Storage Auctions

Here is a dumb question......

Here is a dumb question......
« on: October 07, 2011, 01:02:03 AM »
What do I do with all the CRAP? I bought my first 2 units a few days ago and unfortunately the hundreds of boxes I was so excited to go through....were crap. I know this is probably the most common problem in this business, but thought I would ask if anyone had any suggestions.

I first donated what I could, but they were picky about what they would take. Then I put aside everything that I can recycle (including anything metal and appliances I can scrap out). Then I took just one load to the dump and it cost me $60 and they were also picky about what they would take. I have several more loads of trash and don't know where to go with it. If the dump won't take it, who will???

Re: Here is a dumb question......
« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2011, 05:50:26 AM »
Try taking to the local landfill. Also bag up some trash and put it in your weekly trash pick up. Thats how I got rid of all my trash. Took a couple weeks but its gone. Dont know if where you live allows this but here in the country we burn trash. The metal cans and such is target practice but rest is warmth.

Offline MovieMan

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Re: Here is a dumb question......
« Reply #2 on: October 07, 2011, 07:32:30 AM »
Then I took just one load to the dump and it cost me $60 and they were also picky about what they would take. I have several more loads of trash and don't know where to go with it. If the dump won't take it, who will???

Now you know why regulars get upset with "newbies" .... the reality is setting in.

My question to you is.... what won't the dump take? You said they were "picky".  Was it tires, paint, electronics ?
In many states (particularly high population states or areas) they HAVE to be "picky".  We only have one earth to live on and we can't just throw everything in a big hole and expect life to go on as usual.

Typically when a "picky" dump or landfill facilty won't take some item they will TELL you where you can take the rejects.
My city has a special "hazardous waste" facility (located miles from the dumps) that takes paint, electronics, etc.

Depending on your state or city there might be places that specialize in TVs, computers, etc.

It takes effort....an effort the TV shows don't show when the clowns are taking their antique music boxes, guns, coins, decor items to the appraisers !  

Welcome to our world !  ???

Offline Cobia

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Re: Here is a dumb question......
« Reply #3 on: October 07, 2011, 01:12:50 PM »
Bingo Movieman!

Here is the process: Sell it (for profit), Use it (payed less then retail), gift it (payed less then retail), trade it, pawn it, recycle it (for cash if possible), donate it (tax credit), give it (free), dump it, burn it...

Did I miss something here?

Offline Cobia

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Re: Here is a dumb question......
« Reply #4 on: October 07, 2011, 01:38:20 PM »
What do I do with all the CRAP? I bought my first 2 units a few days ago and unfortunately the hundreds of boxes I was so excited to go through....were crap. I know this is probably the most common problem in this business, but thought I would ask if anyone had any suggestions.

I first donated what I could, but they were picky about what they would take. Then I put aside everything that I can recycle (including anything metal and appliances I can scrap out). Then I took just one load to the dump and it cost me $60 and they were also picky about what they would take. I have several more loads of trash and don't know where to go with it. If the dump won't take it, who will???

In response to your current post I have decided to reviewed all your previous posts. So far you have posted like five times and three of the times you describe your merchandise as "crap" and want to send it to the dump. So you have purchased 2 or 3 units and have not found a pot of gold? go figure. Although I have not seen your inventory and purhaps it is all "crap", but then what in the "crap" were you bidding on? I can only hope you just happened to get three REALLY BAD units starting out and you did'nt spend $60 dumping items many of us probably could have squeezed $100 out of through different venues.

Some people think this business is gold mining, but a lot of times it's the American version of scouring landfills for stuff other people have thrown away that we can sell to make a living.

Re: Here is a dumb question......
« Reply #5 on: October 07, 2011, 02:32:19 PM »
Wow, I'm not trying to step on any toes here. I realize that buying lockers is NOTHING like the tv shows and knew that going into it... I am NOT afraid of a little (or alot) of hard work. I am knew at this and also have a full-time job, so I am not planning on taking over the industry. Apparently the "regulars" at the auctions also thought I was there to infringe on their territory. I'm not quite certain how one group of people have the claim to ALL storage auctions. I went to my first auction this week and the regulars were flat out MEAN to myself and another couple that was new at it as well. I have never been treated so badly by strangers. If I were to open a coffee shop in my city, I couldn't expect that no one else would ever open a coffee shop as a competitor. The nature of capitalism is competitive.

So when I have posted in the past about the "crap" I have come across, I am not indicating that I think everything is crap just because I didn't find an expensive antique or gun like the show portray. I squeeze every dollar out of the merchandise that I can. That is how I started getting into this. I went to an estate sale and took everything that no one wanted. I spent a lot of time researching what every item was worth, posted the items on craigslist and ebay, and ended up making $1,500 on what other people were going to throw away. I am now taking part of that money to buy lockers to do the same thing. From the 2 lockers I just bought, I am selling EVERYTHING of value. I found 3 used pairs of Air Jordans (2 of which I have already sold), some decent kids toys, and a kids bed. I donated everything that I could, but no one will take beds, headboards, or sofas (including the dump). I am not even trying to dump electronics. I take those all apart and scrap all of the metal and circuit boards. So trust me, I am not dumping items that "many of you would squeeze $100 out of". unless you can get money for old stained mattresses and chewed up coaches.


