This is a method for obtaining second-hand items such as clothing, furniture, electronics, and more quite inexpensively. You can use these items yourself, resell them on ebay or in a second-hand store, or simply donate anything you can’t use.
People rent personal storage units all the time. When they fail to pay for their unit for an extended period of time, the unit is advertised in the local paper that it will be auctioned off on a certain date. Generally, these auctions are poorly attended, and the units are not well-valued because the storage company is just trying to recoup some of their costs and get rid of the stuff in the unit. They usually give you a look at the unit before you bid, but you can’t open boxes or actually go into the unit in most cases. Storage units can contain clothing, media of all types (records, books, cds, dvds, etc), electronics (computers, stereo systems, tvs), furniture and anything else someone might want to store.
You would think that if the stuff is valuable at all the unit wouldn’t go up for auction, but it can happen for any variety of reasons. I purchased 2 units locally for a grand total of $15 ($10 for one, $5 for the other). Out of this I got the following:
- A water cooler jar with over $120 in cash and coin.
- Furniture - One sofa, 2 chairs, good condition.
- Clothing - good condition.
Books, tapes, a baseball card collection, other collectible figures and items, a drum, kitchenware, a playstation with games, and more stuff I can’t even remember now! All this for $15!
To find out what’s being auctioned near you, look in your local paper, and call around to the local storage places. Some of them hold auctions only once or twice a year, others do it every month or so as units go delinquent. It can be a great way to make money on the side or just find new stuff for your new apartment or home.
Benjamin J. Miller
