as Bainbridge Island self storage and keep your items safe and secure.

Damaged box
Damaging your items is one of the biggest risks of moving by yourself

DIY moves may cost you more than expected

The biggest risk of  DIY moves is the one concerning the costs. Although it may seem that you will save money by moving by yourself, many hidden costs are waiting just around the corner. When moving by yourself, you actually have more expenses to cover than if you hired a professional moving company. You’ll have to pay for packing materials, such as different-sized boxes, bubble wraps, bubble foams, tapes, etc. And what’s more, you may buy the wrong ones or more than you actually need. However, these are not the only expenses you may have. Self-move requires separate expenses, such as renting a moving truck, hiring laborers to load/unload your boxes, and purchasing or renting packing equipment.

Besides, you may need storage to keep your items safe. If you don’t hire a professional storage company, you risk paying more for storage services. So, choose smartly and use Seattle mini storage. These and many other additional costs may surprise you when moving by yourself. So, think carefully and plan your budget thoroughly.

You may get injured when moving by yourself

If you don’t have professional help, you’re risking injuring yourself as you lift and carry your furniture and boxes. Also, if you are not physically well-prepared, you’ll get injured more easily. Without proper lifting techniques, you are more likely to get injured. You may sprain your back, damage your shoulders and knees, or you could drop a heavy box or piece of furniture and injure your feet or hands seriously. So, prevent moving injuries and hire professionals to handle your moving tasks.

Neck pain is one of the main risks of moving by yourself
You may get injured when moving by yourself

Avoid the risks of moving by yourself and hire professionals

Although a DIY move has some advantages, you should avoid it. The best way to avoid all the risks of moving by yourself is to have professional help. With moving professionals by your side, your relocation will be organized better, your items will be packed safely, and you’ll avoid or at least lessen the risks of damaging your items. Besides packing, loading, and transporting your items, you should pay special attention to where you keep them before and after the move. Luckily, finding proper storage is easy. Just contact us and use premium self-storage for all your needs.

 

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