Noobie Packing List

I'm in the military and we always have a "packing list" prior to a mission.  You should look at your day of unit hunting as a mission as well and be prepared with all supplies necessary. Here is a list of items and mission plans.
Items:
1. Locks. As a noob you will need 1-2 "key" locks. As you get more experience, more locks.
2. Multiple copies of your drivers license. Many, not all facilities require it before registering
3. A 3 million candle watt flashlight, torch. Commonly found at home depot. Don't bring a cheap double AA battery Maglight brand. You may get a 5%+ advantage over the competition because you were able to see the ONE item to make more profit.
4. Food, water and gas.  If you schedule your auction schedule like I do, you will be maximizing your time by going from one auction to the next with no time for breaks. This is part of your pre-planning the day before. If auction "A" starts at 9:30 and had 5 units for sale with an average sales time of 5 mins per unit......and auction "B" starts at 10:30 but it takes 30 mins to get from A-B how much time do you have at "A"? Lol, this is not a math problem, I just want to get you thinking of planning. So, bring plenty of food and water, full tank of gas and full pack of cigarettes.  You may be like me going from auction "A" to "F" just like this from 9:30 to 2:30.
5. Personal protection. Depending on your state laws!  I carry $7000 on me just in case I find a great unit. With that much cash I want to protect myself, "just in case", so I carry a Glock 19C and OC(mace) spray. I have seen plenty of fights break out at auctions over a few dollars or someone being arrogant. PLEASE follow the rules and laws of your state when protecting yourself or others.
6. Printed out "map quest" type directions taking you from point "A" to "B" and even point "A" to "D" incase auctions B and C were cancelled last minute.
7. A smartphone with a "barcode" application.  You never know when a company has stored brand new items in the box and you have no idea what's inside.  You can snap a picture of the barcode and you phone will tell you the approximate value of that item. Obviously there are other uses for a smart phone at an auction.
8. A friend, truck, storage space, etc on standby. You may need help with all these things. Your friend to lend you his truck and give a helping hand, then allow you to use his garage. Otherwise expect to spend another $100+ on a rental box truck, spend 8 hours loading/hauling and putting everything in your living room while your wife/girlfriend/other beats you over the head with an empty beer bottle telling you to "get this crap out"!!!!!!
Anyways, good luck noobies and be prepared for a rude awakening. This is really hard work, time consuming and nothing like T.V.
By, a3rdRanger

If I forgot anything, regulars, please post something. I may have forgotten something due to my wife beating me over the head with an empty beer bottle.

A3rdRanger

GPS, I use it all the time.

I'm in the military and we always have a "packing list" prior to a mission.  You should look at your day of unit hunting as a mission as well and be prepared with all supplies necessary. Here is a list of items and mission plans.
Items:
1. Locks. As a noob you will need 1-2 "key" locks. As you get more experience, more locks.
2. Multiple copies of your drivers license. Many, not all facilities require it before registering
3. A 3 million candle watt flashlight, torch. Commonly found at home depot. Don't bring a cheap double AA battery Maglight brand. You may get a 5%+ advantage over the competition because you were able to see the ONE item to make more profit.
4. Food, water and gas.  If you schedule your auction schedule like I do, you will be maximizing your time by going from one auction to the next with no time for breaks. This is part of your pre-planning the day before. If auction "A" starts at 9:30 and had 5 units for sale with an average sales time of 5 mins per unit......and auction "B" starts at 10:30 but it takes 30 mins to get from A-B how much time do you have at "A"? Lol, this is not a math problem, I just want to get you thinking of planning. So, bring plenty of food and water, full tank of gas and full pack of cigarettes.  You may be like me going from auction "A" to "F" just like this from 9:30 to 2:30.
5. Personal protection. Depending on your state laws!  I carry $7000 on me just in case I find a great unit. With that much cash I want to protect myself, "just in case", so I carry a Glock 19C and OC(mace) spray. I have seen plenty of fights break out at auctions over a few dollars or someone being arrogant. PLEASE follow the rules and laws of your state when protecting yourself or others.
6. Printed out "map quest" type directions taking you from point "A" to "B" and even point "A" to "D" incase auctions B and C were cancelled last minute.
7. A smartphone with a "barcode" application.  You never know when a company has stored brand new items in the box and you have no idea what's inside.  You can snap a picture of the barcode and you phone will tell you the approximate value of that item. Obviously there are other uses for a smart phone at an auction.
8. A friend, truck, storage space, etc on standby. You may need help with all these things. Your friend to lend you his truck and give a helping hand, then allow you to use his garage. Otherwise expect to spend another $100+ on a rental box truck, spend 8 hours loading/hauling and putting everything in your living room while your wife/girlfriend/other beats you over the head with an empty beer bottle telling you to "get this crap out"!!!!!!
Anyways, good luck noobies and be prepared for a rude awakening. This is really hard work, time consuming and nothing like T.V.
By, a3rdRanger

9. Umbrella & jacket never know when it might start raining/snowing and bad weather actually ATTRACTS people to the auctions. Sunscreen & sunglasses, you will be surprised at how red you can get during the summer attending auctions all day or all week.
10. For the height "challenged" folks like me, bring a milk crate to stand on so you can see whats in the back of the unit behind the boxes and furniture. Sure a few people will laugh and chuckle, but why should the tall guys get the advantage of seeing everything in the unit? Also makes a good chair so you can take a break when you are waiting for 125 people to look at a unit before the bidding starts.
11. Black gloves so you can slap the little kids standing in front of the unit out of the way without leaving any finger prints on them. (just kidding! or am I?) Actually the gloves are good for if you win a unit you can do a quick search through the unit before the next auction.
12. One of those "Miracle Ear" devices so you can eavesdrop on the other attendies and hear what they are wispering.
13. Binoculars, again plenty of laughs and chuckles, but unless you have better then perfect vision, even with a high power flashlight it's hard to make out everything in the back of a 10 x 30 or 10 x 40 unit.
14. clipboard & notebook, only for the "nerds" who like to track data and do statistics.
15. Business cards to hand out to the "newbies" who over bid on units and get in way over their heads.
16. Donuts, candy, gifts to give out to the storage facility employees and the "main players".
17. Team of experts on speed dail ready to research those unique items that pop up in units that look valuable but you have no idea what they are worth.