P.S. I happen to live in the "greenest" city in the US. It is impossible to throw anything away. Oh and we CANNOT burn!

Re: Here is a dumb question......
« Reply #6 on: October 07, 2011, 02:34:28 PM »
One more thing...............I have started doing a flea market on Sundays to "squeeze" even more money out of my stuff.

Offline MovieMan

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Re: Here is a dumb question......
« Reply #7 on: October 07, 2011, 04:18:40 PM »
What I don't get (and I don't believe you have addressed here) is where things like headboards, mattresses (whatever else you mentioned) DO GO TO if your landfills won't take them.

Have you ASKED the landfill or other city/county officials where to take them?

You are not the only one in your area that needs to get rid of old mattresses and the like. I think you need to to a little more local research on those matters and PLEASE, let us know the answer you receive.


Re: Here is a dumb question......
« Reply #8 on: October 08, 2011, 10:30:35 PM »
my trash pickup will pick up any household items, like old matresses, couches, refrigerators, etc.  One heavy pickup per month but they definitely take them, they don't take construction material or electronics or toxic things obviously.  But peed on matresses no problem!

Re: Here is a dumb question......
« Reply #9 on: October 09, 2011, 02:36:58 AM »
Okay.....I looked into it further. First every "dump" I called (there are not many) told me that I had to "recycle" my old mattresses. Of course none of the donation stations will take them, especially with the recent bed  bug problem. So finally someone told me of ECR- Evironmentally Conscious Recycling. They WILL take old mattresses.........if you pay them $30 for a single, $35 for a double and so on. Holy cow.....I'm about to take them apart myself, scrap the metal and stuff the fluff in my garbage can every week.

Offline otbg

Re: Here is a dumb question......
« Reply #10 on: October 09, 2011, 08:21:24 AM »
That is ridiculous! So, am I to infer from your "...and so on" that a King Mattress would be around $50.00? That pricing here would make this business pretty much not worth the hassle. As I have mentioned in a previous post... it seems like there are mattresses in 1of every 4 units here. I myself have bought units that had 4-6 mattresses in them. There is no way I would want to have to have paid $200+ to unload them. My total cost to dump them = $6.00
Either somebody is pulling your leg or you are just in the wrong city to be trying this business.

Offline Millertime

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Re: Here is a dumb question......
« Reply #11 on: October 09, 2011, 08:32:48 AM »
You gotta love the "green" movement. With the cost of business where you are the margin for error is pretty slim. It's almost a suprise to not see a mattress in a unit around here, I hate them but can dump them for free anytime I want to. Good luck to you.

Offline jrossjr79

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Re: Here is a dumb question......
« Reply #12 on: October 09, 2011, 11:06:24 AM »
ok, what I am reading so far, sickens me. I am not trying to offend you, or any of the other noobies. You all need to start planning on what you are going to do with the stuff you bid on. And think hard before you even bid on something.

My process is this. The really good stuff I unload on ebay, collectors, or the various dealers I have contacts with. Average everyday stuff goes to flea markets, Craigslist, yard sales and the like. Paint I have a recycler contact for that. mattresses and box springs I have a contact that will take them for free. Reason being is that he strips down all that fabric and wood and he recycles the metal coils and springs that are in them. I could do that to make a little extra change, but to me it is not really worth it, since in my area it only brings $11 for every 100lbs. I have a contact that will buy all my NON working appliances for $25 a piece, I could sell him my WORKING appliance to him too, but for the same price, when I can sell them myself for no less than $50.

Alot of the stuff that gets piled up that I have a hard time selling I donate to various charities and thrift stores. Since all of that goes into my tax deductions. Tires and other toxic materials like oil get taken care of the proper way. I used to know someone that recycled tires and gave you like $5 for 8 tires. But I have been unable to find that person since I started doing auctions. Batteries, there are several ways to get paid for used car batteries. Cooking oil, believe it or not, I have a contact that buys used cooking oil. What they do with it, I do not know. I should find out for myself though.

The biggest thing I have that I can not find a viable way of getting rid of, is Particle board. I refuse to sell it, since for the most part people do not buy used particle board furniture, I do not have a contact that recycles it. If I lived out in the country or close to a beach I would use it for bonfires. DO NOT USE IT FOR COOKING THOUGH, dangerous!

As far as trash, I have a contact who will come pick it all up for me and deposit it in his dumpster for $50 a load. Sure as hell beats taking it to the dump for $85 a load plus the expense of gas.

Re: Here is a dumb question......
« Reply #13 on: October 09, 2011, 03:30:49 PM »
ok, what I am reading so far, sickens me. I am not trying to offend you, or any of the other noobies. You all need to start planning on what you are going to do with the stuff you bid on. And think hard before you even bid on something.


Really it sickens you?? If you read my posts.....I am doing the exact same thing with my inventory as you are. I just happen to live in the greenest city in the US and they don't believe in waste.

P.S. the guy buying cooking oil probably buys it for a bio-diesel ran car.......also popular in my city.

Offline money4nothing

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Re: Here is a dumb question......
« Reply #14 on: October 09, 2011, 06:51:01 PM »
Man jrossjr79 you got it going on with your get rid of pile here is an idea for the tires.

http://wuvie.net/tireplanter.htm

My Grandmother had a few in her yard from a distance they looked like cast iron... :)


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