Storage Auctions

Tools of the Trade

Tools of the Trade
« on: October 03, 2013, 11:10:00 PM »
Just curious as to what "tools" everyone bring to an auction & for cleanout afterwards.  I usually carry the following:

- Surefire flashlight w/extra batteries
- 6 locks
- Swiss army knife
- Jeweler's loupe & precious metals testing kit
- Contractors trash bags
- Tool box
- Gloves
- Wet wipes
- Tape, blankets, rope

Please share if you take something I haven't mentioned!

Re: Tools of the Trade
« Reply #1 on: October 04, 2013, 05:54:44 AM »
That's a great list
I would add a good hand truck.

Re: Tools of the Trade
« Reply #2 on: October 04, 2013, 07:29:05 AM »
Wow, that's a lot of stuff. I bring 2 locks to the auction and gloves for clean out. Half the time I forget to put them on.. No flashlight.. Enough people have lights there, I just look where they're shining..

Offline Travis

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Re: Tools of the Trade
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2013, 11:32:55 AM »
At the auction:

Rechargeable flood light
Several locks
Navigation

At clean out:

Trash bags
Broom and dustpan (although there always seems to be one in the unit)
Dolly
2 laborers
U-Haul Truck
Box cutter
Plenty of drinks
Tie down straps
Moving Blankets
 

Re: Tools of the Trade
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2013, 02:10:25 PM »
Truck
Flashlight
Locks
Folding Chair (For my mom who has a bad hip) funny how many people offer to rent it.

Trash Bags
Packing Blankets
Tie Down Straps
Broom
Tape (to close any boxes that may be open)
Furniture Mover

Offline alloro

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Re: Tools of the Trade
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2013, 05:32:31 PM »
Cheap labor from Home Depot parking lots.

Offline Travis

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Re: Tools of the Trade
« Reply #6 on: October 05, 2013, 09:15:21 PM »
Cheap labor from Home Depot parking lots.

How much do you charge per hour?   ;D

Offline alloro

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Re: Tools of the Trade
« Reply #7 on: October 05, 2013, 09:47:27 PM »
How much do you charge per hour?

If they're a tool to me, why would I be charging anything?

Offline Travis

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Re: Tools of the Trade
« Reply #8 on: October 05, 2013, 10:39:46 PM »
If they're a tool to me, why would I be charging anything?

Sorry, I meant how much do they charge per hour?   ;D

Offline alloro

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Re: Tools of the Trade
« Reply #9 on: October 06, 2013, 01:00:11 PM »
I offer $10/hr. cash each and they've always taken it.

Re: Tools of the Trade
« Reply #10 on: January 07, 2014, 12:24:18 PM »
Just thinking about how important my smart phone is to buying and especially selling.  I use quick scan and the ebay mobile app to scan bar-codes that give me immediate access to prices.
Not to mention these days I take a couple of pics and post on Facebook exchanges as I process them on site.  I have even sold some before I even get back to my storage or store.

Re: Tools of the Trade
« Reply #11 on: January 08, 2014, 04:58:44 PM »
1 each Flash light
1 each Truck
1 each Trailer
2 each Locks
2 each arms and legs

1 each wife to tell me what she wants out of the unit.

I try to keep the cost down, more profit for me...

Re: Tools of the Trade
« Reply #12 on: January 08, 2014, 11:17:30 PM »
I started keeping king sized pillow cases. No need to spend money on trash bags for things you want to go through later. Reuse them on the next one.

Offline MovieMan

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Re: Tools of the Trade
« Reply #13 on: January 08, 2014, 11:32:13 PM »
My best tool has become a list of estate, yard and flea market sales !

Living within 20 miles of 6 or 7 flea markets helps with that. Picking is the new auction locker scene for me, but I still
go to maybe 6 to 10 auctions a month that are close by. I haven't bought a locker since last May I think it was (2013).

At some piece by piece auctions a good flashlight (for the times they let us walk into lockers) is the most valuable asset along with a mobile device to look up completed sales prices of similar items on eBay.




Offline dbr831

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Re: Tools of the Trade
« Reply #14 on: January 09, 2014, 10:28:31 AM »
To the auction:  Cash, flashlights, cell phone and locks

For cleanout: Truck and trailer, garbage bags, gloves, purel hand sanitizer, hand truck (maybe pallets, plastic wrap and pallet jack if it's a really big unit), knife, tape, spider strap, other assorted straps, packing blankets, empty boxes or bins if unit requires it. 


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