9. Umbrella & jacket never know when it might start raining/snowing and bad weather actually ATTRACTS people to the auctions. Sunscreen & sunglasses, you will be surprised at how red you can get during the summer attending auctions all day or all week.
10. For the height "challenged" folks like me, bring a milk crate to stand on so you can see whats in the back of the unit behind the boxes and furniture. Sure a few people will laugh and chuckle, but why should the tall guys get the advantage of seeing everything in the unit? Also makes a good chair so you can take a break when you are waiting for 125 people to look at a unit before the bidding starts.
11. Black gloves so you can slap the little kids standing in front of the unit out of the way without leaving any finger prints on them. (just kidding! or am I?) Actually the gloves are good for if you win a unit you can do a quick search through the unit before the next auction.
12. One of those "Miracle Ear" devices so you can eavesdrop on the other attendies and hear what they are wispering.
13. Binoculars, again plenty of laughs and chuckles, but unless you have better then perfect vision, even with a high power flashlight it's hard to make out everything in the back of a 10 x 30 or 10 x 40 unit.
14. clipboard & notebook, only for the "nerds" who like to track data and do statistics.
15. Business cards to hand out to the "newbies" who over bid on units and get in way over their heads.
16. Donuts, candy, gifts to give out to the storage facility employees and the "main players".
17. Team of experts on speed dail ready to research those unique items that pop up in units that look valuable but you have no idea what they are worth.

holy crap!   this just makes me tired reading all of this. 


Heres my packing list. 

Good flash light
2 long loop locks
lots of cash

thats it. 

holy crap!   this just makes me tired reading all of this. 


Heres my packing list. 

Good flash light
2 long loop locks
lots of cash

thats it. 

Thats about it for me, except some trash bags and some totes.

I do keep personal safety "stuff" in my car at all times.
Usually have s pocket knife and multi- tool on me.
Also in the tool box is gloves (work & surgical), dust mask, tools, torches, garbage bags....all your emergency stuff plus I do side automotive work so all ghat crap.



About the only thing I think I can recommend is when you go to auctions, look at the locks of ALL the lockers and what the facilities sell.  Then get the same. You don't want to go cheap and some of those expensive ones don't even fit on some facilities lockers.

That was advice given to me when a guy saw the lock I had. It fits but, at that facility, the way the latch clicks over its a total b*tch to get on. 

Now have five. Two of the kind I like and three cheaper of various sizes.


Then again, for me, forgetting a lock is no big deal. Since I can't seem to win any lockers!!!

Hey~with two kids to get ready for school in the morning.....I'm lucky if I can remember to put on my deodorant!

And I laughed at the milk-crate!  I'm 5' 10" and many of the vertically challenged guys hate it when I'm in front of them.....even more so when I forget my deodorant!

Seriously~we travel light.  Flashlights, locks and cash.  I've always got my big old pepsi.  Usually lasts me through an entire caravan!  And if not.....I drive fast and always have time for a pit stop!  In the truck you'll find garbage bags, gloves, an umbrella, broom, furniture dolly and extra locks.....on the off-chance we land more than a couple lockers....like that is gonna happen with our crowds lately.

@ a3rdRanger - ty for the list for newbies.  We've had the same type topics before so anyone that wants to see what is missing can do a search.

@ Cobia - I suspect you were being sarcastic.  However, the milk crate works as well as my camp stool I do take on days I think we will have 100+ people and spend 20 mins looking at each unit.

@ rockin - You made me almost fall out of my chair laughing girl.  Swear if I'm ever in your neck of the woods I got to meet you and your hubby.

I keep a stash of various size locks.  Have been to a few places where the normal heavy duty round locks just don't fit.  Gloves, broom, bags, gps, duct tape, etc. are always in the truck.  Auction day finds me walking out of the house with just my cash, light, and drink in hand.  Everything else stays in my truck ready to go.

Just thought of a tip....

I have "safety flags" for airplane inspections. Just a red strip of material sewed  to a rubber o-ring.
I slip it on the lock of my storage locker after constantly getting lost in the warehouse. Really, the place is a maze!!

No more counting rows or looking at numbers. Can find my locker from a distance.

@ rockin - You made me almost fall out of my chair laughing girl.  Swear if I'm ever in your neck of the woods I got to meet you and your hubby.

I agree with you Craiglst.        Rockin you crack me up. 

A small step ladder for the vertically challenge. I am under 5' 5" , Husband is over 6' so we have both covered. I see the stuff you tall ones miss... 

18. Name and # of the storage facility.

No more counting rows or looking at numbers. Can find my locker from a distance.

Thought we were alone on that. 

19.  A heapin' helping of common sense

20.  Patience - or a sense of humor (depending on where you are)

Don't forget the other essentials like a dolly, moving blankets, tie down straps, tarps, a broom, a dustpan, trash bags, latex gloves and a couple workers that you picked up from the front of Home Depot.